Israel-Gaza War (and Iranian Distractions)

[Yazata]

India released this photo of the damage to the tanker Chem Pluto that was hit by an Iranian drone near India.

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[Yazata]

Earlier today the Al Harir air base in Iraqi Kurdistan came under attack by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-armed Iraqi Shi'ite militia. Americans are stationed at the base assisting the Kurds and during the course of the attack three Americans were wounded, one of them critically (he was airlifted out to an unidentified hospital outside Iraq).

In response, the US Air Force has launched air strikes this evening against "multiple facilities" associated with Kataib Hezbollah.

The US Central Command says:

https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1739470809155227809

U.S. CENTCOM conducts strikes against Kataib Hezbollah terrorist group targets in Iraq

"In response to multiple attacks against coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, U.S. military forces conducted airstrikes against multiple facilities used by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups in Iraq at 8:45 p.m. (EST) on Dec. 25.

Earlier in the day, Iranian sponsored Kataib Hezbollah terrorists and affiliated groups attacked coalition forces at Erbil, Iraq resulting in several injuries.

Early assessments indicate that these U.S. airstrikes destroyed the targeted facilities and likely killed a number of Kataib Hezbollah militants. There are no indications that any civilian lives were affected. The U.S. military will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of these strikes.

"These strikes are intended to hold accountable those elements directly responsible for attacks on coalition forces in Iraq and Syria and degrade their ability to continue attacks. We will always protect our forces," said General Michael Erik Kurilla, U.S. Central Command Commander."

[Yazata]

Over the last several weeks the Israelis have made a great deal of progress in northern Gaza. They have reduced the remaining Hamas controlled area to five small pockets. The Hamas stronghold has been Jabaliya, and the Israelis have penetrated into this area in a big way.

Map by @War_Mapper

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[Yazata]

Today over a 10 hour period, the USS Laboon in cooperation with F/A-18 jets off the USS Eisenhower shot down 12 attack drones, 3 anti-ship ballistic missiles and 2 cruise missiles targeting shipping in the southern Red Sea and originating in Yemen. No injuries or damage to shipping are reported.

https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1739746985652158755

[Yazata]

Interesting company notam issued to UPS cargo plane pilots:

My guess is that the Russians, Ukrainians and Israelis are all doing it. US and other warships might be as well. Long range drones often steer themselves by using GPS, so spoofing or jamming GPS signals could throw drones off course.

(Source UPS cargo pilot Kelly Lepley)

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[Yazata]

The US Central Command says that the Singapore flagged/Danish owned container ship Maersk Hangzhou reported that it had been hit by a missile while in the southern Red Sea. The American destroyers USS Gravely and USS Laboon responded. The Maersk Hangzhou was determined to still be seaworthy and none of its crew were injured. While still in the vicinity of the Maersk Hangzhou, the USS Gravely shot down two additional inbound anti-ship missiles.

https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1741259817602429357

USS Gravely (US navy photo)

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[Yazata]

Less than 24 hours after the incident above, the Maersk Hangzhou was attacked again. This second attack was more dramatic than the first, an attempt to seize the ship by armed militants in four small boats. A private security team on the ship engaged the attackers with small arms and prevented them from boarding. Then US Navy helicopters arrived in response to the ship's distress call and sank three of the four small boats, killing their Houthi crews.

https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1741381969936834951

Iranian-backed Houthi small boats attack merchant vessel and U.S. Navy helicopters in Southern Red Sea

On Dec. 31 at 6:30am (Sanaa time) the container ship MAERSK HANGZHOU issued a second distress call in less than 24 hours reporting being under attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats. The small boats, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, fired crew served and small arms weapons at the MAERSK HANGZHOU, getting to within 20 meters of the vessel, and attempted to board the vessel. A contract embarked security team on the MAERSK HANZGHOU returned fire. U.S. helicopters from the USS EISENHOWER (CVN 69) and GRAVELY (DDG 107) responded to the distress call and in the process of issuing verbal calls to the small boats, the small boats fired upon the U.S. helicopters with crew served weapons and small arms. The U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats, and killing the crews. The fourth boat fled the area. There was no damage to U.S. personnel or equipment.

FAFO.

[Yazata]

London's Sunday Times is reporting that a major announcement will be made within hours that the US, UK and an as-yet unannounced European country (rumored to be France) are in final preparations to undertake a "major military operation". The operation will include "hundreds" of missile and air strikes against targets in the portion of Yemen that the Houthis control.

[Yazata]

The Houthis are angry about the US sinking three of their boats:

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[Yazata]

As yet very unconfirmed reports in regional Middle Eastern media (including the Jerusalem Post) that US forces have been fighting off attacks by multiple Houthi boats today. Gunfire reported.

It isn't clear what, if anything, is happening. It's hard to imagine Houthis in speedboats attacking US destroyers, that would be a suicide mission. It's probably more likely that they are attacking commercial vessels that the American warships are trying to protect.

And Sky news Arabia is reporting that two anti-ship cruise missiles were fired at an unidentified US warship today, but both either missed or were intercepted, and no injuries or damage reported.

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Here's an audio recording said to be radio between the Houthis (ordering a commercial vessel into a Yemeni port), the commercial vessel (the voice has an Indian accent) which says it is being attacked by boats and its ship's security is shooting back, and what identifies itself as a "coalition warship" (the radio voice has an American accent), which tells the commercial vessel to head away from Yemen, to turn off its transponder, and that the warship is closing position. (It fails to answer how far away it is.)

It's unclear when this was recorded. The recording comes from a British company called Ambrey which is one of the largest companies providing private anti-piracy teams to commercial ships in the Yemen-Somalia area. They provide 3-8 man teams, composed of armed former military, to ships transiting the area. This particular recording is used by Ambrey for training, so it might have been recorded some time ago.

https://twitter.com/thewarzonewire/statu...7424665609

https://ambrey.com/physical-risk-management/

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/in...a-shipping