Iraqi forces on Wednesday announced they had claimed the eastern half of the ISIS-held city of Mosul after three months of block-by-block fighting. Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Chief Staff Gen. Talib al-Sheghati said Wednesday the left bank of the city had been liberated after elite forces routed ISIS from the last neighborhoods on the eastern half, Agence France-Presse reported. US and coalition airpower has continued to strike ISIS in the region, with aircraft on Tuesday conducting five strikes hitting ISIS tactical units, tunnels, vehicles, barges, supply routes, and other targets, according to US Central Command. Iraqi forces now prepare to fight ISIS on the western half of the city, where they have been entrenched but cut off from resupply and reinforcements.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
