Iran
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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The British-owned bulk carrier Rubymar has now sunk after it was hit by Houthi anti-ship missile 2 weeks ago.
It’s the first ship to be sunk by the Houthis.
It was carrying more than 41 000 tons of fertilizer. Major ecologic disaster.
It’s the first ship to be sunk by the Houthis.
It was carrying more than 41 000 tons of fertilizer. Major ecologic disaster.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
Saturday:
The Italian Navy D554 “Caio Duilio” shot down a Houthi drone earlier today in the Red Sea.
According to the Italian ministry of defence, the drone was about 6 kilometers from the ship and was flying towards it.
The Italian Navy D554 “Caio Duilio” shot down a Houthi drone earlier today in the Red Sea.
According to the Italian ministry of defence, the drone was about 6 kilometers from the ship and was flying towards it.
As long as the Houthis have the equipment for cleaning up their own spills. (Or perhaps Iran can help them.)
Actually it'll be quite a local effect - most of it will dissove and be diluted quickly - oil splill wouldd be worse
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From The Spectator:
The reason I bother to bring this up is that the Argentine government in 1982 tried to regain popularity via their invasion of the Falklands. Iran's not an identical case, sure, but will they consider lashing out (further) as the signs of discontent register? Where? Or, is that not their style?
The record low turnout for parliamentary elections in Iran, which took place on Friday, is another blow to the regime’s attempts to pretend that all is well in the country. Early reports suggest a turnout of just under 41 per cent nationwide. Iranians in their millions have rejected the regime by choosing to stay at home rather than vote.
The elections were never really about the final results (victory is pretty much guaranteed for the motley crew of religious hardliners and social conservatives endorsed by the ruling clerics), but about how many people would actually bother to vote. Turnout matters to the mullahs because the election process exists to give the regime the veneer of democratic legitimacy. That’s why in recent weeks the authorities have been doing everything they can to boost voting numbers. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has repeatedly urged people to vote, describing it as a national duty. ‘If the election is weak, all face harm’, he said. His pleas were ignored. The dire voting numbers tell their own story of widespread public anger and declining trust in the country’s rulers.
More than 15,000 candidates were vying for a seat in the 290-member parliament, formally known as the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Anyone who opposes the official line is weeded out. Iran’s Guardian Council – responsible for overseeing elections and legislation – disqualified in advance thousands of pro-reform candidates from running for seats. The Iranian parliament has nominal oversight of the executive branch and votes through laws and treaties but real power resides in Ayatollah Khamenei. The parliament, which has no say over critical issues such as nuclear or foreign policy, is there to rubber-stamp the wishes of the supreme leader.
The elections were never really about the final results (victory is pretty much guaranteed for the motley crew of religious hardliners and social conservatives endorsed by the ruling clerics), but about how many people would actually bother to vote. Turnout matters to the mullahs because the election process exists to give the regime the veneer of democratic legitimacy. That’s why in recent weeks the authorities have been doing everything they can to boost voting numbers. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has repeatedly urged people to vote, describing it as a national duty. ‘If the election is weak, all face harm’, he said. His pleas were ignored. The dire voting numbers tell their own story of widespread public anger and declining trust in the country’s rulers.
More than 15,000 candidates were vying for a seat in the 290-member parliament, formally known as the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Anyone who opposes the official line is weeded out. Iran’s Guardian Council – responsible for overseeing elections and legislation – disqualified in advance thousands of pro-reform candidates from running for seats. The Iranian parliament has nominal oversight of the executive branch and votes through laws and treaties but real power resides in Ayatollah Khamenei. The parliament, which has no say over critical issues such as nuclear or foreign policy, is there to rubber-stamp the wishes of the supreme leader.
From The Spectator: The reason I bother to bring this up is that the Argentine government in 1982 tried to regain popularity via their invasion of the Falklands. Iran's not an identical case, sure, but will they consider lashing out (further) as the signs of discontent register? Where? Or, is that not their style?
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
The mood of the nation, it is reported, is to ditch the clerics and bring back the Shah…
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i...-son-h23nf785s
Iran elections: Why young Iranians would welcome return of Shah’s son
….In place of this regime, what do Iranians want? For Western audiences trained to believe in the oriental complexity of Middle Eastern political sentiment, the answer is strangely ordinary. They want democracy, secularism, territorial integrity, civil and political freedom, and restoration of their national identity and culture. According to the majority, only one man can deliver these things: Iran’s crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, son of the late Shah.
The regime knows it will not fall because some dare to talk of women’s rights or ethnic separatism. Everyone in Iran knows what it is truly afraid of: the return of the Pahlavi dynasty which ruled the country from 1925 to 1979. For 44 years, state media did not mention the possibility of Pahlavi’s return; suddenly they have broken their silence, calling him the greatest threat to Iranian peace and security.
In the absence of official polls, hard data is elusive, but a recent survey conducted among Iranian citizens by researchers in the United States suggested that 80 per cent of respondents favoured the crown prince as leader of the country. Two Iranian academics in the Netherlands placed him top of a list of 24 candidates drawn from the regime and elsewhere.
In the regime’s own account, the majority of those detained during the 2022-23 protests advocated constitutional monarchy for Iran. Many of those jailed or executed were guilty of exhibiting the “lion-and-sun” flag, symbol of pre-1979 Iran; the first execution victim had tattooed it on his arm. The flag now circulates as social media code for restoration of the constitutional monarchy. Risking their lives, young people raise it above highways, or graffiti it on city walls, alongside slogans such as Javid shah — “Long live the king.
How could young protesters be so traditional? The answer, once again, is ordinary. Like young people everywhere else, they desire economic opportunity, social freedom, international peace, and ecological sustainability. And they think constitutional monarchy is the best route.….
As young Iranians look for alternatives, they are naturally fascinated by the progress made in the decades before 1979.
After a long period of breakdown, the Pahlavi dynasty reunified the country, introduced the rule of law and established modern parliamentary institutions. The reign of Pahlavi’s father saw dramatic social development: expanded literacy, freedom of religion, rights and protections for women and children. (These protections were thrown out in 1979, when long-outlawed practices such as child marriage, polygamy and unilateral divorce by men were authorised again.) Iran under the Shah was — like other fledgling democracies of the time — less democratic than Britain. But it was immeasurably freer than what replaced it.
Large infrastructure projects, the nationalisation of forests and pasturelands, profit-sharing by industrial workers and land reforms produced rapid economic growth: GDP grew at an average of 8.8 per cent, increasing three-fold, between 1960 and 1978.
Such progress was abruptly aborted in 1979; Iranians hope that, with a new Pahlavi era, it might be resumed. The crown prince’s popularity derives in part from the connection he provides to a lost process of political progress, and indeed to a lost national identity. Protesters of all political hues have rallied behind his proposals for a secular, democratic Iran. He promises “peace and reconciliation” for the country’s transition and a founding referendum in which all Iranians, regardless of religious and political views, can select their preferred form of governance.
But Pahlavi is not only a symbol of a previous epoch. His peace visit to Israel in April 2023 convinced many Iranians that he might be capable of ending one of the Middle East’s structural enmities, and so making a decisive contribution to 21st-century peace. His interest in water conservation, and in a post-fossil fuel energy plan, persuades many that he can institute a government of the future, and not just the past.
Some may still find return of the monarchy a surprising fixation for a youthful movement. But to young Iranians neighbouring republics such as Iraq or Syria are significantly more depressing than Middle Eastern monarchies. Given the ancient political traditions that are so much part of their national identity, Iranians also hope to avoid the flaws of other monarchies in the region: to be closer to Britain than Saudi Arabia.
Despite this weekend’s hollow election, the Islamic Republic is unlikely to withstand another nationwide uprising. Iranians are seizing upon a replacement who can unite the country under the banner of secular democracy. At the time of writing, there is only one such candidate. Surprising though he may be.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i...-son-h23nf785s
Iran elections: Why young Iranians would welcome return of Shah’s son
….In place of this regime, what do Iranians want? For Western audiences trained to believe in the oriental complexity of Middle Eastern political sentiment, the answer is strangely ordinary. They want democracy, secularism, territorial integrity, civil and political freedom, and restoration of their national identity and culture. According to the majority, only one man can deliver these things: Iran’s crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, son of the late Shah.
The regime knows it will not fall because some dare to talk of women’s rights or ethnic separatism. Everyone in Iran knows what it is truly afraid of: the return of the Pahlavi dynasty which ruled the country from 1925 to 1979. For 44 years, state media did not mention the possibility of Pahlavi’s return; suddenly they have broken their silence, calling him the greatest threat to Iranian peace and security.
In the absence of official polls, hard data is elusive, but a recent survey conducted among Iranian citizens by researchers in the United States suggested that 80 per cent of respondents favoured the crown prince as leader of the country. Two Iranian academics in the Netherlands placed him top of a list of 24 candidates drawn from the regime and elsewhere.
In the regime’s own account, the majority of those detained during the 2022-23 protests advocated constitutional monarchy for Iran. Many of those jailed or executed were guilty of exhibiting the “lion-and-sun” flag, symbol of pre-1979 Iran; the first execution victim had tattooed it on his arm. The flag now circulates as social media code for restoration of the constitutional monarchy. Risking their lives, young people raise it above highways, or graffiti it on city walls, alongside slogans such as Javid shah — “Long live the king.
How could young protesters be so traditional? The answer, once again, is ordinary. Like young people everywhere else, they desire economic opportunity, social freedom, international peace, and ecological sustainability. And they think constitutional monarchy is the best route.….
As young Iranians look for alternatives, they are naturally fascinated by the progress made in the decades before 1979.
After a long period of breakdown, the Pahlavi dynasty reunified the country, introduced the rule of law and established modern parliamentary institutions. The reign of Pahlavi’s father saw dramatic social development: expanded literacy, freedom of religion, rights and protections for women and children. (These protections were thrown out in 1979, when long-outlawed practices such as child marriage, polygamy and unilateral divorce by men were authorised again.) Iran under the Shah was — like other fledgling democracies of the time — less democratic than Britain. But it was immeasurably freer than what replaced it.
Large infrastructure projects, the nationalisation of forests and pasturelands, profit-sharing by industrial workers and land reforms produced rapid economic growth: GDP grew at an average of 8.8 per cent, increasing three-fold, between 1960 and 1978.
Such progress was abruptly aborted in 1979; Iranians hope that, with a new Pahlavi era, it might be resumed. The crown prince’s popularity derives in part from the connection he provides to a lost process of political progress, and indeed to a lost national identity. Protesters of all political hues have rallied behind his proposals for a secular, democratic Iran. He promises “peace and reconciliation” for the country’s transition and a founding referendum in which all Iranians, regardless of religious and political views, can select their preferred form of governance.
But Pahlavi is not only a symbol of a previous epoch. His peace visit to Israel in April 2023 convinced many Iranians that he might be capable of ending one of the Middle East’s structural enmities, and so making a decisive contribution to 21st-century peace. His interest in water conservation, and in a post-fossil fuel energy plan, persuades many that he can institute a government of the future, and not just the past.
Some may still find return of the monarchy a surprising fixation for a youthful movement. But to young Iranians neighbouring republics such as Iraq or Syria are significantly more depressing than Middle Eastern monarchies. Given the ancient political traditions that are so much part of their national identity, Iranians also hope to avoid the flaws of other monarchies in the region: to be closer to Britain than Saudi Arabia.
Despite this weekend’s hollow election, the Islamic Republic is unlikely to withstand another nationwide uprising. Iranians are seizing upon a replacement who can unite the country under the banner of secular democracy. At the time of writing, there is only one such candidate. Surprising though he may be.
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Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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BREAKING:
The container ship MSC SKY II is on fire after having been hit by a Houthi anti-ship missile.
The container ship MSC SKY II is on fire after having been hit by a Houthi anti-ship missile.
While not aviation related, he probably flew to the US at some point ...
While Machiavelli might have approved, I am not sure if Sun Tzu would find this to be an effective means of "winning without fighting" ... even though Sun Tzu did advocate for assassination.
On Friday, the FBI warned that an Iranian national looking to assassinate Trump officials over the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani was on the loose The FBI in Miami has warned of an Iranian assassin that is wanted in connection to assassination targets against former and current public officials, such as those involved in former President Donald Trump's administration. The FBI field office in Miami shared a wanted notice for Majid Dastjani Farahani on Friday. "Majid Dastjani Farahani, an Iranian intelligence officer, is wanted for questioning in connection with the recruitment of individuals for various operations in the United States, to include lethal targeting of current and former United States Government officials as revenge for the killing of IRGC-QF Commander Qasem Soleimani," the FBI stated.
"Farahani also reportedly recruited individuals for surveillance activities focused on religious sites, businesses, and other facilities in the United States," the FBI said. "Farahani acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security."
The announcement by the FBI comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. Earlier this year, three U.S. Service members were killed at a military base in Jordan. President Joe Biden announced that "radical, Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq," were responsible, prompting speculation on Iran's role in the incident.
"Farahani also reportedly recruited individuals for surveillance activities focused on religious sites, businesses, and other facilities in the United States," the FBI said. "Farahani acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security."
The announcement by the FBI comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. Earlier this year, three U.S. Service members were killed at a military base in Jordan. President Joe Biden announced that "radical, Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq," were responsible, prompting speculation on Iran's role in the incident.
More fun in the Straits
Caveat: source was Jerusalem Post, so maybe use a grain of salt.
The deputy chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen has sounded the “alarm” about the continued Houthi threats to Yemen, according to an article at Al-Ain in the UAE. The UAE has supported Abd al-Rahman al-Mahrami in the past. He spoke about the current Houthi threat in Aden while meeting with a UN envoy, the article said.
His comments come after a ship sank in the Red Sea after being hit by a Houthi missile two weeks ago. In addition, the Houthis continue to attack ships.
He also said the “patience of the Presidential Command Council with the violations of the terrorist Houthi militia is running out, and that its support for the peaceful political option in the peace process will not last long.”
This means that some Yemenis are tired of the way the Houthis have hijacked the country to turn it into a platform for Iran and Iran’s proxy war against Israel, the US, and the region. “The [Houthi] militias’ continued hostilities towards the positions of the armed forces, the mobilization of fighters on various fronts, and the targeting of commercial ships and international shipping routes threaten to detonate the situation and undermine all peaceful efforts,” he said.
He also slammed the increase in smuggling of Iranian weapons to the Houthis. He says this violates a 2018 agreement and other trends that were supposed to bring peace to Yemen.
“The Yemeni vice president called on the United Nations and the international community to reconsider the seriousness of these militias in seeking peace and to exert a lot of pressure on them in any future settlement,” the Al-Ain article said.
The comments are important because the Houthis have had relative impunity until now to continue attacking ships and causing unprecedented damage to Yemen. Yemen is a poor country, but Iran seeks to use it as a platform to attack the region rather than help it prosper and bring peace. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other countries have backed peace efforts after years of war that began in 2015 when the Houthis tried to take Aden. Now, it seems some Yemenis are tired of the negative attention the Houthis bring to the country.
His comments come after a ship sank in the Red Sea after being hit by a Houthi missile two weeks ago. In addition, the Houthis continue to attack ships.
He also said the “patience of the Presidential Command Council with the violations of the terrorist Houthi militia is running out, and that its support for the peaceful political option in the peace process will not last long.”
This means that some Yemenis are tired of the way the Houthis have hijacked the country to turn it into a platform for Iran and Iran’s proxy war against Israel, the US, and the region. “The [Houthi] militias’ continued hostilities towards the positions of the armed forces, the mobilization of fighters on various fronts, and the targeting of commercial ships and international shipping routes threaten to detonate the situation and undermine all peaceful efforts,” he said.
He also slammed the increase in smuggling of Iranian weapons to the Houthis. He says this violates a 2018 agreement and other trends that were supposed to bring peace to Yemen.
“The Yemeni vice president called on the United Nations and the international community to reconsider the seriousness of these militias in seeking peace and to exert a lot of pressure on them in any future settlement,” the Al-Ain article said.
The comments are important because the Houthis have had relative impunity until now to continue attacking ships and causing unprecedented damage to Yemen. Yemen is a poor country, but Iran seeks to use it as a platform to attack the region rather than help it prosper and bring peace. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other countries have backed peace efforts after years of war that began in 2015 when the Houthis tried to take Aden. Now, it seems some Yemenis are tired of the negative attention the Houthis bring to the country.
Two killed in Houthi missile attack on cargo ship - US officials - BBC News
Two crew members have been killed in a Houthi missile strike on a cargo ship off southern Yemen, US officials say - the first deaths the group's attacks on merchant vessels have caused.
The Barbados-flagged True Confidence had been abandoned and was drifting with a fire on board, managers said.
It was hit in the Gulf of Aden at about 09:30 GMT, they added.
The Houthis say their attacks are to support the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
In a statement, the Iran-backed group said the True Confidence's crew had ignored warnings from Houthi naval forces.
The British embassy in Yemen said the sailors' deaths were the "sad but inevitable consequence of the Houthis recklessly firing missiles at international shipping" and insisted the attacks had to stop.
Six crew members were also injured, a US official told the BBC's US partner CBS.
The attack happened about 50 nautical miles (93km) south-west of the Yemeni city of Aden, a spokesman for the ship's owners and managers said in a statement.
The True Confidence had been hailed over VHF radio by a group calling itself the "Yemeni navy" and told to change course, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.
Nearby vessels then reported a loud bang and a large plume of smoke.
The UKMTO said the True Confidence was hit and suffered damage, and that naval vessels from a US-led international maritime coalition were supporting the ship and its crew.
The EU's Maritime Security Centre-Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) also said that rescue and salvage operations were under way.
The ship managers' spokesman said he had no information about the condition of the ship's crew of 20 sailors and three armed guards.
The Houthis claimed in their statement that the True Confidence was an "American ship", but the spokesman said the vessel had "no current connection with any US entity".
The True Confidence is owned by True Confidence Shipping SA, which is registered to an address in Liberia, and operated by Third January Maritime Ltd in Greece, he said.
However it had previously been owned by US-based Oaktree Capital Management, AP reported. Oaktree declined to comment to AP.
The Barbados-flagged True Confidence had been abandoned and was drifting with a fire on board, managers said.
It was hit in the Gulf of Aden at about 09:30 GMT, they added.
The Houthis say their attacks are to support the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
In a statement, the Iran-backed group said the True Confidence's crew had ignored warnings from Houthi naval forces.
The British embassy in Yemen said the sailors' deaths were the "sad but inevitable consequence of the Houthis recklessly firing missiles at international shipping" and insisted the attacks had to stop.
Six crew members were also injured, a US official told the BBC's US partner CBS.
The attack happened about 50 nautical miles (93km) south-west of the Yemeni city of Aden, a spokesman for the ship's owners and managers said in a statement.
The True Confidence had been hailed over VHF radio by a group calling itself the "Yemeni navy" and told to change course, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.
Nearby vessels then reported a loud bang and a large plume of smoke.
The UKMTO said the True Confidence was hit and suffered damage, and that naval vessels from a US-led international maritime coalition were supporting the ship and its crew.
The EU's Maritime Security Centre-Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) also said that rescue and salvage operations were under way.
The ship managers' spokesman said he had no information about the condition of the ship's crew of 20 sailors and three armed guards.
The Houthis claimed in their statement that the True Confidence was an "American ship", but the spokesman said the vessel had "no current connection with any US entity".
The True Confidence is owned by True Confidence Shipping SA, which is registered to an address in Liberia, and operated by Third January Maritime Ltd in Greece, he said.
However it had previously been owned by US-based Oaktree Capital Management, AP reported. Oaktree declined to comment to AP.
Two killed in Houthi missile attack on cargo ship - US officials - BBC News
Click the link for remainder of article & map.
Click the link for remainder of article & map.
(For context: I spent a career in the Navy where shipboard firefighting was a core competency everyone had to have...perhaps the Merchant Navy has different requirements).
OK, there is a fire on board ship, and the crew abandoned the ship. Do not merchant ships have firefighting procedures? Is this a side effect of minimum manning?
(For context: I spent a career in the Navy where shipboard firefighting was a core competency everyone had to have...perhaps the Merchant Navy has different requirements).
(For context: I spent a career in the Navy where shipboard firefighting was a core competency everyone had to have...perhaps the Merchant Navy has different requirements).
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Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
Early this morning US Navy vessels and aircraft along with multiple coalition navy ships and aircraft shot down 15 Houthi attack drones fired into the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
CENTCOM:
March 11 Red Sea Update
Between 8:50 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. (Sanaa time) on March 11, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of into the Red Sea toward merchant vessel Pinocchio, a Singaporean-owned, Liberian-flagged ship. The missiles did not impact the vessel and there were no injuries or damage reported.
Between 2:50-11:30 p.m. (Sanaa time) on March 11, United States Central Command conducted six self-defense strikes destroying an unmanned underwater vessel and 18 anti-ship missiles in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.
March 11 Red Sea Update
Between 8:50 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. (Sanaa time) on March 11, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of into the Red Sea toward merchant vessel Pinocchio, a Singaporean-owned, Liberian-flagged ship. The missiles did not impact the vessel and there were no injuries or damage reported.
Between 2:50-11:30 p.m. (Sanaa time) on March 11, United States Central Command conducted six self-defense strikes destroying an unmanned underwater vessel and 18 anti-ship missiles in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.
In The Times this afternoon.
China and Russia join Iranian naval drills amid Red Sea crisis
China and Russia have joined Iran in naval exercises in the approaches to the Red Sea, in response to the US-led military operation to protect merchant shipping from missile attacks.
Beijing announced that a destroyer, a frigate and a naval supply ship would be deployed with Russian and Iranian counterparts for the exercises in the Gulf of Oman, which began on Tuesday morning.
The Houthis, an Iranian-backed rebel group that controls northwest Yemen, is attacking western merchant shipping sailing through the Gulf towards the Red Sea and the Suez Canal as a protest against Israel’s actions in the Gaza war. In retaliation, American and British jets are striking Houthi targets.
China’s 45th naval task force is stationed at a base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, and has been escorting Chinese vessels in the area, though the Houthis have made clear that Russian and Chinese ships are not a target.
At the same time, US intelligence agencies issued their “annual threat assessment” to Congress, identifying China’s military development as one of America’s main challenges.
It specifically warned that China, Russia and Iran were “challenging longstanding rules of the international system as well as US primacy within it”.
In previous years, China has co-operated with the US and other countries in policing the Gulf of Oman against Somali pirates. The West has urged Beijing to use its influence with Iran to put a stop to Houthi attacks.
Beijing has said it condemns attacks on shipping, without identifying either the Houthis or Iran, and that it “has been making active efforts to ease the tension in the Red Sea”. However, it is unclear how much influence it has over Tehran, let alone over the Houthis themselves.
The beginning of the naval exercise coincided with the end of the annual meeting of China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, at which Communist Party leaders indicated a harder line against the US and its western allies.
The US threat assessment was published alongside the Biden administration’s proposed budget for next year, which set aside specific military funding for Taiwan for the first time.
In response, Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, accused the US of “malicious competition that sets traps everywhere for opponents and hinders progress”.
“If one tries to suppress China at all costs, in the end, it will only harm oneself,” he said. “We hope that the US side will correct its misconceptions about China.”
Beijing announced that a destroyer, a frigate and a naval supply ship would be deployed with Russian and Iranian counterparts for the exercises in the Gulf of Oman, which began on Tuesday morning.
The Houthis, an Iranian-backed rebel group that controls northwest Yemen, is attacking western merchant shipping sailing through the Gulf towards the Red Sea and the Suez Canal as a protest against Israel’s actions in the Gaza war. In retaliation, American and British jets are striking Houthi targets.
China’s 45th naval task force is stationed at a base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, and has been escorting Chinese vessels in the area, though the Houthis have made clear that Russian and Chinese ships are not a target.
At the same time, US intelligence agencies issued their “annual threat assessment” to Congress, identifying China’s military development as one of America’s main challenges.
It specifically warned that China, Russia and Iran were “challenging longstanding rules of the international system as well as US primacy within it”.
In previous years, China has co-operated with the US and other countries in policing the Gulf of Oman against Somali pirates. The West has urged Beijing to use its influence with Iran to put a stop to Houthi attacks.
Beijing has said it condemns attacks on shipping, without identifying either the Houthis or Iran, and that it “has been making active efforts to ease the tension in the Red Sea”. However, it is unclear how much influence it has over Tehran, let alone over the Houthis themselves.
The beginning of the naval exercise coincided with the end of the annual meeting of China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, at which Communist Party leaders indicated a harder line against the US and its western allies.
The US threat assessment was published alongside the Biden administration’s proposed budget for next year, which set aside specific military funding for Taiwan for the first time.
In response, Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, accused the US of “malicious competition that sets traps everywhere for opponents and hinders progress”.
“If one tries to suppress China at all costs, in the end, it will only harm oneself,” he said. “We hope that the US side will correct its misconceptions about China.”
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
Well, here we go. The French Navy demonstrates a ballistic missile defence capability using legacy Aster 30 missiles. Incidentally proving me wrong on my previous skepticism re this capability.
BZ and happy to see they can pull this off.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news...stic-missiles/
French Navy Air Defense FREMM Intercepts 3 Ballistic Missiles
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES is an EU military operation in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf. The operation was launched a month ago and its objective is to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf.
The operation announced today on social media X(formerly known as Twitter): “On March 21, an EUNAVFOR ASPIDES French ship while providing close protection to merchant shipping in South Red Sea, intercepted and destroyed 3 ballistic missiles posing a direct threat to the FoN.“
The French ministry of the armed forces issued the following press release:
On the morning of March 21, 2024, as part of the European operation ASPIDES, a French frigate operating in the south of the Red Sea detected three ballistic missiles coming from Yemen and targeting its position and that of the container ships that it she accompanied. The frigate, reacting in self-defense, engaged and destroyed the missiles.
Alongside their allies, the French armies contribute to maritime security and participate in the defense of freedom of navigation, particularly from the Suez Canal to the Strait of Hormuz, the objective of the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation launched by the European Union. on February 19.….
Based on the released image of the engagement, a salvo of three missiles were fired by Alsace. The interception of three ballistic missiles is a complex task and shows the high level of training and professionalism of the crew, as well as the quality of the sensors and weapons systems fitted on the FREMM. Aster 30 long range surface to air missiles were likely used for the interception, with the targets tracked by the Herakles multifunction radar.
The interception of ballistic missiles in an operational context marks a first for the French Navy. The event also marks the first “kill” of a ballistic missile by an MBDA Aster family missile in combat. The capability was demonstrated in live condition back in December 2011, when an Aster 30 missile fired from a French Horizon type Air Defense Destroyer downed an Israeli Black Sparrow ballistic missile target (launched from an Israeli Air Force F-15 jet), but this was in a controlled, testing environment… [[url=https://spacenews.com/french-air-force-intercepts-israeli-target-missile/]Erratum: This 2011 test actually involved land-based SAMP/T system with Aster 30, not a navy destroyer]
BZ and happy to see they can pull this off.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news...stic-missiles/
French Navy Air Defense FREMM Intercepts 3 Ballistic Missiles
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES is an EU military operation in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf. The operation was launched a month ago and its objective is to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf.
The operation announced today on social media X(formerly known as Twitter): “On March 21, an EUNAVFOR ASPIDES French ship while providing close protection to merchant shipping in South Red Sea, intercepted and destroyed 3 ballistic missiles posing a direct threat to the FoN.“
The French ministry of the armed forces issued the following press release:
On the morning of March 21, 2024, as part of the European operation ASPIDES, a French frigate operating in the south of the Red Sea detected three ballistic missiles coming from Yemen and targeting its position and that of the container ships that it she accompanied. The frigate, reacting in self-defense, engaged and destroyed the missiles.
Alongside their allies, the French armies contribute to maritime security and participate in the defense of freedom of navigation, particularly from the Suez Canal to the Strait of Hormuz, the objective of the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation launched by the European Union. on February 19.….
Based on the released image of the engagement, a salvo of three missiles were fired by Alsace. The interception of three ballistic missiles is a complex task and shows the high level of training and professionalism of the crew, as well as the quality of the sensors and weapons systems fitted on the FREMM. Aster 30 long range surface to air missiles were likely used for the interception, with the targets tracked by the Herakles multifunction radar.
The interception of ballistic missiles in an operational context marks a first for the French Navy. The event also marks the first “kill” of a ballistic missile by an MBDA Aster family missile in combat. The capability was demonstrated in live condition back in December 2011, when an Aster 30 missile fired from a French Horizon type Air Defense Destroyer downed an Israeli Black Sparrow ballistic missile target (launched from an Israeli Air Force F-15 jet), but this was in a controlled, testing environment… [[url=https://spacenews.com/french-air-force-intercepts-israeli-target-missile/]Erratum: This 2011 test actually involved land-based SAMP/T system with Aster 30, not a navy destroyer]
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On BBC News website - Israeli air strike destroys Iranian consulate in Syria, says state media.
He joined the IRGC 44 years ago and quickly rose to a top rank. He served as the commander of the Syria and Lebanon operation of the IRGC from 2008 to 2016, during which his forces fought in support of President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war.
Iranian media have been sharing a picture of him with Imad Mughniyeh, the number two in Hezbollah's leadership who was assassinated in a car bomb in 2008.
Iran has blamed Israel for Zahedi’s death, in a sign of escalating tensions between the two countries.
In a phone call with his Syrian counterpart, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian condemned the strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
He said Israel had “violated all its international commitments and conventions” and that it would be held responsible for such “criminal actions”.
Iranian foreign ministry's website quoted Abdollahian saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had "completely lost his mental balance" after "repeated defeats in Gaza".
Hossein Akbari, Iran’s Ambassador to Damascus, said that the attack on the Iranian consulate showed “Israel did not recognize any international laws and was ready take any kind of inhumane action to achieve its goals”.
- A suspected Israeli strike has destroyed the Iranian consulate building in Syria's capital, Damascus, Syrian state media report
- Photos show smoke and dust rising from the flattened multi-storey structure in the west of the city
- A senior Revolutionary Guards commander Brig-Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi is among the dead, Iranian state media says
- The Israeli military says it does not comment on foreign media reports
- The Syrian defence ministry said Israeli aircraft targeted the consulate building at about 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT)
He joined the IRGC 44 years ago and quickly rose to a top rank. He served as the commander of the Syria and Lebanon operation of the IRGC from 2008 to 2016, during which his forces fought in support of President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war.
Iranian media have been sharing a picture of him with Imad Mughniyeh, the number two in Hezbollah's leadership who was assassinated in a car bomb in 2008.
Iran has blamed Israel for Zahedi’s death, in a sign of escalating tensions between the two countries.
In a phone call with his Syrian counterpart, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian condemned the strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
He said Israel had “violated all its international commitments and conventions” and that it would be held responsible for such “criminal actions”.
Iranian foreign ministry's website quoted Abdollahian saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had "completely lost his mental balance" after "repeated defeats in Gaza".
Hossein Akbari, Iran’s Ambassador to Damascus, said that the attack on the Iranian consulate showed “Israel did not recognize any international laws and was ready take any kind of inhumane action to achieve its goals”.
On BBC News website - Israeli air strike destroys Iranian consulate in Syria, says state media.
Interesting: the feed I saw it on called it the embassy. Glad I checked multiple sources and took a look here also.
Hossein Akbari, Iran’s Ambassador to Damascus, said that the attack on the Iranian consulate showed “Israel did not recognize any international laws and was ready take any kind of inhumane action to achieve its goals”.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
Iranian State Media has now Confirmed that in addition to Mohammad-Reza Zahedi and Mohammad-Haji Rahim that Brigadier General Hossein Amirollah, the Chief of the General Staff for IRGC’s Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon was also Killed in the Israeli Airstrike on Damascus, with it now appearing that at least 3 Brigadier Generals were Eliminated in today’s Strike.
Zahedi = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Zahedi
Rahimi = Deputy commander IRGC Quds force
https://news.sky.com/story/senior-ir...media-13106229
Zahedi = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Zahedi
Rahimi = Deputy commander IRGC Quds force
https://news.sky.com/story/senior-ir...media-13106229
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