Major General George Smith, the CENTCOM Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy reiterated the United States support for the Lebanese army during a short visit he paid to Beirut, a US embassy statement said on Saturday. Smith met with General Joseph Aoun on Thursday, September 7, the press release said.

US-backed forces and the Syrian army advanced in separate offensives against ISIL in eastern Syria on Saturday. The Syrian Democratic Forces, a US-backed coalition, aimed to push out the jihadists from territory east of the Euphrates River, while Syrian government forces — supported by Lebanese group Hizbollah and Russian air …

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit London next week for UK-hosted talks on North Korea and Libya, the State Department said in a press release. “Tillerson will travel to London from September 13 through September 14 for UK-hosted meetings on DPRK [North Korea] and Libya,” the release said …