This episode is brought to you by Patriot Gold Group. Protect your retirement assets. Speak with the knowledgeable folks over at Patriot Gold. Now, they've been the top-rated gold IRA dealer for seven years in a row. Go to patriotgoldgroup. Com or call 1-888-621-3856 for a free investor guide. It's Monday, 2 September. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. First, US forces launched a major operation against ISIS militants in Iraq over the weekend in an operation that left seven US service members injured. Also, China and the Philippines are trading accusations again after a ship-to-ship collision on Saturday that that has significantly ramped up tensions in the South China Sea. But first, our afternoon spotlight. I want to begin with a significant update out of Iraq, where US and coalition allies have dealt a major blow to the interests of the Islamic State. Remember them, ISIS? The US Central Command revealed Saturday that US military and Iraqi security forces conducted a major raid on ISIS strongholds in Western Iraq in an operation on August 29th, killing 15 ISIS militants, according to a report from ABC News.

During the early morning raid and subsequent firefight last Thursday, seven US military service members sustained injuries. Now, while two had to be evacuated for further treatment, US military officials said that all personnel were in stable condition. The operation targeted the terrorist group's leadership, and while so far no names have been released, intelligence indicates that key leaders of the first rank of were among the dead. Iraqi forces reportedly continued making arrests and staging raids on locations linked to ISIS throughout Saturday. In a statement, US Central Command said, This operation targeted ISIS leaders to disrupt and degrade ISIS's ability to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against Iraqi civilians, as well as US citizens, allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond. Officials said there was no indication of any civilian casualties as a result of the raids. Now, the operation, which involved targeted air strikes, followed by a ground assault, reportedly took up to two months to plan and involved surveilling and monitoring, of course, the presence of important leaders of ISIS in the region. As a reminder, the US still maintains a presence of about 2,500 troops inside Iraq to train their security forces and to assist on missions related to militant activity particularly, ISIS.

Earlier this year, however, in the face of US strikes on militants in Iraq targeting American troops, Iraq's Prime Minister said that the government would discuss plans to accelerate the end of the US troop presence in the country. Regarding ISIS, the terrorist group has increased their attacks over the past year as they attempt to spread their influence back into Europe and America. In their statement, CENTCOM said, Issis remains a threat to the region, our allies, as well as our homeland, US CENTCOM, alongside our coalition and Iraqi partners, will continue to aggressively pursue these terrorists. All right. Coming up after the break, China and the Philippines are trading accusations after a ship-to-ship collision on Saturday that has significantly inflamed tensions in the disputed South China Sea. I'll be right back.

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Welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. In the latest escalation of maritime tensions in the South China Sea, Chinese forces surrounded and rammed the BRP Teresa Magbanua, that's the flagship of the Philippine Coast Guard, near Sabina Shoal. This marks the seventh scuffle in August between Beijing and Manila in the disputed waters. Now, I'm not sure that scuffle is the most accurate word here to describe the encounters between the two nations. That makes it sound more like a schoolyard fight, but we'll stick with scuffle for now until I can come up with a better the word. On Saturday, the Magbanua was reportedly rammed three times by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel without provocation within the Philippines exclusive economic zone. Now, the deliberate Chinese act caused significant damage, including a hole in the ship's hole. Multiple Chinese vessels, including two Type 837 tugs from the People's Liberation Army Navy, surrounded the Philippine Patrol vessel. Images, released by the Philippine Coast Guard, show the tugs on the Port and starboard sides the Magbanua, trapping the vessel. Notably, the aggressive Chinese maneuvers are the first instance in which Beijing has deployed tugs to Shabina Shoal. Now, Chinese state media, this won't surprise you, in an attempt to muddy the waters, presented a different narrative, claiming that the Philippine Coast Guard was responsible for the collision.

However, video footage released by the China Coast Guard contradicts this claim, showing the collision occurring at the stern of the Magbanua, emphasizing the Chinese vessel was the aggressor. Philippine Coast Guard Commander Jay Tariella announced in Manila that the Magbanua had re-anchored and would remain at Sabina Shoal, Despite the harassment, bullying activities, and the escalatory action of the Chinese Coast Guard. The US strongly condemned the incident. Us ambassador to Manila, Mary K. Carlson, described the collision as, A dangerous violation of international law by China. Yeah, that would qualify. The US military, which maintains a significant presence in the Endo-Pacific region, has expressed openness to the possibility of escort Philippine vessels in disputed waters to ensure their safety. Now, this incident is part of a broader pattern of increasingly hostile encounters between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the South China Sea. Chinese forces, often with civilian support, have repeatedly clashed with Philippine ships during resupply missions to contested islands, sometimes resulting in and injuries, raising concerns about a potential larger conflict. The Magbanua has been stationed at Sabina Shoal since mid-April due to concerns that China might attempt to establish a permanent structure on the uninhabited Atoll.

Shoal, a tactic that China has used in other contested areas. In response, China has launched a diplomatic protest against the Philippines, accusing it of prolonging its presence at the Shoal to assert its territorial claims. Adding to the regional tensions, Japan launched a formal protest with China on the same day of China's collision with the Magbanua, sighting an incursion by a Chinese survey ship into its territorial waters. This follows a series of similar encounters between Chinese and Japanese forces, including the entry of a Chinese military aircraft into Japan's airspace, as we reported last month on the PDB. And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon Bulletin for Monday to September. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@thefirsttv. Com. Now, as you may have heard from scuttlebutt on the street, to listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting pdbpremium. Com. It's just so simple. If you want to catch past episodes of the PDB or our weekend show, and that's the PDB Situation Report, well, check out our YouTube channel, @President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed.

Stay safe. Stay cool.