The US-led coalition has doubled its amount of advisers in Iraq to 450 around Mosul within the last few weeks, including special operators who have entered the city alongside Iraqi troops. Air Force Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said Wednesday that the advisers have entered Mosul at times, though they have remained behind the “forward line of troops” and are “advising and assisting” instead of participating in direct combat. The increase is meant to support “phase two” of the Iraqi Security Forces’ fight to free the ISIS-held city. The city has been completely surrounded, with bridges crossing the Tigris river inside the city destroyed, so ISIS is unable to resupply or reinforce its fighters.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.