The Jerusalem Post
"IDF bombs weapons depot in Syria, shells Hezbollah in southern Lebanon"
Story by YUVAL BARNEA
17 FEBRUARY 2024
IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced on Saturday morning that the military had struck targets inside Lebanon and Syria.
In Lebanon, the IDF attacked terrorist infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in the Jabal Balat area near the border.
They also struck military buildings in the Bin Jbeil area.
Operational intensity has escalated in the North after Hezbollah killed an Israeli soldier on Wednesday and injured several others.
The Israeli response led to the deaths of several people and injured several more in Lebanon, according to local news.
Hasan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, said on Tuesday that the cross-border shelling into Israel would end only when Israel’s “aggression” against the Gaza Strip stops.
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Both attacks have been part of a series of operations in the last 24 hours, which saw the IDF strike several areas in South Lebanon with artillery.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, the IDF bombed a Syrian Army weapons depot in the area of the town Mhajjah near the Golan Heights.
The strikes were a response to rocket launches from Syrian territory toward the southern Golan, although they did not enter Israeli territory.
Rockets fired from Syria are relatively rarer than those from Lebanon; however, since the war in Gaza started, they have become more frequent, with Israeli strikes into Syria increasing in recent months.
Last week, three non-Syrian individuals were killed in alleged Israeli airstrikes on a suburb of Damascus as part of the overall increase in strikes on Iranian targets in the Middle East.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/id ... 44bc&ei=47
THE MIDDLE EAST
Re: THE MIDDLE EAST
FOX News
"US downs more Houthi drones; American public 'lulled into complacency' by Navy's power, defense official says"
Story by Louis Casiano, Jennifer Griffin
17 FEBRUARY 2024
U.S. forces shot down four Iran-backed Houthi drones Friday after the terror group fired four anti-ship ballistic missiles earlier, a senior defense official told Fox News.
The Houthis are angry about the Biden administration redesignating it as a terrorist group, which will cut off its financing.
The sanctions went into effect Friday.
The senior defense official told Fox News that the American public has gotten lulled into complacency, thinking it is easy for the Navy to keep shooting these missiles and drones down.
Should a Houthi missile strike a U.S. warship, "the escalation that will follow is very serious and should give people pause," the official said.
"People have gotten too used to us being really good at shooting these incoming missiles down," the official added.
"They don’t realize how hard it is to do and the strain on the sailors manning the radar."
"The risk in the Red Sea right now has been normalized and routinized…very dangerous situation."
The Houthis have initiated multiple attacks against vessels in the Red Sea.
On Thursday, U.S. forces carried out four more self-defense strikes against the group after a U.S. Coast Guard cutter seized an Iranian weapons shipment bound for the militant group.
"CENTCOM identified these mobile missiles, UAVs, and USV in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region," a statement from U.S. Central Command said.
"These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us ... 5f5f&ei=24
"US downs more Houthi drones; American public 'lulled into complacency' by Navy's power, defense official says"
Story by Louis Casiano, Jennifer Griffin
17 FEBRUARY 2024
U.S. forces shot down four Iran-backed Houthi drones Friday after the terror group fired four anti-ship ballistic missiles earlier, a senior defense official told Fox News.
The Houthis are angry about the Biden administration redesignating it as a terrorist group, which will cut off its financing.
The sanctions went into effect Friday.
The senior defense official told Fox News that the American public has gotten lulled into complacency, thinking it is easy for the Navy to keep shooting these missiles and drones down.
Should a Houthi missile strike a U.S. warship, "the escalation that will follow is very serious and should give people pause," the official said.
"People have gotten too used to us being really good at shooting these incoming missiles down," the official added.
"They don’t realize how hard it is to do and the strain on the sailors manning the radar."
"The risk in the Red Sea right now has been normalized and routinized…very dangerous situation."
The Houthis have initiated multiple attacks against vessels in the Red Sea.
On Thursday, U.S. forces carried out four more self-defense strikes against the group after a U.S. Coast Guard cutter seized an Iranian weapons shipment bound for the militant group.
"CENTCOM identified these mobile missiles, UAVs, and USV in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region," a statement from U.S. Central Command said.
"These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us ... 5f5f&ei=24
Re: THE MIDDLE EAST
Business Insider
"US warships are shooting down weapons no one's ever faced in combat before, and a Navy commander says it's a 'great opportunity'"
Story by jepstein@businessinsider.com (Jake Epstein)
18 FEBRUARY 2024
* The US Navy has been battling anti-ship ballistic missiles, weapons used in combat for the first time only recently.
* Business Insider recently visited a destroyer that has shot down some of the Houthis' missiles.
* Navy commanders say that American forces are gaining valuable intelligence from these engagements.
US Navy warships off the coast of Yemen have been battling Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, a dangerous weapon that no military has ever faced in combat until very recently.
These weapons could be significant threats in potential future conflicts, especially one with China in the Western Pacific.
But American forces are learning from their recent battles in the Middle East and gaining valuable intelligence from these engagements, Navy commanders say.
"First time a ballistic missile has been shot, either at a warship or at maritime traffic that's next to a warship," a carrier strike group commander told Business Insider during a visit to the Red Sea this week.
"And that has yielded us a lot of information."
The Houthis began to employ anti-ship ballistic missiles — alongside anti-ship cruise missiles and one-way attack drones — toward the end of last year, marking the first time "in history" that these weapons have been used, as US President Joe Biden has said.
The use of these missiles complicates the threat environment.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have fired dozens of anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen toward international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, sometimes even striking commercial vessels.
These repeated provocations have drawn in the Navy and forced it to respond.
Over the past two months, US warships operating in the region have shot down a handful of anti-ship ballistic missiles — most recently in early February.
The US has also conducted preemptive strikes targeting these missiles in Yemen before they are launched.
Business Insider recently traveled to the USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer in the Red Sea that has been on the front lines of these efforts and has shot down several Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles.
The ship's commanding officer, Cmdr. Brian Sanchez, hailed his sailors as "resilient" and said they have months of training under their belts to prepare for these sorts of engagements.
"Now that we're out here, this is what we've trained to do," he said in an interview with Business Insider.
"We might be seeing it for the first time, but it's nothing new, because we've had those repetitions of training."
Sanchez said that the data his warship collects is sent back to the US, where the performance of weapons systems is analyzed for any technical and tactical improvements or adjustments.
He credited his sailors for being able to respond to these engagements the way that they were trained to do.
"They've been doing a very good job reacting the way we expect them to react and then getting right back to business and making sure the ship continues to stay ready for another engagement," the CO said of his sailors.
The Gravely is part of the Navy's Carrier Strike Group 2, which consists of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, four destroyers, and a cruiser.
The carrier strike group's commander, Rear Adm. Marc Miguez, said he's already received feedback from some of the data that has been sent back to the US, including that ship weapons systems are performing "exactly as intended."
"We do have some new capabilities that were fielded over the last couple of years, and it's paid huge dividends when it comes to basically defeating this ballistic missile threat," he told Business Insider during a visit to the Ike this week.
The Houthi rebels boast a rather sizable arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles, some of which are Iranian in origin, while others just contain parts from Tehran, according to an analysis published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank in early January.
US Central Command, or CENTCOM, called attention to the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles but has not specifically identified which missiles have been used in any of the attacks.
Long before the Houthis began attacking international shipping lanes with anti-ship ballistic missiles, these weapons had emerged as a growing concern for the US military as it looked across the Pacific to China given the country's growing arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles and rising tensions.
Were Washington and Beijing to go to war at some point in the future, the maritime domain would likely be a key battleground, making anti-ship ballistic missile capabilities and defenses designed to defeat them important considerations.
Experts say the Houthis' anti-ship ballistic missiles don't quite stack up against China's arsenal, which is much more sophisticated, particularly in terms of guidance technology, and is increasingly expanding.
Beijing has invested heavily in the development of its Rocket Force and has even built mock-ups of American naval vessels, which are thought to be used for target practice.
China also has a wide range of sensors — like radars and satellites — that it can use to direct its missiles.
But while there may be a difference between the threat environments and capabilities in the Middle East and Western Pacific, any anti-ship ballistic missile could cause catastrophic damage, and current and former military officers agree that the Navy is gaining extremely valuable experience through its regular engagements with the Houthis, as well as a certain degree of reassurance.
"Not that we like getting shot at," said Miguez, the Carrier Strike Group 2 commander, "but it was a great opportunity to prove that the systems that we did purchase, and we fielded, and we trained to, actually work when asked."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us ... 51b8&ei=42
"US warships are shooting down weapons no one's ever faced in combat before, and a Navy commander says it's a 'great opportunity'"
Story by jepstein@businessinsider.com (Jake Epstein)
18 FEBRUARY 2024
* The US Navy has been battling anti-ship ballistic missiles, weapons used in combat for the first time only recently.
* Business Insider recently visited a destroyer that has shot down some of the Houthis' missiles.
* Navy commanders say that American forces are gaining valuable intelligence from these engagements.
US Navy warships off the coast of Yemen have been battling Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, a dangerous weapon that no military has ever faced in combat until very recently.
These weapons could be significant threats in potential future conflicts, especially one with China in the Western Pacific.
But American forces are learning from their recent battles in the Middle East and gaining valuable intelligence from these engagements, Navy commanders say.
"First time a ballistic missile has been shot, either at a warship or at maritime traffic that's next to a warship," a carrier strike group commander told Business Insider during a visit to the Red Sea this week.
"And that has yielded us a lot of information."
The Houthis began to employ anti-ship ballistic missiles — alongside anti-ship cruise missiles and one-way attack drones — toward the end of last year, marking the first time "in history" that these weapons have been used, as US President Joe Biden has said.
The use of these missiles complicates the threat environment.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have fired dozens of anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen toward international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, sometimes even striking commercial vessels.
These repeated provocations have drawn in the Navy and forced it to respond.
Over the past two months, US warships operating in the region have shot down a handful of anti-ship ballistic missiles — most recently in early February.
The US has also conducted preemptive strikes targeting these missiles in Yemen before they are launched.
Business Insider recently traveled to the USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer in the Red Sea that has been on the front lines of these efforts and has shot down several Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles.
The ship's commanding officer, Cmdr. Brian Sanchez, hailed his sailors as "resilient" and said they have months of training under their belts to prepare for these sorts of engagements.
"Now that we're out here, this is what we've trained to do," he said in an interview with Business Insider.
"We might be seeing it for the first time, but it's nothing new, because we've had those repetitions of training."
Sanchez said that the data his warship collects is sent back to the US, where the performance of weapons systems is analyzed for any technical and tactical improvements or adjustments.
He credited his sailors for being able to respond to these engagements the way that they were trained to do.
"They've been doing a very good job reacting the way we expect them to react and then getting right back to business and making sure the ship continues to stay ready for another engagement," the CO said of his sailors.
The Gravely is part of the Navy's Carrier Strike Group 2, which consists of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, four destroyers, and a cruiser.
The carrier strike group's commander, Rear Adm. Marc Miguez, said he's already received feedback from some of the data that has been sent back to the US, including that ship weapons systems are performing "exactly as intended."
"We do have some new capabilities that were fielded over the last couple of years, and it's paid huge dividends when it comes to basically defeating this ballistic missile threat," he told Business Insider during a visit to the Ike this week.
The Houthi rebels boast a rather sizable arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles, some of which are Iranian in origin, while others just contain parts from Tehran, according to an analysis published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank in early January.
US Central Command, or CENTCOM, called attention to the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles but has not specifically identified which missiles have been used in any of the attacks.
Long before the Houthis began attacking international shipping lanes with anti-ship ballistic missiles, these weapons had emerged as a growing concern for the US military as it looked across the Pacific to China given the country's growing arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles and rising tensions.
Were Washington and Beijing to go to war at some point in the future, the maritime domain would likely be a key battleground, making anti-ship ballistic missile capabilities and defenses designed to defeat them important considerations.
Experts say the Houthis' anti-ship ballistic missiles don't quite stack up against China's arsenal, which is much more sophisticated, particularly in terms of guidance technology, and is increasingly expanding.
Beijing has invested heavily in the development of its Rocket Force and has even built mock-ups of American naval vessels, which are thought to be used for target practice.
China also has a wide range of sensors — like radars and satellites — that it can use to direct its missiles.
But while there may be a difference between the threat environments and capabilities in the Middle East and Western Pacific, any anti-ship ballistic missile could cause catastrophic damage, and current and former military officers agree that the Navy is gaining extremely valuable experience through its regular engagements with the Houthis, as well as a certain degree of reassurance.
"Not that we like getting shot at," said Miguez, the Carrier Strike Group 2 commander, "but it was a great opportunity to prove that the systems that we did purchase, and we fielded, and we trained to, actually work when asked."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us ... 51b8&ei=42
Re: THE MIDDLE EAST
UPI News
"Houthi rebels attack U.S. ships near Yemen"
Story by Darryl Coote
21 FEBRUARY 2024
Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Houthi rebels have attacked at least two more U.S.-owned commercial shipping vessels near Yemen, resulting in both sustaining minor damage and heightening already high tensions in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the United States continues to strike Houthi targets in the civil war-torn country as it seeks to degrade the Houthis' abilities to attack commercial shipping vessels in the region.
The United Kindom Maritime Trade Operations said the attacks occurred Monday near the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea.
The latest incident occurred about 60 nautical miles north of Djibouti.
The ship was hit by a drone, resulting in the vessel sustaining "superficial damage to the accommodation superstructure," it said, adding that its crew was reported safe and it was continuing to its next port of call.
U.S. Central Command seemingly identified the ship in a statement on Tuesday as the Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier M/V Navis Fortuna, which it said was struck by a drone at about 7:20 p.m. local time Monday resulting in the vessel sustaining only minor damage and it "continued on its voyage toward Italy."
That attack came hours after the Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned M/V Sea Champion was targeted by two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from areas of Yemen under the Houthis' control between 12:30 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. as it was transporting grain to the Port of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, CENTCOM said.
CENTCOM confirmed that one of the missiles detonated near the vessel, causing it minor damage.
It said the vessel's crew was still able to reach its destination with grain "for the benefit of the Yemeni people."
"Houthi aggression in the region has exacerbated already high levels of need in conflict-impacted Yemen, which remains one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 80 percent of the entire population needing humanitarian assistance," CENTCOM said in a statement.
"We are committed to countering the Houthis' malign activities, which directly endanger the imports of foodstuff and humanitarian aid to Yemen."
The Houthis have been attacking commercial as well as U.S. and British military vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in solidarity with the Palestinian people amid Israel's war against Hamas, another Iran proxy militia.
The United States and its allies have been responding to the attacks with those of its own since Jan. 11, stating that it is seeking de-escalation by degrading the Houthis' ability to strike ships.
CENTCOM said that overnight and into Tuesday it and coalition forces shot down 10 one-way attack drones in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as well as struck a surface-to-air missile launcher.
The USS Laboon also shot down an anti-ship cruise missile fired toward it from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, it said.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ho ... 1ed7&ei=53
"Houthi rebels attack U.S. ships near Yemen"
Story by Darryl Coote
21 FEBRUARY 2024
Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Houthi rebels have attacked at least two more U.S.-owned commercial shipping vessels near Yemen, resulting in both sustaining minor damage and heightening already high tensions in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the United States continues to strike Houthi targets in the civil war-torn country as it seeks to degrade the Houthis' abilities to attack commercial shipping vessels in the region.
The United Kindom Maritime Trade Operations said the attacks occurred Monday near the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea.
The latest incident occurred about 60 nautical miles north of Djibouti.
The ship was hit by a drone, resulting in the vessel sustaining "superficial damage to the accommodation superstructure," it said, adding that its crew was reported safe and it was continuing to its next port of call.
U.S. Central Command seemingly identified the ship in a statement on Tuesday as the Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier M/V Navis Fortuna, which it said was struck by a drone at about 7:20 p.m. local time Monday resulting in the vessel sustaining only minor damage and it "continued on its voyage toward Italy."
That attack came hours after the Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned M/V Sea Champion was targeted by two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from areas of Yemen under the Houthis' control between 12:30 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. as it was transporting grain to the Port of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, CENTCOM said.
CENTCOM confirmed that one of the missiles detonated near the vessel, causing it minor damage.
It said the vessel's crew was still able to reach its destination with grain "for the benefit of the Yemeni people."
"Houthi aggression in the region has exacerbated already high levels of need in conflict-impacted Yemen, which remains one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 80 percent of the entire population needing humanitarian assistance," CENTCOM said in a statement.
"We are committed to countering the Houthis' malign activities, which directly endanger the imports of foodstuff and humanitarian aid to Yemen."
The Houthis have been attacking commercial as well as U.S. and British military vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in solidarity with the Palestinian people amid Israel's war against Hamas, another Iran proxy militia.
The United States and its allies have been responding to the attacks with those of its own since Jan. 11, stating that it is seeking de-escalation by degrading the Houthis' ability to strike ships.
CENTCOM said that overnight and into Tuesday it and coalition forces shot down 10 one-way attack drones in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as well as struck a surface-to-air missile launcher.
The USS Laboon also shot down an anti-ship cruise missile fired toward it from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, it said.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ho ... 1ed7&ei=53
Re: THE MIDDLE EAST
Business Insider
"Iran-backed Houthi rebels just shot down an MQ-9 Reaper, costing the US another $30 million combat drone"
Story by jepstein@businessinsider.com (Jake Epstein)
21 FEBRUARY 2024
* The Houthis shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen on Monday.
* Two US officials told Business Insider the confirmation was based off of initial indications.
* It's the second time the Iran-backed rebels have downed a Reaper drone since early November.
The Houthi rebels shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen on Monday, two US officials confirmed to Business Insider.
It marks the second time since early November that the Houthis have managed to destroy a Reaper drone, and comes amid rising tensions between Western militaries and the Iran-backed rebels in the strategic Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis claimed to have shot down the Reaper above western Yemen with a surface-to-air missile, and published footage purporting to show the incident and the subsequent wreckage.
The claims were not immediately confirmed, and the video could not be verified.
But the US officials on Tuesday said initial indications were that the Reaper was, in fact, shot down by the Houthis off the coast of Yemen early Monday morning local time.
A Pentagon spokesperson said the rebels used a surface-to-air missile to take down the drone, which has not yet been recovered by the US.
The incident comes less than three months after the Houthis shot down an American Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen as the aircraft was flying through international airspace.
The rebels also successfully downed an MQ-9 with a surface-to-air missile in June 2019.
Reaper drones can be well-armed with Hellfire missiles and precision bombs, and are capable of operating at high altitudes for long periods of time.
The MQ-9, which costs around $30 million and has a wingspan over 20 feet longer than an F-15 Eagle, can be used to collect valuable intelligence and carry out high-level strikes for the US military.
The Reaper can loiter for as long as a day, giving its remote pilots the power to rapidly destroy land targets spotted with Hellfires.
These capabilities make the Reaper useful in the US efforts to stop Houthi missiles before they fire at international shipping.
It's been a rough year for the Reaper.
Over the past 12 months, Russian fighter jets have harassed and clipped the drones in Europe and the Middle East, breaking some of them and even causing others to crash — drawing frustration from the Pentagon.
The downed Reaper drone was not the only escalatory move by the Houthis over the past two days.
On Sunday evening local time, the rebels fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a commercial vessel, hitting it and causing damage, according to US Central Command, or CENTCOM.
The incident forced the crew to issue a distress call, and they were taken to a nearby port by another commercial vessel.
Just a few hours later, on Monday, the Houthis fired more anti-ship ballistic missiles at a commercial vessel, causing minor damage.
Later in the day, a one-way attack drone hit a merchant ship and caused minor damage, CENTCOM said in a Tuesday summary of the incidents.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ir ... c629&ei=12
"Iran-backed Houthi rebels just shot down an MQ-9 Reaper, costing the US another $30 million combat drone"
Story by jepstein@businessinsider.com (Jake Epstein)
21 FEBRUARY 2024
* The Houthis shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen on Monday.
* Two US officials told Business Insider the confirmation was based off of initial indications.
* It's the second time the Iran-backed rebels have downed a Reaper drone since early November.
The Houthi rebels shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen on Monday, two US officials confirmed to Business Insider.
It marks the second time since early November that the Houthis have managed to destroy a Reaper drone, and comes amid rising tensions between Western militaries and the Iran-backed rebels in the strategic Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis claimed to have shot down the Reaper above western Yemen with a surface-to-air missile, and published footage purporting to show the incident and the subsequent wreckage.
The claims were not immediately confirmed, and the video could not be verified.
But the US officials on Tuesday said initial indications were that the Reaper was, in fact, shot down by the Houthis off the coast of Yemen early Monday morning local time.
A Pentagon spokesperson said the rebels used a surface-to-air missile to take down the drone, which has not yet been recovered by the US.
The incident comes less than three months after the Houthis shot down an American Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen as the aircraft was flying through international airspace.
The rebels also successfully downed an MQ-9 with a surface-to-air missile in June 2019.
Reaper drones can be well-armed with Hellfire missiles and precision bombs, and are capable of operating at high altitudes for long periods of time.
The MQ-9, which costs around $30 million and has a wingspan over 20 feet longer than an F-15 Eagle, can be used to collect valuable intelligence and carry out high-level strikes for the US military.
The Reaper can loiter for as long as a day, giving its remote pilots the power to rapidly destroy land targets spotted with Hellfires.
These capabilities make the Reaper useful in the US efforts to stop Houthi missiles before they fire at international shipping.
It's been a rough year for the Reaper.
Over the past 12 months, Russian fighter jets have harassed and clipped the drones in Europe and the Middle East, breaking some of them and even causing others to crash — drawing frustration from the Pentagon.
The downed Reaper drone was not the only escalatory move by the Houthis over the past two days.
On Sunday evening local time, the rebels fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a commercial vessel, hitting it and causing damage, according to US Central Command, or CENTCOM.
The incident forced the crew to issue a distress call, and they were taken to a nearby port by another commercial vessel.
Just a few hours later, on Monday, the Houthis fired more anti-ship ballistic missiles at a commercial vessel, causing minor damage.
Later in the day, a one-way attack drone hit a merchant ship and caused minor damage, CENTCOM said in a Tuesday summary of the incidents.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ir ... c629&ei=12
Re: THE MIDDLE EAST
Al Jazeera
"US military targets Houthi antiship cruise missiles in preemptive strikes"
22 FEBRUARY 2024
The United States military says it conducted four “self-defence” strikes against the Houthis, destroying seven antiship cruise missiles, a mobile ballistic missile launcher and a drone originating from areas of Yemen controlled by the Iran-aligned group.
The military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said the missiles were “prepared to launch towards the Red Sea”, adding that it also shot down a “one-way attack unmanned aircraft system” on Wednesday.
It said on Thursday that it had determined the targets presented an “imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region”.
On Thursday, the Israeli military said its Arrow missile defence system intercepted an air attack from the direction of the Red Sea as sirens sounded in the port city of Eilat.
In a post on Telegram, an Israeli army spokesperson did not say who was responsible for the attack.
The Houthis have previously claimed to have fired drones and ballistic missiles towards Israel, including Eilat.
Shipping chaos
The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have carried out dozens of attacks on vessels with commercial ties to the US, the United Kingdom and Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November.
US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said the Houthis are “behaving like a terrorist organisation – attacking civilians, civilian shipping, and innocent mariners”.
The group was still detaining the crew of the Galaxy Leader, consisting of 25 people from five countries.
The Houthis took control of the ship, reported to be partly owned by an Israeli businessman and sailing under the flag of the Bahamas, in November.
“This is piracy,” Miller said on Wednesday.
The Houthis say the strikes are a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Despite US-UK retaliatory strikes, they have promised to continue their campaign in solidarity with Palestinians until Israel stops the war.
Miller said their attacks on shipping vessels are “endangering an already fragile humanitarian situation” and “do nothing to help the Palestinians”.
The attacks have disrupted international commerce along a route that accounts for about 15 percent of the world’s shipping traffic.
Several shipping companies have redirected their vessels around the southern tip of Africa, delaying delivery times and adding a further 3,000-3,500 nautical miles (6,000km) to their route.
“The Houthis’ attacks are driving up prices and causing delivery delays in critical humanitarian items, such as food and medicine in places where it’s needed most,” said Miller.
“This is adversely affecting those in need of assistance around the world, including in Sudan, Ethiopia and in Yemen itself,” he added.
“Many of the ships that the Houthis have attacked contained food, such as grain and corn, headed for those countries.”
On Tuesday, Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam said on X: “What the world is impatiently waiting for is not the militarisation of the Red Sea, but rather an urgent and comprehensive declaration of a ceasefire in Gaza, for humanitarian reasons that are clear to anyone.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us ... bf24&ei=36
"US military targets Houthi antiship cruise missiles in preemptive strikes"
22 FEBRUARY 2024
The United States military says it conducted four “self-defence” strikes against the Houthis, destroying seven antiship cruise missiles, a mobile ballistic missile launcher and a drone originating from areas of Yemen controlled by the Iran-aligned group.
The military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said the missiles were “prepared to launch towards the Red Sea”, adding that it also shot down a “one-way attack unmanned aircraft system” on Wednesday.
It said on Thursday that it had determined the targets presented an “imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region”.
On Thursday, the Israeli military said its Arrow missile defence system intercepted an air attack from the direction of the Red Sea as sirens sounded in the port city of Eilat.
In a post on Telegram, an Israeli army spokesperson did not say who was responsible for the attack.
The Houthis have previously claimed to have fired drones and ballistic missiles towards Israel, including Eilat.
Shipping chaos
The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have carried out dozens of attacks on vessels with commercial ties to the US, the United Kingdom and Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November.
US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said the Houthis are “behaving like a terrorist organisation – attacking civilians, civilian shipping, and innocent mariners”.
The group was still detaining the crew of the Galaxy Leader, consisting of 25 people from five countries.
The Houthis took control of the ship, reported to be partly owned by an Israeli businessman and sailing under the flag of the Bahamas, in November.
“This is piracy,” Miller said on Wednesday.
The Houthis say the strikes are a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Despite US-UK retaliatory strikes, they have promised to continue their campaign in solidarity with Palestinians until Israel stops the war.
Miller said their attacks on shipping vessels are “endangering an already fragile humanitarian situation” and “do nothing to help the Palestinians”.
The attacks have disrupted international commerce along a route that accounts for about 15 percent of the world’s shipping traffic.
Several shipping companies have redirected their vessels around the southern tip of Africa, delaying delivery times and adding a further 3,000-3,500 nautical miles (6,000km) to their route.
“The Houthis’ attacks are driving up prices and causing delivery delays in critical humanitarian items, such as food and medicine in places where it’s needed most,” said Miller.
“This is adversely affecting those in need of assistance around the world, including in Sudan, Ethiopia and in Yemen itself,” he added.
“Many of the ships that the Houthis have attacked contained food, such as grain and corn, headed for those countries.”
On Tuesday, Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam said on X: “What the world is impatiently waiting for is not the militarisation of the Red Sea, but rather an urgent and comprehensive declaration of a ceasefire in Gaza, for humanitarian reasons that are clear to anyone.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us ... bf24&ei=36
Re: THE MIDDLE EAST
Newsweek
"Syria Says Attacks on US Troops Mean Biden Must Withdraw"
Story by Tom O'Connor
23 FEBRUARY 2024
Syrian officials have told Newsweek that the crisis gripping the Middle East, including clashes between U.S. troops and a coalition of militias aligned with Syria's ally, Iran, should serve as a message to President Joe Biden to pull his troops out of the country.
Although the Pentagon has remained adamant that the presence of United States forces in Syria remained a necessary component in the effort to ensure the lasting defeat of the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), Damascus has always considered Washington's near-decade-long deployment of soldiers in the nation to be a violation of United Nations conventions.
"The Syrian Arab Republic reiterates that the presence of U.S. troops on Syrian territory is illegal, illegitimate, and constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and international law," the Syrian Mission to the United Nations told Newsweek.
"This illegal military presence serves and complements the destabilizing policies of the U.S. administrations," the Mission added, "including the support it provides for its terrorist tools and separatist militias, its continued plundering of Syrian national wealth, and the catastrophic repercussions of the unilateral coercive measures it imposes on the Syrian people."
While both the Iran- and Russia-supported Syrian military and the U.S.-led coalition-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia waged separate campaigns against ISIS, U.S. troops in Syria have increasingly come under fire from Iran-backed militias amid worsening tensions between Washington and Tehran stemming back from at least 2019.
Now, with the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in Gaza stoking new regional tensions and militia rocket and drone attacks against U.S. forces being met with more intensive airstrikes, the Syrian Mission warned that "the current developments in the region should serve as an opportunity for the United States to rectify its misguided policies, which have only contributed to the destabilization of security and stability in Syria and the broader region."
Newsweek reached out to U.S. Central Command and the U.S. State Department for comment.
U.S. Frontlines with Iran and Russia
Syria has long served as a flashpoint for the U.S. and two of its top declared adversaries, Iran and Russia.
The two nations intervened militarily when Syria collapsed into civil war in 2011, backing President Bashar al-Assad, who Washington and a number of its international partners have accused of war crimes against an array of opposition forces, including U.S.-backed rebels and jihadi elements.
By 2014, Iran had mobilized a vast network of militias with support from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to counter rapid advances by ISIS in both Iraq and Syria.
That same year, the U.S. organized an international coalition of nations to fight ISIS.
In 2015, Russia intervened directly in support of Assad while the U.S. backed the SDF.
Moscow's intervention helped Damascus turn the tides in the midst of the ongoing civil war, but the SDF retained territory across the country's northeast, establishing an autonomous government.
The Syrian military and the SDF have since alternatively fought with one another against Islamist insurgents and against one another in clashes over opposing views of the nation's governance.
The SDF has sought to win greater independence for the northeast, including more rights for Kurds and other ethnic minorities, while Assad's administration has insisted that a return to central government rule would be the only solution to lasting security in overwhelmingly majority-Arab Syria.
Reconciliation talks have repeatedly failed.
Today, roughly 900 U.S. troops remain in the country, largely tasked with patrolling the oil- and gas-rich, SDF-run northeast, as well as manning a remote southeast garrison in the rebel-held Al-Tanf desert region.
In the past, tensions have emerged as U.S. and Russian troops came to blows over shared roads in the northeast, and Iran-backed militias have intermittently targeted U.S. and SDF personnel.
During a meeting with Assad in Damascus earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian referred to Syria as "the frontlines of the Axis of Resistance," the name given to the Tehran-aligned network of militias opposed to Israel and the U.S. military presence in the region.
Iran has consistently denied having direct control of these groups but has praised their actions.
The Gaza Connection
The deadliest-ever war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas' unprecedented October 7, 2023, surprise attack on Israel, has provided a new impetus for the Axis of Resistance to lash out against U.S. forces.
Not since the U.S. killing of IRGC Quds Force commander Major General Qassem Soleimani in 2020 have U.S. troops come under such sustained fire.
Both former President Donald Trump and his successor, Biden, have ordered airstrikes on these militias in Iraq and Syria in retaliation to attacks on U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Syria.
The deaths of three U.S. troops in a drone attack at the Jordan-Syria border late last month, however, drew particular outrage in Washington, and days later, Biden ordered a series of 85 strikes against seven facilities in Iraq and Syria, along with the assassination of a senior official of Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah militia.
Yet Axis of Resistance forces have continued to defy U.S. military action.
Beyond the Levant, Yemen's Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, has pressed on with targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, even as the U.S. and the United Kingdom bombard the southern Arabian Peninsula nation with airstrikes.
At the same time, a regular series of strikes in Syria, including those targeting senior Iranian officials, continue to be attributed to Israel's semi-secret "war between wars."
Launches from both Syria and neighboring Lebanon, home to the powerful Hezbollah movement, have also repeatedly targeted Israel amid the war in Gaza.
And growing tensions in both Iraq and Syria continue to especially test Biden's foreign policy, given the presence of U.S. forces in the line of fire.
The Fate of U.S. Military Presence
While there has been a lull in attacks since the U.S.' comprehensive series of strikes earlier this month, U.S. officials have warned that further action may be in store.
"We have incurred over 170 attacks on U.S. Forces in Iraq and Syria — it's pretty significant," Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Tuesday.
"And, so, I'm not going to forecast or get ahead of any other decisions that the Secretary [of State Antony Blinken] and the president make," she said, "but we will hold those responsible for the attacks on our service members who lost their lives in Jordan, and if there are attacks, we will continue to hold those accountable."
In Baghdad, a security partner to Washington since the invasion that ousted President Saddam Hussein more than two decades ago, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has called for a timeline that would see the exit of U.S. troops due to concerns over instability while Damascus continues to push for an immediate U.S. military exit.
In the comments shared with Newsweek, the Syrian Mission stated that the "hostile policies" of the U.S. "refute any pretext that the United States makes to justify its violations of Syrian sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity."
"As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, which is entrusted with the responsibility to maintain international peace and security, the United States is obligated to end its violations of the United Nations Charter," the Syrian Mission said.
Damascus, according to the Syrian Mission, "expects that all United Nations Member States will adhere to the principles of the Charter and act to defend its purposes, on top of which is respecting the sovereignty of member states."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/sy ... 0d6b&ei=37
"Syria Says Attacks on US Troops Mean Biden Must Withdraw"
Story by Tom O'Connor
23 FEBRUARY 2024
Syrian officials have told Newsweek that the crisis gripping the Middle East, including clashes between U.S. troops and a coalition of militias aligned with Syria's ally, Iran, should serve as a message to President Joe Biden to pull his troops out of the country.
Although the Pentagon has remained adamant that the presence of United States forces in Syria remained a necessary component in the effort to ensure the lasting defeat of the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), Damascus has always considered Washington's near-decade-long deployment of soldiers in the nation to be a violation of United Nations conventions.
"The Syrian Arab Republic reiterates that the presence of U.S. troops on Syrian territory is illegal, illegitimate, and constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and international law," the Syrian Mission to the United Nations told Newsweek.
"This illegal military presence serves and complements the destabilizing policies of the U.S. administrations," the Mission added, "including the support it provides for its terrorist tools and separatist militias, its continued plundering of Syrian national wealth, and the catastrophic repercussions of the unilateral coercive measures it imposes on the Syrian people."
While both the Iran- and Russia-supported Syrian military and the U.S.-led coalition-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia waged separate campaigns against ISIS, U.S. troops in Syria have increasingly come under fire from Iran-backed militias amid worsening tensions between Washington and Tehran stemming back from at least 2019.
Now, with the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in Gaza stoking new regional tensions and militia rocket and drone attacks against U.S. forces being met with more intensive airstrikes, the Syrian Mission warned that "the current developments in the region should serve as an opportunity for the United States to rectify its misguided policies, which have only contributed to the destabilization of security and stability in Syria and the broader region."
Newsweek reached out to U.S. Central Command and the U.S. State Department for comment.
U.S. Frontlines with Iran and Russia
Syria has long served as a flashpoint for the U.S. and two of its top declared adversaries, Iran and Russia.
The two nations intervened militarily when Syria collapsed into civil war in 2011, backing President Bashar al-Assad, who Washington and a number of its international partners have accused of war crimes against an array of opposition forces, including U.S.-backed rebels and jihadi elements.
By 2014, Iran had mobilized a vast network of militias with support from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to counter rapid advances by ISIS in both Iraq and Syria.
That same year, the U.S. organized an international coalition of nations to fight ISIS.
In 2015, Russia intervened directly in support of Assad while the U.S. backed the SDF.
Moscow's intervention helped Damascus turn the tides in the midst of the ongoing civil war, but the SDF retained territory across the country's northeast, establishing an autonomous government.
The Syrian military and the SDF have since alternatively fought with one another against Islamist insurgents and against one another in clashes over opposing views of the nation's governance.
The SDF has sought to win greater independence for the northeast, including more rights for Kurds and other ethnic minorities, while Assad's administration has insisted that a return to central government rule would be the only solution to lasting security in overwhelmingly majority-Arab Syria.
Reconciliation talks have repeatedly failed.
Today, roughly 900 U.S. troops remain in the country, largely tasked with patrolling the oil- and gas-rich, SDF-run northeast, as well as manning a remote southeast garrison in the rebel-held Al-Tanf desert region.
In the past, tensions have emerged as U.S. and Russian troops came to blows over shared roads in the northeast, and Iran-backed militias have intermittently targeted U.S. and SDF personnel.
During a meeting with Assad in Damascus earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian referred to Syria as "the frontlines of the Axis of Resistance," the name given to the Tehran-aligned network of militias opposed to Israel and the U.S. military presence in the region.
Iran has consistently denied having direct control of these groups but has praised their actions.
The Gaza Connection
The deadliest-ever war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas' unprecedented October 7, 2023, surprise attack on Israel, has provided a new impetus for the Axis of Resistance to lash out against U.S. forces.
Not since the U.S. killing of IRGC Quds Force commander Major General Qassem Soleimani in 2020 have U.S. troops come under such sustained fire.
Both former President Donald Trump and his successor, Biden, have ordered airstrikes on these militias in Iraq and Syria in retaliation to attacks on U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Syria.
The deaths of three U.S. troops in a drone attack at the Jordan-Syria border late last month, however, drew particular outrage in Washington, and days later, Biden ordered a series of 85 strikes against seven facilities in Iraq and Syria, along with the assassination of a senior official of Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah militia.
Yet Axis of Resistance forces have continued to defy U.S. military action.
Beyond the Levant, Yemen's Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, has pressed on with targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, even as the U.S. and the United Kingdom bombard the southern Arabian Peninsula nation with airstrikes.
At the same time, a regular series of strikes in Syria, including those targeting senior Iranian officials, continue to be attributed to Israel's semi-secret "war between wars."
Launches from both Syria and neighboring Lebanon, home to the powerful Hezbollah movement, have also repeatedly targeted Israel amid the war in Gaza.
And growing tensions in both Iraq and Syria continue to especially test Biden's foreign policy, given the presence of U.S. forces in the line of fire.
The Fate of U.S. Military Presence
While there has been a lull in attacks since the U.S.' comprehensive series of strikes earlier this month, U.S. officials have warned that further action may be in store.
"We have incurred over 170 attacks on U.S. Forces in Iraq and Syria — it's pretty significant," Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Tuesday.
"And, so, I'm not going to forecast or get ahead of any other decisions that the Secretary [of State Antony Blinken] and the president make," she said, "but we will hold those responsible for the attacks on our service members who lost their lives in Jordan, and if there are attacks, we will continue to hold those accountable."
In Baghdad, a security partner to Washington since the invasion that ousted President Saddam Hussein more than two decades ago, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has called for a timeline that would see the exit of U.S. troops due to concerns over instability while Damascus continues to push for an immediate U.S. military exit.
In the comments shared with Newsweek, the Syrian Mission stated that the "hostile policies" of the U.S. "refute any pretext that the United States makes to justify its violations of Syrian sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity."
"As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, which is entrusted with the responsibility to maintain international peace and security, the United States is obligated to end its violations of the United Nations Charter," the Syrian Mission said.
Damascus, according to the Syrian Mission, "expects that all United Nations Member States will adhere to the principles of the Charter and act to defend its purposes, on top of which is respecting the sovereignty of member states."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/sy ... 0d6b&ei=37
Re: THE MIDDLE EAST
The New York Post
"US and Britain strike 18 Houthi sites in Yemen to answer surge in Red Sea attacks on ships"
Story by Associated Press
26 FEBRUARY 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Britain struck 18 Houthi targets in Yemen, answering a recent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including a missile strike this past week that set fire to a cargo vessel.
According to U.S. officials, American and British fighter jets on Saturday hit sites in eight locations, targeting missiles, launchers, rockets, drones and air defense systems.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to provide early details of an ongoing military operation.
This is the fourth time that the U.S. and British militaries have conducted a combined operation against the Houthis since Jan. 12.
But the U.S. has also been carrying out almost daily strikes to take out Houthi targets, including incoming missiles and drones aimed at ships, as well as weapons that were prepared to launch.
The U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which is currently in the Red Sea, officials said.
“The United States will not hesitate to take action, as needed, to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways,” said U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
“We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that they will bear the consequences if they do not stop their illegal attacks.”
The Houthis denounced the “US-British aggression” and vowed to keep up its military operation in response.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm that they will confront the US-British escalation with more qualitative military operations against all hostile targets in the Red and Arabian Seas in defense of our country, our people and our nation,” it said in a statement.
The Houthis-run media reported that a man was killed and six of his family were wounded in Maqbanah district in Taiz province.
The U.S., U.K., and other allies said in a statement the “necessary and proportionate strikes specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across 8 locations in Yemen” that also included underground storage facilities, radar and a helicopter.
U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said RAF Typhoon jets engaged in “precision strikes” aimed at degrading Houthi drones and launchers.
Shapps said it came after “severe Houthi attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including against the British-owned MV Islander and the MV Rubymar, which forced the crew to abandon ship.”
It’s the fourth time Britain has joined in the U.S.-led strikes.
The strikes have support from the wider coalition, which includes Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
President Joe Biden and other senior leaders have repeatedly warned that the U.S. won’t tolerate the Houthi attacks against commercial shipping.
But the counterattacks haven’t appeared to diminish the Houthis’ campaign against shipping in the region, which the militants say is over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but we will once again reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in the face of continued threats,” said the Saturday statement.
The Houthis have launched at least 57 attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since Nov. 19, and the pace has picked up in recent days.
“We’ve certainly seen in the past 48, 72 hours an increase in attacks from the Houthis,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a briefing Thursday.
And she acknowledged that the Houthis have not been deterred.
“We never said we’ve wiped off the map all of their capabilities,” she told reporters.
“We know that the Houthis maintain a large arsenal."
"They are very capable."
"They have sophisticated weapons, and that’s because they continue to get them from Iran.”
There have been at least 32 U.S. strikes in Yemen over the past month and a half; a few were conducted with allied involvement.
In addition, U.S. warships have taken out dozens of incoming missiles, rockets and drones targeting commercial and other Navy vessels.
Earlier Saturday, the destroyer USS Mason downed an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from Houthi-held areas in Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden, U.S. Central Command said, adding that the missile was likely targeting MV Torm Thor, a U.S.-Flagged, owned, and operated chemical and oil tanker.
The U.S. attacks on the Houthis have targeted more than 120 launchers, more than 10 surface-to-air-missiles, 40 storage and support building, 15 drone storage building, more than 20 unmanned air, surface and underwater vehicles, several underground storage areas and a few other facilities.
The rebels’ supreme leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, announced this past week an “escalation in sea operations” conducted by his forces as part of what they describe as a pressure campaign to end Israel’s war on Hamas.
But while the group says the attacks are aimed at stopping that war, the Houthis’ targets have grown more random, endangering a vital waterway for cargo and energy shipments traveling from Asia and the Middle East onward to Europe.
During normal operations, about 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time.
While the Houthi attacks have only actually struck a small number of vessels, the persistent targeting and near misses that have been shot down by the U.S. and allies have prompted shipping companies to reroute their vessels from the Red Sea.
Instead, they have sent them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope — a much longer, costlier and less efficient passage.
The threats also have led the U.S. and its allies to set up a joint mission where warships from participating nations provide a protective umbrella of air defense for ships as they travel between the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
In Thursday’s attack in the Gulf of Aden, the Houthis fired two missiles at a Palau-flagged cargo ship named Islander, according to Central Command said.
A European naval force in the region said the attack sparked a fire and wounded a sailor on board the vessel, though the ship continued on its way.
Central Command launched attacks on Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Friday, destroying seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that the military said were prepared to launch toward the Red Sea.
Central Command also said Saturday that a Houthi attack on a Belize-flagged ship on Feb. 18 caused an 18-mile (29-kilometer) oil slick and the. military warned of the danger of a spill from the vessel’s cargo of fertilizer.
The Rubymar, a British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo vessel, was attacked while sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The missile attack forced the crew to abandon the vessel, which had been on its way to Bulgaria after leaving Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates.
It was transporting more than 41,000 tons of fertilizer, according to a Central Command statement.
The Associated Press, relying on satellite images from Planet Labs PBC of the stricken vessel, reported Tuesday that the vessel was leaking oil in the Red Sea.
Yemen’s internationally recognized government on Saturday called for other countries and maritime-protection organizations to quickly address the oil slick and avert “a significant environmental disaster.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us ... eed3&ei=18
"US and Britain strike 18 Houthi sites in Yemen to answer surge in Red Sea attacks on ships"
Story by Associated Press
26 FEBRUARY 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Britain struck 18 Houthi targets in Yemen, answering a recent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including a missile strike this past week that set fire to a cargo vessel.
According to U.S. officials, American and British fighter jets on Saturday hit sites in eight locations, targeting missiles, launchers, rockets, drones and air defense systems.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to provide early details of an ongoing military operation.
This is the fourth time that the U.S. and British militaries have conducted a combined operation against the Houthis since Jan. 12.
But the U.S. has also been carrying out almost daily strikes to take out Houthi targets, including incoming missiles and drones aimed at ships, as well as weapons that were prepared to launch.
The U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which is currently in the Red Sea, officials said.
“The United States will not hesitate to take action, as needed, to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways,” said U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
“We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that they will bear the consequences if they do not stop their illegal attacks.”
The Houthis denounced the “US-British aggression” and vowed to keep up its military operation in response.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm that they will confront the US-British escalation with more qualitative military operations against all hostile targets in the Red and Arabian Seas in defense of our country, our people and our nation,” it said in a statement.
The Houthis-run media reported that a man was killed and six of his family were wounded in Maqbanah district in Taiz province.
The U.S., U.K., and other allies said in a statement the “necessary and proportionate strikes specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across 8 locations in Yemen” that also included underground storage facilities, radar and a helicopter.
U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said RAF Typhoon jets engaged in “precision strikes” aimed at degrading Houthi drones and launchers.
Shapps said it came after “severe Houthi attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including against the British-owned MV Islander and the MV Rubymar, which forced the crew to abandon ship.”
It’s the fourth time Britain has joined in the U.S.-led strikes.
The strikes have support from the wider coalition, which includes Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
President Joe Biden and other senior leaders have repeatedly warned that the U.S. won’t tolerate the Houthi attacks against commercial shipping.
But the counterattacks haven’t appeared to diminish the Houthis’ campaign against shipping in the region, which the militants say is over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but we will once again reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in the face of continued threats,” said the Saturday statement.
The Houthis have launched at least 57 attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since Nov. 19, and the pace has picked up in recent days.
“We’ve certainly seen in the past 48, 72 hours an increase in attacks from the Houthis,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a briefing Thursday.
And she acknowledged that the Houthis have not been deterred.
“We never said we’ve wiped off the map all of their capabilities,” she told reporters.
“We know that the Houthis maintain a large arsenal."
"They are very capable."
"They have sophisticated weapons, and that’s because they continue to get them from Iran.”
There have been at least 32 U.S. strikes in Yemen over the past month and a half; a few were conducted with allied involvement.
In addition, U.S. warships have taken out dozens of incoming missiles, rockets and drones targeting commercial and other Navy vessels.
Earlier Saturday, the destroyer USS Mason downed an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from Houthi-held areas in Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden, U.S. Central Command said, adding that the missile was likely targeting MV Torm Thor, a U.S.-Flagged, owned, and operated chemical and oil tanker.
The U.S. attacks on the Houthis have targeted more than 120 launchers, more than 10 surface-to-air-missiles, 40 storage and support building, 15 drone storage building, more than 20 unmanned air, surface and underwater vehicles, several underground storage areas and a few other facilities.
The rebels’ supreme leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, announced this past week an “escalation in sea operations” conducted by his forces as part of what they describe as a pressure campaign to end Israel’s war on Hamas.
But while the group says the attacks are aimed at stopping that war, the Houthis’ targets have grown more random, endangering a vital waterway for cargo and energy shipments traveling from Asia and the Middle East onward to Europe.
During normal operations, about 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time.
While the Houthi attacks have only actually struck a small number of vessels, the persistent targeting and near misses that have been shot down by the U.S. and allies have prompted shipping companies to reroute their vessels from the Red Sea.
Instead, they have sent them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope — a much longer, costlier and less efficient passage.
The threats also have led the U.S. and its allies to set up a joint mission where warships from participating nations provide a protective umbrella of air defense for ships as they travel between the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
In Thursday’s attack in the Gulf of Aden, the Houthis fired two missiles at a Palau-flagged cargo ship named Islander, according to Central Command said.
A European naval force in the region said the attack sparked a fire and wounded a sailor on board the vessel, though the ship continued on its way.
Central Command launched attacks on Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Friday, destroying seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that the military said were prepared to launch toward the Red Sea.
Central Command also said Saturday that a Houthi attack on a Belize-flagged ship on Feb. 18 caused an 18-mile (29-kilometer) oil slick and the. military warned of the danger of a spill from the vessel’s cargo of fertilizer.
The Rubymar, a British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo vessel, was attacked while sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The missile attack forced the crew to abandon the vessel, which had been on its way to Bulgaria after leaving Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates.
It was transporting more than 41,000 tons of fertilizer, according to a Central Command statement.
The Associated Press, relying on satellite images from Planet Labs PBC of the stricken vessel, reported Tuesday that the vessel was leaking oil in the Red Sea.
Yemen’s internationally recognized government on Saturday called for other countries and maritime-protection organizations to quickly address the oil slick and avert “a significant environmental disaster.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us ... eed3&ei=18
Re: THE MIDDLE EAST
The Jerusalem Post
"Houthis knock out underwater cables linking Europe to Asia - report"
Story by BY JERUSALEM POST STAFF
26 FEBRUARY 2024
Four underwater communications cables between Saudi Arabia and Djibouti have been struck out of commission in recent months, presumably as a result of attacks by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, according to an exclusive report in the Israeli news site Globes.
The successful targeting of the four cables, which are believed to belong to the AAE-1, Seacom, EIG, and TGN systems, marks a serious disruption of communications between Europe and Asia.
Most of the immediate harm will be absorbed by the Gulf states and India, Globes said.
The AAE-1 cable connects East Asia to Europe via Egypt, connecting China to the West through countries such as Pakistan and Qatar.
The Europe India Gateway (EIG) cable system connects southern Europe to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, the UAE, and India.
The Seacom cable connects Europe, Africa, and India, and is connected to South Africa.
Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi movement, which is not the internationally recognized government of the Arab country but which controls its most populous segments, has been attacking international trade for months, proclaiming solidarity with Palestinians as Israel wages war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The United States, United Kingdom, and allies have begun in recent months to take offensive actions against the Houthis in response to attacks, but the missile, helicopter, and underwater drone assaults on merchant ships have continued.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ho ... r-BB1iTgU0
"Houthis knock out underwater cables linking Europe to Asia - report"
Story by BY JERUSALEM POST STAFF
26 FEBRUARY 2024
Four underwater communications cables between Saudi Arabia and Djibouti have been struck out of commission in recent months, presumably as a result of attacks by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, according to an exclusive report in the Israeli news site Globes.
The successful targeting of the four cables, which are believed to belong to the AAE-1, Seacom, EIG, and TGN systems, marks a serious disruption of communications between Europe and Asia.
Most of the immediate harm will be absorbed by the Gulf states and India, Globes said.
The AAE-1 cable connects East Asia to Europe via Egypt, connecting China to the West through countries such as Pakistan and Qatar.
The Europe India Gateway (EIG) cable system connects southern Europe to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, the UAE, and India.
The Seacom cable connects Europe, Africa, and India, and is connected to South Africa.
Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi movement, which is not the internationally recognized government of the Arab country but which controls its most populous segments, has been attacking international trade for months, proclaiming solidarity with Palestinians as Israel wages war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The United States, United Kingdom, and allies have begun in recent months to take offensive actions against the Houthis in response to attacks, but the missile, helicopter, and underwater drone assaults on merchant ships have continued.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ho ... r-BB1iTgU0
Re: THE MIDDLE EAST
Newsweek
"Washington Cannot Justify Its Troop Presence in Syria | Opinion"
Story by Alexander Langlois
29 FEBRUARY 2024
The United States is reportedly exploring options for a military withdrawal from Syria — something it should have done long ago.
A withdrawal is necessary considering Washington's mission has been rudderless for years after defeating the Islamic State, also known as ISIS.
Amid ever-worsening global instability, the United States should limit its military footprint abroad, including a full withdrawal from Syria.
The inertia of U.S. foreign policy has blocked this decision.
Like clockwork, numerous analysts and former officials condemned any withdrawal from Syria, resorting to the same tired arguments about the need to defeat ISIS.
Washington's foreign policy establishment never fails to fearmonger while elevating so-called credibility and moral arguments for military adventurism abroad — with Syria constituting an excellent case study.
Hawkish arguments do not match facts on the ground.
The Islamic State was territorially defeated in 2019 following the battle for Baghuz in northeast Syria.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), while expressing some concerns about the group's activities in recent years, regularly assesses that the terrorist group does not pose a threat to the United States.
The latest DoD report stated that "[ISIS] remained incapable of mounting large, complex attacks locally or externally."
This hardly suggests U.S. forces should be on the ground fighting ISIS.
Rather, the group lacks any serious capacity to threaten more than the occasional Syrian Army convoy or small village, just like most non-state armed actors.
To be sure, Syrian civilians deserve security and dignity, just as any other person.
But this does not justify arguments in support of a U.S. military presence in Syria when considering alternative policy options and understanding Washington cannot fight every armed terror group around the world.
As such, it is possible to cede security operations against ISIS to other actors with a much higher degree of interest in operating in this space.
The list of stakeholders is long.
It should not be lost on anyone that Iran, via its militias in Iraq, played a huge role in defeating ISIS and has a strong presence in Syria.
Equally important are the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — Washington's partner in Syria.
Other regional actors with an interest in Syrian security can and should play a role, not limited to Turkey, Russia, Jordan, Iraq, and the Syrian government.
Simply put, there is no reason previous competition should block shared interests when it comes to ensuring ISIS never again holds territory.
Washington's foreign policy elite dismiss these alternatives.
To be sure, it is incredibly unpalatable — especially in today's world of hyper-competition — to cede any ground along any front to Tehran, Moscow, or Damascus.
These governments brutalize their populations and the people of other countries, with Iran and Russia openly backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's horrific annihilation of any political opposition during a 13-year-old war that has killed at least 500,000 people.
These issues could be addressed in a just world.
But Syria is not an arena for positive or just policy outcomes — only the best-worst options.
Assad won the war years ago and is being welcomed back into the regional diplomatic fold.
He will likely rule until the warring parties reach a political solution.
Until that time, Syria will remain rife with instability that is only worsened by the presence of multiple competing foreign armies, leaving U.S. troops increasingly exposed in the process.
Critical to Washington's Syria policy is the scope of its Syria mission, which has nothing to do with Assad and everything to do with ISIS.
The United States is applying a 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) focused on Al-Qaeda to justify its military operations in Syria, arguing that ISIS grew out of the terror group that conducted the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
This AUMF does not apply to the Syrian government or Iran.
Disregarding Assad or Iran, the legal justification for the U.S. military presence in Syria to fight ISIS is legally dubious.
The Islamic State is not Al-Qaeda, even if many of the latter's members joined the former after the 2001 U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.
And the decimated ISIS of today is not the same threat it was when the group governed territory.
Any effort to deter Iran — explicitly stated as a goal by U.S. officials — similarly fails to fall under this AUMF.
Even while some argue the U.S. Syria mission is a relatively low-cost, high-reward operation, the reality is murky.
United States personnel regularly face attacks from Iran-backed militias in remote bases across Syria that are increasingly difficult to defend.
The deaths of three U.S. soldiers in a similarly remote base on the Jordan-Syria border should not be lost on those willing to bargain U.S. lives for ill-defined and unending military operations.
Worse, one unresolved conflict in a region abounding with instability is a net negative for that region, ultimately compounding complications for an overstretched and hyperactive U.S. policy.
Ultimately, removing U.S. troops from Syria is wise.
Washington should expedite this process in collaboration with partners and foes sharing an interest in Syria's stability.
In the end, even rivals like the United States and Russia can agree on the need to stifle the Islamic State.
U.S. policymakers are obligated to consider creative solutions that meet U.S. interests — not create more forever wars.
Alexander Langlois is a contributing fellow at Defense Priorities.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wa ... r-BB1j2k7I
"Washington Cannot Justify Its Troop Presence in Syria | Opinion"
Story by Alexander Langlois
29 FEBRUARY 2024
The United States is reportedly exploring options for a military withdrawal from Syria — something it should have done long ago.
A withdrawal is necessary considering Washington's mission has been rudderless for years after defeating the Islamic State, also known as ISIS.
Amid ever-worsening global instability, the United States should limit its military footprint abroad, including a full withdrawal from Syria.
The inertia of U.S. foreign policy has blocked this decision.
Like clockwork, numerous analysts and former officials condemned any withdrawal from Syria, resorting to the same tired arguments about the need to defeat ISIS.
Washington's foreign policy establishment never fails to fearmonger while elevating so-called credibility and moral arguments for military adventurism abroad — with Syria constituting an excellent case study.
Hawkish arguments do not match facts on the ground.
The Islamic State was territorially defeated in 2019 following the battle for Baghuz in northeast Syria.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), while expressing some concerns about the group's activities in recent years, regularly assesses that the terrorist group does not pose a threat to the United States.
The latest DoD report stated that "[ISIS] remained incapable of mounting large, complex attacks locally or externally."
This hardly suggests U.S. forces should be on the ground fighting ISIS.
Rather, the group lacks any serious capacity to threaten more than the occasional Syrian Army convoy or small village, just like most non-state armed actors.
To be sure, Syrian civilians deserve security and dignity, just as any other person.
But this does not justify arguments in support of a U.S. military presence in Syria when considering alternative policy options and understanding Washington cannot fight every armed terror group around the world.
As such, it is possible to cede security operations against ISIS to other actors with a much higher degree of interest in operating in this space.
The list of stakeholders is long.
It should not be lost on anyone that Iran, via its militias in Iraq, played a huge role in defeating ISIS and has a strong presence in Syria.
Equally important are the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — Washington's partner in Syria.
Other regional actors with an interest in Syrian security can and should play a role, not limited to Turkey, Russia, Jordan, Iraq, and the Syrian government.
Simply put, there is no reason previous competition should block shared interests when it comes to ensuring ISIS never again holds territory.
Washington's foreign policy elite dismiss these alternatives.
To be sure, it is incredibly unpalatable — especially in today's world of hyper-competition — to cede any ground along any front to Tehran, Moscow, or Damascus.
These governments brutalize their populations and the people of other countries, with Iran and Russia openly backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's horrific annihilation of any political opposition during a 13-year-old war that has killed at least 500,000 people.
These issues could be addressed in a just world.
But Syria is not an arena for positive or just policy outcomes — only the best-worst options.
Assad won the war years ago and is being welcomed back into the regional diplomatic fold.
He will likely rule until the warring parties reach a political solution.
Until that time, Syria will remain rife with instability that is only worsened by the presence of multiple competing foreign armies, leaving U.S. troops increasingly exposed in the process.
Critical to Washington's Syria policy is the scope of its Syria mission, which has nothing to do with Assad and everything to do with ISIS.
The United States is applying a 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) focused on Al-Qaeda to justify its military operations in Syria, arguing that ISIS grew out of the terror group that conducted the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
This AUMF does not apply to the Syrian government or Iran.
Disregarding Assad or Iran, the legal justification for the U.S. military presence in Syria to fight ISIS is legally dubious.
The Islamic State is not Al-Qaeda, even if many of the latter's members joined the former after the 2001 U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.
And the decimated ISIS of today is not the same threat it was when the group governed territory.
Any effort to deter Iran — explicitly stated as a goal by U.S. officials — similarly fails to fall under this AUMF.
Even while some argue the U.S. Syria mission is a relatively low-cost, high-reward operation, the reality is murky.
United States personnel regularly face attacks from Iran-backed militias in remote bases across Syria that are increasingly difficult to defend.
The deaths of three U.S. soldiers in a similarly remote base on the Jordan-Syria border should not be lost on those willing to bargain U.S. lives for ill-defined and unending military operations.
Worse, one unresolved conflict in a region abounding with instability is a net negative for that region, ultimately compounding complications for an overstretched and hyperactive U.S. policy.
Ultimately, removing U.S. troops from Syria is wise.
Washington should expedite this process in collaboration with partners and foes sharing an interest in Syria's stability.
In the end, even rivals like the United States and Russia can agree on the need to stifle the Islamic State.
U.S. policymakers are obligated to consider creative solutions that meet U.S. interests — not create more forever wars.
Alexander Langlois is a contributing fellow at Defense Priorities.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wa ... r-BB1j2k7I