Operations

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) wants to award two former Navy SEALs who were killed during last year’s terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, the Congressional Gold Medal.

Hunter introduced legislation Thursday to grant the award, Congress’ highest civilian honor, to Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, two of the four Americans who were killed in Benghazi.

“Doherty and Woods saved lives, at the cost of their own. They are American heroes,” Hunter said in a statement.

The Topline: American and Iranian tensions nearly bubbled over this week after Tehran launched fighter jets against an American drone conducting classified surveillance missions in the region, the Pentagon admitted on Thursday.

An Iranian F-4 Phantom fighter jet closed in on an Air Force MQ-1 Predator aerial drone and its fighter escort during "a routine classified surveillance flight" above international waters in the Persian Gulf, Pentagon press secretary George Little said in a statement Thursday.

Initial DOD reports said the Iranian fighter continued its pursuit of the drone until one of the Predator's escort fighters fired a flare "as a warning to the Iranian plane," forcing the fighter to break off its pursuit.

Little later said that the Iranian jet broke off its pursuit of the Predator and its escorts after U.S. personnel issued a "verbal warning" to the fighter.

This was the second time in recent months Iranian fighter jets have engaged American drones operating in the Mideast.

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U.S. and Iranian warplanes came dangerously close to exchanging fire over the Persian Gulf this week, after Tehran again attempted to disrupt an American drone on an intelligence gathering operation in the region, according to the Defense Department (DOD). 

Libyan officials have detained a local resident suspected of participating in last September's terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya, which ended in the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. 

Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, is reportedly backing a plan to station over 13,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan after 2014, going against initial White House estimates for that postwar force. 

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) filed two amendments to a $984 billion government funding bill on Thursday that would gut the military's alternative fuels program.

The amendments already are drawing criticism the program's supporters, which are largely Democrats. Sen. Mark Udall's office said Thursday that the Colorado Democrat would fight whatever measure comes to the floor.

One would strip $114 million from the Army, Navy and Air Force's alternative energy research and development programs. The other would remove $60 million from the Defense Department's biofuels program.

U.S. commanders anticipate a "gentle reduction" in core combat capabilities, such as route clearance and bomb disposal units, in southern Afghanistan as American and allied forces prepare to withdraw from the country next year. 

The top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee are joining the fight against making a new medal for drone pilots ranked above a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and ranking member Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) wrote to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel asking him to re-consider the ranking of the Distinguish Warfare Medal (DWM), which is given to drone pilots and cyber warriors not directly involved in combat.

The Pentagon announced the creation of the medal last month.

American commanders are pressing Afghan officials to come up with a detainee transfer deal that will respect the country's sovereignty while ensuring terror suspects do not make their way back onto the battlefield. 

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The new Defense secretary, in a press briefing, expressed “sincere sympathy” to the families of the victims.