An insurgent rocket attack at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, early on the morning of Aug. 21 local time injured two airmen and damaged the front of a C-17 transport and one of its engines, said officials at the base. The two maintainers suffered cuts and bruises, they said. This particular C-17 was the aircraft that transported Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey to Afghanistan on Aug. 19 on his official visit. The incident mimicked previous attacks, said the officials. They noted that Dempsey “was never in any danger” and there was no indication that the insurgents were targeting him. (AFPS report by Jim Garamone)
Less than a day after arriving in the Middle East, F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. defended Israel from an Iranian attack in April 2024. DUDE flight, four F-15Es from the 335th Fighter Squadron, downed two dozen Iranian drones in roughly 45 minutes.