Large battles in Iraq ended, Pentagon believes

Currently, it can be assumed that large clashes in Iraq have ended. This was stated at a briefing in Washington on Monday, a representative of the United Committee of the Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, General Stanley McCrystal.

At the same time, he emphasized that the Pentagon expects "smaller, but more stubborn clashes."

The general also said that in the past days the number of sorties of American-British aviation decreased to 700-800 per day.

At the same time, he stated that Monday was the last day when the flights were carried out from all five aircraft carriers participating in the military operation in Iraq, RIA Novosti reports.

American aircraft carriers leave the Persian Gulf

The Pentagon decided to withdraw two aircraft carriers from the Persian Gulf. This was announced today by the representative of the US Department of Defense who wished to maintain anonymity.

According to him, in the coming days, the Persian bay will leave the Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier - along with the warships accompanying him, he will return to the Yokosuk naval base in Japan. Also, in the very near future, an aircraft carrier group led by the Constellation aircraft carrier will also leave the region. The ships of this group will go to the port of San Diego's posts on the western coast of the United States.

Thus, in the near future, only one American aircraft carrier - Nimitz will remain in the Persian Gulf.

Two more aircraft carriers-Theodore Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman are in the Mediterranean Sea, however, as the commander of the US Navy in the war against Iraq, Vice Admiral Thomas Kithing, recently, in the foreseeable future, one of these ships will also leave the region.

On April 11, Great Britain said that she began to reduce the number of their military in the Persian Gulf. The country's Ministry of Defense said that this measure would also affect warships, aircraft and helicopters, as well as the submarine located in the bay.

Tornado's update bombers returned to the base in Scotland on Friday. Over the next few days, it was planned that a certain number of helicopters and aircraft will return to the UK.