The Defense Department is still actively involved in evacuating US citizens from Lebanon to Cyprus and points beyond, with the total number of evacuees standing at 12,870 as of July 25. Air Force and DOD charter flights have airlifted more than 6,000 as of July 25 and were expected to transport nearly 4,000 more Wednesday. A Pentagon news release states that US forces have evacuated about 13,000 since the crisis in Lebanon on July 16. US military forces also are continuing to deliver supplies to Lebanon to aid some 600,000 Lebanese nationals displaced by the fighting.
The Pentagon announced new long-term agreements with four defense companies May 13 to develop and produce large numbers of low-cost cruise missiles. And while the effort will focus mostly on the Army to start, it pairs with Air Force efforts to find more affordable munitions.