US Central Command officials in Iraq say that a US Air Force F-16 delivered two 500-pound bombs on an “identified, isolated safe house,” killing the al Qaeda brain in Iraq—Abu Musab al-Zarqawi—and one of his key lieutenants. The air strikes flown by two USAF Vipers took place July 7 at 6:15 p.m. Baghdad time. Officials said that tips and intelligence led them to target the safe house, located about five miles north of Baqubah. Zarqawi has been the mastermind for al Qaeda terrorist attacks in Iraq for years and was one of al Qaeda’s top three leaders worldwide. (Read the statement by President Bush and a report of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s notification to NATO.)
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.