America - Europe - Islamic World News

In a major escalation of its pressure campaign against Venezuela, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford along with four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers—USS Winston S. Churchill, USS Bainbridge, USS Mahan, and USS Forrest Sherman—and possibly an attack submarine to the Latin American region.

This report, based on the 2022 U.S. National Security Strategy, analyzes how America’s updated security policies influence its military presence and interventions worldwide—especially in West Asia. These policies aim to reduce direct and large-scale U.S. military deployments, favoring limited operations conducted with and through regional partners and groups. From now on, the central theme of U.S. actions will be a “denial strategy.”

The ancient city of Palmyra, located in eastern Homs province, witnessed the presence of U.S. military forces on October 17. According to local sources, American troops conducted a field visit to the city and its historic fortress without coordination with the Syrian army.

In recent months, Iraq’s state-owned Rafidain Bank has come under U.S. pressure for various reasons, aimed at increasing financial strain on the Iraqi government regarding the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). In the latest round of accusations, Washington claims the bank processed payments and foreign currency transfers for Yemen’s Ansarallah movement through its branch in Sana’a.

Yemen’s decision to pause its military operations reflects a strategic shift from confrontation to conditional diplomacy. By tying its halt to Israel’s compliance with the ceasefire, Yemen signals that its objectives—supporting Palestine and pressuring regional actors—have been met. Far from retreat, this marks a calculated success in its campaign.

Steve Witkoff, U.S. Special Envoy for West Asia, along with General Charles Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), visited an Israeli military base in the Gaza Strip. The visit was attended by Eyal Zamir, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, and several senior Israeli commanders. The purpose of the visit was to assess the Israeli army’s withdrawal from areas designated in the recent agreement with Hamas.

The United States Senate, in its recent session, overwhelmingly passed the draft defense budget for fiscal year 2026. According to the resolution, the U.S. government is authorized to allocate $130 million from the total defense budget to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northeast and the Free Syrian Army (Jaysh al-Suriya al-Hurra) in southern Syria.

In a bid to restore strained ties with Qatar, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho will temporarily host Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots for joint training exercises.

ABC News has reported that the United States is sending 200 military personnel to Israel to establish a specialized coordination center aimed at overseeing the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The Watson Institute, a respected academic center in the United States specializing in public affairs, government management, and international relations, has revealed details of U.S. military losses in recent clashes with Yemen’s armed forces in a report titled “The Costs of War.”

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani (Ahmad al-Shara), acting president of Syria, held talks in Damascus with Thomas Barrack, U.S. special envoy for Syrian affairs, and Gen. Charles Bird Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

Recent developments across the region suggest that the United States and Israel are actively preparing operational infrastructure for potential scenarios targeting Iran. The deployment of U.S. aerial refueling aircraft at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, their flights over Iraq and the broader region, and the arrival of the USS Ford aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean all point to a new strategic alignment—possibly signaling a limited military confrontation or a show of force aimed at political pressure.