Middle East

Military news from the Middle East.

Latest in Middle East

Apache
Middle East

Trump says Iran shot down Apache helicopter, vows response

By Jeff Schogol

Updated 7 Hours Ago

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Terrance Greenwood, 40th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 loadmaster, conducts final checks to ensure security of container delivery system bundles before loading onto an aircraft at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, July 5, 2023. The 40th EAS provides U.S. Air Forces Central a global reach tactical airlift mission capability and is a prime transport for airdropping and transiting personnel and equipment into hostile areas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Isaac Garden)
Middle East

Iranian missiles target U.S. base in Kuwait as both sides keep trading fire

By Nicholas Slayton, Jeff Schogol

Posted on Jun 1, 2026

Iran ceasefire
Middle East

Fighting between US and Iran continues amid ‘ceasefire’

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on May 28, 2026

Super Hornet
Middle East

Navy F/A-18 disables ship in Gulf of Oman with 20mm cannon

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on May 6, 2026

Image: ARABIAN SEA - APRIL 20: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images' editorial policy.) In this handout photo provided by U.S. Central Command, U.S. forces patrol the Arabian Sea near M/V Touska on April 20, 2026, after firing upon the Iranian-flagged vessel that the U.S. accused of attempting to violate the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz. (Handout Photo by the U.S. Navy via Getty Images) 
Middle East

US will help ‘guide’ trapped ships out of the Strait of Hormuz

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on May 4, 2026

A U.S. Sailor aboard the world's largest aircraft carrier, Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), signals the launch of an F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft from the flight deck, Nov. 17, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president's priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland. (U.S. Navy photo)
Middle East

Navy tells sailors to ‘beware’ of dating apps, button-up social media amid Iran conflict

By Patty Nieberg

Posted on Apr 20, 2026

Image: U.S. Marines fire rifles during a deck shoot aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility during Operation Epic Fury, April 2, 2026. (U.S. Marine Corps photo) 
Middle East

Marines seize Iranian cargo ship

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Apr 19, 2026

Joint and combined personnel monitor workstations in the Combined Space Operations Center (CSpOC) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. The center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week; continuously coordinating, planning, integrating, synchronizing and executing space operations; providing tailored space effects on demand to support combatant commanders; and accomplishing national security objectives. (Composited images are used over the monitors for operational security.)
Middle East

Iran war demonstrates a ‘combat credible’ Space Force, top guardian says

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Apr 18, 2026

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) sails alongside fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO-187), during a replenishment-at-sea in the Arabian Sea, Feb. 18, 2026. Frank E. Peterson Jr. is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christian Kibler)
Middle East

What we know about the US military’s blockade of Iran

By Jeff Schogol, Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Apr 13, 2026

An American Navy destroyer sails through the Strait of Hormuz on April 11, 2026.
Middle East

Two destroyers cross Strait of Hormuz ahead of mine clearance mission

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Apr 11, 2026

U.S. Army MH-60M Black Hawks assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) fly in formation during a helicopter air-to-air refueling exercise above the Southeastern United States, Jan. 23, 2026. Air to air refueling extends a helicopter’s non-stop flight distance, a capability necessary for joint special operations missions far from established airfields and logistical support. These exercises demonstrate the 1 SOW’s ability to project specialized airpower whenever and wherever needed. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)
Middle East

What we know about the commando raid to recover the F-15 crew member in Iran

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Apr 5, 2026

Marine Expeditionary Unit
Middle East

Here’s what Marine Expeditionary Units are designed to do

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Apr 1, 2026

U.S. Sailors assigned to Carrier Air Wing 8 observe an F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 31, land on the flight deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), while underway during Operation Epic Fury, March 18, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo)
Middle East

Troops in Qatar, UAE, 8 other regions now get combat pay for Epic Fury

By Patty Nieberg

Posted on Apr 1, 2026

U.S. Army Spc. Jake Amato, an MK48 machine gunner assigned to Laghman Provincial Reconstruction Team, patrols through a field looking for triggermen in the Alisheng district, Laghman province, Afghanistan, on Sept. 12, 2011. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Crane, U.S. Army. )
Middle East

Hegseth says US won’t rule out deploying ‘boots on the ground’ for Iran war

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Mar 31, 2026

U.S. Army Soldiers with 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment and Task Force Bayonet, currently deployed throughout the Horn of Africa, received a combat patch during a battlefield circulation, June 20 – Sept. 11, 2020. Patching is a custom reserved for those serving in a combat zone and Soldiers from the eight elements that comprise the task force were awarded their patches over the span of three weeks. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Sirrina Martinez)
Middle East

Army approves combat patches for soldiers in Iran war zone

By Patty Nieberg, Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 30, 2026

U.S. Marines with Lima Company, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, conduct a live fire deck shoot aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), Philippine Sea, March 16, 2026. The 31st MEU is a persistent, combat credible force operating aboard the ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, routinely interacting and operating with our allies and partners to contribute to deterrence, security, crisis response, and combat operations in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gerardo Mendez)
Middle East

USS Tripoli, 2,200 Marines arrive in the Middle East

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 28, 2026