Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. The U.S. military downed a drone deemed to have hostile intent Tuesday that was headed toward a base in southeast Syria that houses 200 American troops, a senior defense official told Fox News' Jennifer Griffin. Two unmanned aerial systems were spotted entering the At Tanf Garrison Deconfliction Zone located along the Iraq and Jordan-Syria border. One of the two drones traveled deeper into the zone and was shot down after "demonstrating hostile intent," Capt.

AGADEZ, Niger – On the scorching edge of the Sahara Desert, the U.S. Air Force is building a base for armed drones, the newest front in America's battle against the growing extremist threat in Africa's vast Sahel region. Niger Air Base 201 is expected to be functional early next year. The base, a few miles outside Agadez and built at the request of Niger's government, will eventually house fighter jets and MQ-9 drones transferred from the capital Niamey. The drones, with surveillance and added striking capabilities, will have a range enabling them to reach a number of West and North African countries. Few knew of the American military's presence in this desperately poor, remote West African country until October, when an ambush by Islamic State group-linked extremists killed four U.S. soldiers and five Nigeriens.

With so much discussion over foreign policy and immigration concerns from Muslim-majority nations after the inauguration of Donald Trump, there might be some confusion about how the U.S. is fighting terrorism in the Middle East. The U.S. may not be in a direct war with anyone other than the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, but there is still a military presence in multiple countries carried over from previous administrations. The number of combat troops has dipped due to drone warfare, but President Trump, who campaigned on being tougher on ISIS, has said he would be willing to send up to 30,000 troops to Iraq and Syria. However, he inherited a military presence in not just those two countries, but other hotspots, as well. Just days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Congress and President George W. Bush authorized the use of military force to overthrow the Taliban.