Bombing a bridge; understandable.

Bombing it a second time when it is clearly broken and rescuers are in situ: despicable.

Me

Mmmmmmm - this popped up in a news-feed today and is reported on by a number of news outlets. Seems a bit of a "blame-game" starting up. As well as Generals (poss x 3) there is the Attorney General........... though most outlets are linking her departure to mishandling of the Epstein files but, of course, there may be an "Iran" link there too.

"Military" and "Legal" advice running contra to the desired "Truth Social" narrative? I suspect the idea to go in and dig up the Uranium stockpiles is attracting some polarised views...........

Meanwhile, on the ground, the US and Israelis will pick away at things. I wonder what the Gulf States are thinking, rather than saying, since, if the US go for the Power Stations I suspect the Gulf will see the lights going out too.

You know, in these "interesting times", H 'n' H can't help feeling that the old "non-ideal" status-quo was actually a better result than what appears to be unraveling. But, of course, I'm just a simple chap so what do I know.................... :ok:

12 US top generals have been fired, by Hesketh.

Also, a waste of a missile or bomb!

Just now or at least over a few weeks?

Wow! Moscow, Beijing, Washington.....

Trying to stay ahead of the pending coup?

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f925a1fac1.png
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Does this relate to the reported shoot down near the start of the campaign and US and IDF SF CSAR infiltration to rescue? https://www.pprune.org/military-avia...l#post12047112

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....40048dd313.png
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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HE9o06JW...pg&name=medium
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1e65ad57d8.png
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That's approaching a total of nearly half of the USAF jet fleet of tankers.
Extraordinary.

First replacement KC-135 out of the Boneyard. Only placed in storage at the Boneyard on 22nd December 2025 and was destined for reclamation.

Video

We will see the next giant fiasco of an USA military intervention with the upcoming ground operation. One theme is the obvious underestimation of the enemy resilience. Bombing is ineffective if the enemy is prepared and dispersed his armor. Iran will learn quick in ground operations and use weapons and tactics developed in the Ukraine war with technologic support from Russia and China. The US population will not allow the inevitable mounting body count. That operation will look a lot different from the older Irak and Afghanistan operations and I do not think that the WH is aware of this.

Maybe a cunning plan to break the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz? Mind you, I think you'll need a fair few more KC-135s to shift the 60-70 super-tankers worth of oil per day out the area! :ok:

At last we have a name for the Arleigh-Burke destroyer taking down the missiles aimed at Incirlik in Turkey.

Video

USS Ford has departed Split in Croatia. No news as to whether they're going to head east towards the Gulf or west back towards the USA.

https://www.c6f.navy.mil/Press-Room/...split-croatia/

EA-37Bs moved forward from the UK to the Gulf yesterday. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e6db50d44e.png
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my thought too.

If you are winning a war, you don’t fire the head of the army who is prosecuting it. Looks like they found excuses to carry them out.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...rge-rcna266491

Old Izzraeli trick is it not.
They preferred hitting Medics though !

The US isn’t winning the war, it’s just bombing stuff that is no threat to them. They appear to be mostly causing self-inflicted damage to the USA.

Sky News reporting an F35 has been shot down in Central Iran.

Edited to add they're quoting a report from Iranian media.

That is my point, they are saying they are winning the war when the opposite is true.

The stages of a DJT brilliant plan:

Enthusiasm
Disillusionment
Stagnation and Failure
Boredom
Angry Accusations
Search for the Guilty
Punishment of the uninvolved and innocent.
Honours and Laurels for those at the top.

Rinse and repeat.

My thoughts here Nutloose are that this almost certainly preempts a ground war. The previous boss was scheduled to go this summer. The incoming combat veteran is now inpost.

I think that is true of just about every Western intervention in the region. We’re told it will solve some problem, but it always just makes things worse. I like to think that by staying out of it Europe has at last learned that lesson.

Like I posted in the EA-37 thread, I saw them arrive here at the 'Hall few days ago so my photos below of both AXIS 41 and 43

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1cf806ac5c.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c93a2b57a1.jpg
then saw them at a distance from Lakenheath (as got the Idaho ANG Warthogs depart before) departing.

cheers

Reference Iranian claims of shooting down another aircraft today. As stated unverified.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3c9d3ea5c.jpeg
3 Videos: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....eff8f3d81.jpeg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e7693150e.jpeg
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I personally feel that when there are active ' Ops' there should be a say 5 mile exclusion zone round the base perimeter patrolled by the Army. Anyone in that zone that is not a resident or a real excuse for being there, ie delivery drivers, should be treated as " loose lips sink ships "

Now believed to be an F-15E.

This photo, albeit as yet unconfirmed, is consistent with it being from the Lakenheath, UK-based 494th FS:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ac18976d83.jpg

Are you seriously suggesting that over 100 square miles of Britain around each US base be put under martial law enforced by foreign troops indefinitely because of US operations?

Its all well and good declaring you have air supremacy - unfortunately those on the ground will always have a say in the matter if you only commit air assets. It only takes one man with a MANPAD or AAA crew ruin your day, especially if you've become a little complacent in the absence of any obvious day-to-day threats.

Especially as, to a considerable degree - and I hate to say this - we in the UK created most of the problems at the end of WW1. :rolleyes: Of course, since those days the UK Armed Forces have somewhat dwindled away to ..................

It's sobering to think that, at any one time right now, the USAF generally has more C17's in the air, just over Europe, than the RAF has C17's! The current guys and gals in the RN, RAF and Army do the best they can - it's no slight on them at all!

(My Bold)

Absolutely albatross! Mind you, it's your use of the word "plan" which has confused me a bit. There is a "plan"????????? :eek: I suspect those Generals "sacked" are probably quite relieved as there must be a lot of :ugh:going on in the Pentagon right now.

I would have thought a deep Combat SAR mission would have been tailor made for the CV-22 rather that a MC-130 dragging 2 Blackhawks over Iran. I do realize that all types are quite capable.

Side note, an early selling point on the MV-22 Osprey was showing how it could have done the Tehran Hostage Rescue mission in one period of darkness.

What concerns me is the suspicion that the departing generals were probably attempting to veto / stop / argue about a bloody stupid gung ho suicidal mission which ends up kiling and maiming some of our best friends on the planet.

I pray that I am wrong.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e6764f5ee.jpeg
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Again, Iranian news, no verification.

One crew member rescued according to CBS news.

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According to Israel's Channel 12 citing a Western source, one of the two American crew members from the downed U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle has been successfully rescued from southern Iran.

U.S. officials have confirmed the shootdown off-record, with ongoing efforts for the second crew member.

Iranian reports claim a capture but remain unverified by independent sources.

Do you have an understanding, solid or otherwise how the US military is structured operationally? The Pentagon uses a geographic command structure, covering each region of the world through 11 combatant commands. The war is being managed by CENTCOM (central command) which is led by Admiral Brad Cooper, not General Randy George. General George’s position was as Chief of Staff of the Army, a very important job, but he wasn’t “prosecuting” the war as you seem to think. All of this information is readily available should accuracy be your goal, if simply ranting, I understand.

Are you ruling out a mechanical issue?