Massive 9.0 earthquake strikes Japan; major tsunami follows. US military aid efforts include assistance to Japanese forces, delivery of more than two million gallons of water, 189 tons of food, 11,960 gallons of fuel, and 100 tons of other relief supplies via air and sea under the Japan Self- Defense Force-led Operation Tomodachi. US military assistance includes some 140 aircraft, more than 20 ships, and about 20,000 personnel-above those already stationed in Japan.
The U.S. began extensive air and artillery strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria on Dec. 19 in retaliation for the killing of three Americans on Dec. 13 by a gunman affiliated with ISIS, U.S. officials said.
