US aircraft Aug. 19-21 took out dozens of ISIS fighting positions in Sirte, Libya, paving the way for an advance into the city. At the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord, US aircraft struck 25 ISIS fighting positions and two trucks over three days, US Africa Command announced. The strike brings the total in Operation Odyssey Lightning to 74 since Aug. 1. Libyan forces said on Sunday it has advanced further into the city—the last remaining stronghold of the group inside the country—reclaiming a prison ran by ISIS’ “morality police” and a mosque, Reuters reported.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.