US aircraft in July conducted two more strikes in Yemen, targeting al Qaeda operatives in part of an ongoing counter terrorism focus inside the country. A July 8 strike killed one operative, and another on July 16 killed six operatives and injured one more. The strikes were conducted to “put consistent pressure on the terrorist network” and aim to prevent attacks on US personnel and allies, US Central Command said in a release. The two strikes bring the total number to 11 in 2016, according to statistics previously announced by CENTCOM. The strikes are part of a separate counterterrorism campaign targeting al Qaeda in Yemen, though the Air Force had actively supported the Saudi Arabian-led campaign targeting rebels in the country with air refueling and an air liaison team in Riyadh.
A new report from the Government Accountability Office calls for the Pentagon’s Chief Technology Officer to have budget certification authority over the military services’ research and development accounts—a move the services say would add a burdensome and unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.
