Latest Lloyd Austin News
Israel-Hamas war latest: Israeli airstrikes kill Hezbollah leader Nasrallah
Smoke rose from Beirut’s southern suburbs Saturday after the area was pummeled by heavy airstrikes that Israel said killed multiple Hezbollah commanders, including leader Hassan Nasrallah. The Lebanese militant group confirmed the death of its longtime leader, whose killing could...
Senate confirms commander of US Army forces in the Pacific after Tuberville drops objections
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed a new commander of U.S. Army forces in the Pacific after Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville dropped his objections and allowed a quick vote on the nomination. Tuberville had blocked Lt. Gen. Ronald Clark's nomination for months over concerns...
The Navy's highest-ranking military officer is treated successfully for breast cancer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy's highest-ranking military officer, was treated successfully for early-stage breast cancer this summer, the service announced Friday. Franchetti’s stage 1 breast cancer was discovered during a routine mammogram in June, and she...
Israel warned the US that an operation in Lebanon was coming but gave no details, officials say
WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel warned U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a call Tuesday that a military operation was going to take place in Lebanon but gave no details, U.S. officials said Thursday. The same day of the call, in an attack widely blamed on Israel, thousands of pagers belonging to...
US warplanes, ships and troops ready in the Middle East if the conflict expands
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has kept an increased military presence in the Middle East throughout much of the past year, with about 40,000 forces, at least a dozen warships and four Air Force fighter jet squadrons spread across the region both to protect allies and to serve as a deterrent against...
Jill Biden and Lloyd Austin visit an Alabama base to tout expanded military benefits
WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Jill Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin traveled Friday to Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama to highlight programs that the Pentagon and White House are rolling out to improve service members' quality of life as well as early childhood education in the military....
Blinken wraps up Ukraine-focused Europe trip in Poland with arms requests on the table
WARSAW (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a three-nation, Ukraine-focused European tour in Poland on Thursday after hearing repeated appeals from Ukrainian officials to use Western-supplied weaponry for long-range strikes inside Russia. Blinken traveled to...
US aircraft carrier in the Middle East is heading home
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon's rare move to keep two Navy aircraft carriers in the Middle East over the past several weeks has now finished, as the USS Theodore Roosevelt is heading home, according to U.S. officials. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had ordered the Roosevelt...
Alabama Sen. Tuberville blocks quick promotion of top aide to Defense Secretary Austin
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville is blocking the quick promotion of the top military aide to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over concerns that he and other senior staff did not immediately notify President Joe Biden when Austin was hospitalized with complications from cancer...
Pentagon chief says a six-month temporary budget bill will have devastating effects on the military
WASHINGTON (AP) — Passage of a six-month temporary spending bill would have widespread and devastating effects on the Defense Department, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said in a letter to key members of Congress on Sunday. Austin said that passing a continuing resolution that caps...
