Coalition air forces conducted an air strike against a terrorist safe house in the vicinity of Husaybah, Iraq, shortly after 1 a.m. on Sept. 8—targeting Abu Mohammed, a known bomb-maker and cell leader. Mohammed had been linked to other al Qaeda terrorists and foreign fighters in Husaybah and the western Euphrates River Valley. On Sept. 7, USAF F-16s performed a strike in the vicinity of Al Qaim, Iraq—expending two GBU-38s against anti-Iraqi forces.
Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd III met with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines to discuss bolstering defense ties on May 2. The discussion included plans for joint F-35 exercises with Japan and Australia in the coming years.