An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed Nov. 2 in southern Afghanistan, the Air Force said in a release. The service said it intends to convene an accident investigation board to determine the cause of the mishap. Before this accident, the Air Force had lost a total of 39 armed MQ-1 and unarmed RQ-1 Predators in missions supporting operations in Afghanistan and Iraq since 9/11.
U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter jets were observed flying toward the Middle East on Feb. 11, the latest step in the U.S. military buildup in the region as the Trump administration weighs possible strikes on Iran.

