Coalition aircraft on Monday targeted a former Turkish government building in Mosul, Iraq, that ISIS had turned into a headquarters facility in its stronghold, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said. The coalition received Ankara’s blessing to bomb its former consulate in Mosul, killing multiple ISIS leaders and destroying a weapons compound in the middle of the city, he added. The building fell into ISIS control in June 2014 and has been a headquarters of operations in the city, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Turkey approved this operation at all stages, from preparation to execution,” the Foreign Ministry said, according to the Rudaw news agency. “Our country continues to combat Daesh activities in cooperation with the international anti-ISIS coalition.” Coalition aircraft in Iraq also targeted a senior ISIS fighter linked to the March 19 death of US Marine SSgt. Louis Cardin, who was killed by a rocket attack on his operating base near Makhmur. Jasim Khadijah, a former Iraqi officer, was killed by the drone strike in northern Iraq, the coalition announced on Sunday.
The Pentagon’s proposed budget for the Air Force in fiscal 2027 would include billions of dollars in additional spending on advanced next-generation fighters, trainer aircraft, hypersonic missiles and more. But an expert close to Air Force issues said the service’s asks are paltry compared to the massive $1.5 trillion topline…
