The Pentagon on Monday named the Navy SEAL who was killed on Jan. 28 in a raid against al-Qaeda forces in Yemen. Chief Petty Officer William “Ryan” Owens, 36, was assigned to an East Coast-based Special Warfare unit, according to the Pentagon announcement. “Ryan gave his full measure for our nation, and in performing his duty, he upheld the noblest standard of military service,” said Defense Secretary James Mattis. “The United States would not long exist were it not for the selfless commitment of such warriors.”
A-10 Thunderbolt II attack planes in the Middle East are flying with fresh modifications as the Air Force looks to make the plane more versatile amid America’s ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and a tenuous ceasefire in the U.S. air war against Iran.