Search underway for 4 US Army soldiers missing in Lithuania
Hundreds of troops and emergency workers are racing to find four US soldiers who went missing during a training mission near Lithuania's border with Belarus, the US Army said Thursday, after their armored vehicle was found submerged in a body of water.
The soldiers were reported missing in a training area near the city of Pabrade at approximately 4:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m. ET) on Tuesday, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in a Wednesday statement.
Members of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division had been carrying out a mission to recover another US vehicle in a schedule training session, according to the US Army.
US and Lithuanian soldiers, law enforcement officials, and Lithuanian military helicopters and diving teams were part of the seismic operation, which ran through Thursday 'without pause,' according to the US Army. Ground-search parties waded through thick forests and swampy terrain, which 'complicated recovery efforts.'
It came after the US Army Europe and Africa confirmed that the M88 armored vehicle operated by the soldiers was found in a training area.
'The vehicle was discovered submerged in a body of water in a training area after a search by US Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces and other Lithuanian authorities,' the statement on Wednesday said. 'Recovery efforts are underway by US Army and Lithuanian Armed Forces and civilian agencies. Search efforts for the Soldiers continue.'
Emergency crews were digging into a swamp, which was drained after vehicle was discovered more than 5 meters down, according to Lithuania's Defense Minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, Reuters reported.
Engineers created berms – strips of raised land – to help contain the surrounding water, which could be pumped and provide access to emergency personnel on site to the vehicle, the US Army said.
As of Thursday, there is 'no evidence or information confirming any casualties,' Lithuania's Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.
The soldiers were from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division and were conducting 'scheduled tactical training' at the time of the incident, the statement continued.
Asked Wednesday evening by reporters if he had been briefed about the missing soldiers, US President Donald Trump said: 'No, I haven't.'
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor insisted teams 'will not stop' until the troops were found.
'This tragic situation weighs heavily on all of us and we're keeping the families, friends and teammates of our soldiers and recovery team in our thoughts and prayers,' the commanding general of 1st Armored Division said on Thursday.
Šakalienė said in a post on X that she was 'deeply saddened' to hear about the missing soldiers.
'Everybody remains on standby, ready to provide emergency medical support,' she said. 'Please rest assured that we will continue our efforts tirelessly.'
The US has maintained a presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltic region since 2014, in an operation called 'Atlantic Resolve,' following Russia's invasion of Crimea.
Lithuania, a member of both NATO and the European Union, hosts hundreds of American troops, who are stationed on a rotational basis.
A US military camp named Camp Herkus was established in Pabrade in August 2021, Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence announced in a statement at the time. It is equipped to house up to 700 soldiers, or 1,000 on a short-term basis, according to the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN's Benjamin Brown contributed to this report.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Black America Web
23 minutes ago
- Black America Web
President Donald Trump Orders Bombing Of 3 Iran Nuclear Sites, Democrats Frozen Out From Intel
Source: HAYI / Getty After initially stating to mull the decision for a time, President Donald Trump ordered the bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday (June 21), which has escalated the conflict to unprecedented levels. Top Democratic Party officials say that they were not briefed on President Trump's actions, and a national address from the former business mogul claimed a total annihilation of Iran's nuclear weapons production capabilities. As seen in an NBC News report, President Trump boasted of the bombing of three sites in Iran, Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, which the administration framed as the epicenter of Iran's nuclear weapons production. This comes as the two countries are locked in a long-distance skirmish that has left over 400 dead in Iran and over 24 dead in Israel. 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,' Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after the attack. The move garnered praise from several GOP officials, including Speaker Mike Johnson, who stated that Congress would have taken too long to give its approval to Trump. Democratic Party Sen. John Fetterman praised Trump's actions, writing on X, 'Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I'm grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.' Fetterman's stance differs from those of his party, many of whom said that they were left out of briefing talks ahead of the strikes. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman out of Kentucky, called Trump's actions 'unconstitutional' via social media. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia wrote on X of the bombing, 'The American public is overwhelmingly opposed to the U.S. waging war on Iran. And the Israeli Foreign Minister admitted yesterday that Israeli bombing had set the Iranian nuclear program back 'at least 2 or 3 years'. So what made Trump recklessly decide to rush and bomb today? Horrible judgment. I will push for all Senators to vote on whether they are for this third idiotic Middle East war.' House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York shared in a statement, 'President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East.' United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also took to X to give a statement regarding the strikes: I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security. There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world. I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the @UN Charter and other rules of international law. At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. Source: Pool / Getty Late Saturday night, Trump was flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Jim Hegseth, and State Secretary Marco Rubio, praising the efforts of the military strike. 'I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they've done, and most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades,' President Trump said. On X, the reaction to the Iran bombing and the fear of retaliation cast gloom across the social media network. We've got reactions below. — Photo: Getty President Donald Trump Orders Bombing Of 3 Iran Nuclear Sites, Democrats Frozen Out From Intel was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Chicago Tribune
28 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
What to know about the conflict between Israel and Iran, and the US intervention
ATHENS, Greece — The United States inserted itself into Israel's war against Iran, bombing three of the Islamic Republic's key nuclear sites overnight. U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that the sites were 'completely and fully obliterated,' and warned there would be additional strikes if Iran retaliates. The U.S. strikes came after a week of open conflict between Israel and Iran, sparked by Israel's sudden barrage of attacks against Iran's nuclear and military structure. US strikes 3 Iranian nuclear sites, inserting itself into Israel's war with IranIsraeli strikes began on June 13. Targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, they killed several top military officials and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated by firing hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, some of which penetrated the country's vaunted multi-tiered air defense system. The war so far has killed hundreds of people and wounded more than 1,000 in Iran and killed two dozen and wounded hundreds in Israel. Iran insists its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. But Israel views it as an existential threat and has said its military campaign is necessary to prevent Iran from building an atomic weapon. Although U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb, Trump and Israeli leaders have argued it could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The region has been on edge for the past two years as Israel seeks to annihilate the Hamas militant group, an Iranian ally, in the Gaza Strip, where war still rages after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. Here's what to know about the conflict between Israel and Iran, and the United States' intervention: Trump announced the overnight 'massive precision strikes' on Iran's Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites in a televised address to the nation from the White House. Describing them as 'a spectacular military success,' he said they had 'completely and fully obliterated' the nuclear sites. Iran, he said, would now have to make peace. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization confirmed the attacks, but insisted its nuclear program will not be stopped. Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. The nuclear fuel enrichment site at Fordo is buried deep beneath a mountain, and the attack against it used bunker-buster bombs designed to penetrate the ground before exploding, a U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. Only the United States has the 30,000-pound (13,600-kilogram) munition and the stealth bombers used to deliver them. Trump warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against U.S. forces, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump's decision to attack. Iran launched a barrage of missiles against Israel overnight and into Sunday, with Israeli authorities reporting that more than 80 people were wounded, the vast majority of them lightly. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the time for diplomacy had passed and his country had the right to defend itself. 'The warmongering, a lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression,' he said in a news conference in Istanbul. 'They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities.' How Tehran might retaliate remains unclear, but an Iranian response could mean a wave of attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East, an attempt to close a key bottleneck for global oil supplies or a dash to develop a nuclear weapon. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was 'gravely alarmed' by the United States' use of force, and called the strikes a 'dangerous escalation.' World leaders issued calls for diplomacy. 'There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control — with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region and the world,' Guterres said in a statement on X. 'I call on Member States to de-escalate.' Nations react to US strikes on Iran with many calling for diplomacyThe European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, but urged restraint. 'I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation,' she said in a social media post. Kallas will chair a meeting of the 27-nation bloc's foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, with the Israel-Iran war high on the agenda. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who had threatened to resume attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joined Israel's military campaign, called on other Muslim nations to form 'one front against the Zionist-American arrogance.' Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had warned the U.S. on Wednesday that strikes against Iran would 'result in irreparable damage for them.' The Israeli military said Saturday it was preparing for the possibility of a lengthy war, while Iran's foreign minister warned before the U.S. attack that American military involvement 'would be very, very dangerous for everyone.'
Axios
28 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump administration says U.S. does not seek regime change in Iran
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters the U.S. war against Iran is "not open-ended" and is "not about regime change," stressing that Saturday's U.S. military strikes were strictly targeted at Iran's nuclear program. Vice President Vance flatly denied that the U.S. is at war with Iran, telling NBC's "Meet the Press" instead: "We're at war with Iran's nuclear program." Why it matters: President Trump and his top aides, including Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, have hailed the U.S. bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites as a "spectacular success." But the unprecedented U.S. strikes on Iran have plunged both countries — as well as Israel, the Middle East and the wider world — into a state of deep uncertainty and danger. "Anything can happen in conflict, and we acknowledge that. But the scope of this was intentionally limited," Hegseth said when asked if the U.S. was prepared for a "protracted" war. The "capabilities" of the American military, however, are "unlimited," Hegseth added — warning that Iran now has a "choice" on whether to pursue peace or escalation. Trump, Vance and Hegseth have called for Iran to come to the negotiating table and voluntarily renounce its nuclear program in order to bring an end to the fighting. Trump has also urged Iran not to retaliate, threatening "far greater" U.S. strikes if American assets or troops in the region are targeted. Zoom in: Hegseth and Caine detailed the extraordinary "Operation Midnight Hammer" in a press briefing at the Pentagon on Sunday morning. The "complex and high-risk mission" was carried out primarily by seven B-2 stealth bombers, each with two crew members, who flew 18 hours east from the U.S. and "linked up with escort and support aircraft," Caine said. Several B-2 bombers, which were detected by flight radar and reported by the media on Saturday, flew west from Missouri over the Pacific as part of a "deception effort." At approximately 6:40pm ET, or 2:10am Iran time, the lead B-2 bomber dropped two "massive ordnance penetrators" — 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs — on Iran's underground Fordow nuclear facility. The remaining bombers hit their targets with a total of 14 bunker-busters, with all three Iranian nuclear sites struck between 6:40pm ET and 7:05pm ET. Tomahawk missiles from a U.S. submarine also struck the Isfahan nuclear site. Caine said the U.S. is "unaware" of any shots fired at the strike team. Iran's fighters "did not fly, and it appears that Iran's surface-to-air missile systems did not see us," the general added. Between the lines: "This was largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history, and the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown — exceeded only by those in the days following 9/11," Caine told reporters. State of play: All three targets sustained "severe damage," but the assessment to determine whether Iran still has some nuclear capability is ongoing, the officials said. Trump had claimed last night that Iran's key uranium enrichment sites "have been completely and totally obliterated." Hegseth said that the U.S. believes it "achieved destruction of capabilities" at Fordow — a facility built into a mountain and deep underground — but Caine cautioned that it's too early to tell the extent of the damage. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to respond with strikes against U.S. forces in the Middle East. Caine said that the U.S. is being "proactive, not reactive," when it comes to protecting and repositioning its assets in the region. "Ultimately, wherever it may be — whether it's in Iraq or Syria or bases in the Gulf .... it would be a very bad idea for Iran or its proxies to attempt to attack American forces," Hegseth warned.
