https://www.politico.com/news/2024/0...-iran-00141460

UAE restricts US ability to launch retaliatory airstrikes against Iran proxies

Other Arab countries are restricting operations as well, according to people familiar with the matter.

Some Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, are increasingly restricting the U.S. from using military facilities on their soil to launch retaliatory airstrikes on Iranian proxies, according to four people familiar with the issue.….

The news that some countries are restricting access is based on information from a U.S. official, a congressional aide and two Western officials, all of whom were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive security issue.

Amid a rising civilian death toll in Gaza, several Arab countries, particularly those “attempting a detente with Iran,” are “increasingly restricting” the U.S. and partners from conducting self-defense operations from their soil, according to the U.S. official. This includes limits on retaliatory strikes against attacks in Iraq, Syria, and the Red Sea, the official said.….

Certain Arab countries are restricting access to basing and overflight for the assets participating in these retaliatory strikes, the official said. It’s not clear how many countries are taking this action.

The reason the UAE in particular is doing this, per one of the Western officials, is “they don’t want to appear like they’re against Iran and they don’t want to appear too close to the West and Israel for public opinion reasons.”

The UAE has in recent years also raised concerns about increasing attacks from the Houthis in Yemen. The rebel group has previously launched missiles into the UAE.

The UAE is home to Al Dhafra Air Base, which hosts dozens of U.S. aircraft involved in operations across the region, including fighter aircraft and reconnaissance drones such as MQ-9 Reapers.

In October, U.S. F-16 fighter jets carried out retaliatory strikes against two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxies. Although the Pentagon at the time did not disclose where the aircraft came from, Al Dhafra is one of the closest facilities in the region that typically hosts F-16s.

One Defense Department official disputed the premise that there is tension between the U.S. and the Emirates over U.S. military basing, pointing out that A-10 attack aircraft and armed MQ-9 drones have recently operated out of Al Dhafra in support of operations to protect shipping in the Arabian Gulf.

But soon after the October strike, the Pentagon stopped publicly disclosing many of the aircraft types used in subsequent retaliatory operations against Iranian proxies.

Meanwhile, strikes on the Houthis since January have been conducted by U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets from the nearby aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, which is in international waters.

And after an Iran-backed proxy attack killed three American soldiers at a small U.S. outpost in Jordan in January, the U.S. flew long-range B-1 bombers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, the Pentagon said…..

That certainly supports the case for aircraft carriers. Even "friendly" nations can have priorities that aren't aligned with "ours".

How about ballistic missiles? Minimum overflight.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbu...official-says/

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard On The Ground In Yemen To Assist Houthis, U.S. Official Says

In a bombshell revelation, a U.S. Navy official revealed on CBS News’ “60 Minutes” that Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops are working on the ground with Houthi rebels in Yemen, providing assistance to the group that has escalated attacks on U.S. military targets in the region and shipping vessels in the Red Sea, as U.S. forces step up counter-measures amid fears of an escalating Middle Eastern conflict.

U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Brad Cooper confirmed in an interview with “60 Minutes” correspondent Norah O’Donnell that members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps are on the ground in Yemen “serving side-by-side” with the rebel group and providing advice and target information….

1. Taking a page out of our book. (See Afghanistan in the 80's).
2. There were about 200 Iranian agents in Bosnia during the 90's. This overt support to the Houthis should not surprise anyone.
They are the host nation. Their sensibilities need to be taken into account in order to remain in their country. I remember a few operations where our aircraft were based out of Diego Garcia where we had to consult, in detail, with the Brits before getting a green light. That's been a while ago. Man, I am getting old. And yes, it's another point on the value of aircraft carriers (particularly of the CATOBAR kind), organic tanking assets, and organic EW assets.
(Tom Sharpe has a recent article in the Telegraph covering that general theme).

Quote:

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The US Coast Guard seized a big cache of weapons bound for Houthi rebels, including ballistic missile components and explosives

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I have a great idea: send that stuff to Ukraine. I am sure they could use it. :cool:

So international treaties don't allow military bases, but what the hell, they might as well try something.

Iran Says It Owns Antarctica, Wants To Establish Military Presence (msn.com)

I'll get the popcorn.

US Coast Guard! I had no idea they operated so far from home.

madness...............................

Sounds like something the Chinese would try. Wait…they've started down that path already.

The Chinese have established bases under the Antarctic Treaty - China has 4 bases - the same as the UK. The Chinese have no claims on Antarctica - the UK does..................

Give it time.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels shot down a U.S. drone and damaged a Belize-flagged, British cargo ship in their latest assault against commercial vessels, their spokesperson claimed Monday.

The Iranian-backed group, which has been targeting commercial shipping since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, said they hit the cargo ship Rubymar in the Gulf of Aden.

“The ship suffered catastrophic damage and came to a complete halt,” a Houthi spokesperson said. “As a result of the extensive damage the ship suffered, it is now at risk of potential sinking in the Gulf of Aden.”

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency said an explosion “in close proximity of the vessel” damaged it. The crew abandoned ship and is safe, the agency added.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ac742c8d73.png
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....381f220135.png

even the USA has never claimed acreage in Antarctica -

Video of Rubymar going down?
Houthi-hyökkäys Punaisellamerellä upottaa brittiläisen aluksen ja osuu Yhdysvaltojen droneen - 動画 Dailymotion

https://news.usni.org/2024/02/19/hou...eat-to-red-sea

Houthi Lethal Underwater Drones Adds New Threat to Red Sea

Quite clever ship, if it can go down stern-first, then come up again, to go down bow-first

Earlier footage is from the 2013 sinking of the MV Atlantic Confidence.‬ Second doesn’t even look like the Rubymar.

‪https://memac-rsa.org/en/gallery/m_v...ch_2013‬

Thank you both for the updates. The funnel livery was completely different too.

I am sure that the insurers would be interested to know whether it sank or not.

Rubymar still afloat but down at the stern with a flooded engine room.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-68363692

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....236adfbcc8.png

https://news.sky.com/story/us-and-br...yemen-13080557

US and Britain strike more than a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen

The US and Britain have struck more than a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen after a surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

It is the fourth joint action taken by the UK and the US in an attempt to deter attacks by the group on vessels, including a missile strike this week that set fire to a cargo ship.

According to US officials, American and British fighter jets hit about 18 sites across multiple locations, targeting missiles, launchers, rockets, drones and unmanned surface and underwater vehicles.

The US fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which is in the Red Sea….

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said the UK strikes were carried out by four Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s supported by two Voyager tankers.

The MoD saidt: "Intelligence analysis had successfully identified several very long-range drones, used by the Houthis for both reconnaissance and attack missions, at a former surface-to-air missile battery site several miles north-east of Sanaa.

"Our aircraft used Paveway IV precision guided bombs against the drones and their launchers."

The MoD said previous RAF strikes, on 11 January and 3 February, had destroyed a "number of buildings used to support" the Houthis' "done and cruise missile operations"….

CENTCOM:

Feb. 24 Red Sea Update

On Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. (Sanaa time), USS Mason (DDG 87) shot down one Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM) launched into the Gulf of Aden from Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen.

The missile was likely targeting MV Torm Thor, a U.S.-Flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker.

Neither USS Mason nor MV Torm Thor were damaged and there were no injuries.

The US Coast Guard protects all coasts. :E

Btw what's the Saudi Kingdom doing about it. Thought they pounded Yemen for years.

Saudi pounded them for years but then formed a truce with the Houthis getting them to agree not to send drones over their cities and oil installations any more.

What I would like to ask the Houthis is, “Do you really feel comfortable polluting your own seas with poisonous chemicals around Yemen, if it’s for Hamas (anti Israel)?”

Speaking of pollution - Rubymar has an 18 mile oil slick and growing as it gradually sinks.

The main cargo is nitrogen fertiliser which disturb the balance of microorganism in the sea causing increased large algae bloom, in which fish suffocate, plus loss of their nutrient base and major damage to the fishing industry on which the local fishing industry relies.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c0260aaba7.png

And where is Greanpeace, come to save the day with their rhetoric? :p

I wonder if the ship has sufficient ability to pump water out of the engine room at some point.
Don't understand that class of vessel well enough to make an educated guess.

I think they steer clear of naval zones after the made the mistake of boarding that Russian oil platform a few years back.................... :p

So….a clear message resonates better than politician speak?

I was surprised they let them go - a trial for Piracy and 10 years hard in the Kola would have sent a clearer message

BREAKING:

The German frigate “Hessen” just shot down 2 Houthi anti-ship missiles or drones in the Red Sea.

At least one subsea fiber cable damaged in the Red Sea, some reports blame Houthi rebels - DCD

Israeli press say AAE-1, Seacom/TGN, and Europe India Gateway (EIG) damaged by rebels; Seacom confirms issues but not cause

​​​​​​​https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/e...houthi-rebels/

ORAC, I posted an article by Tom Sharpe on that in the unpleasantries thread in JB...he suspects that Russia may have a hand in that.

There’s an interesting article to be found in the Wavell Room. It promotes an unusual, even controversial, response. But then I suppose we should bear in mind that this isn’t the 1970s and we’re not chasing down the cause of SOSUS cable breaks.

YS

👀👀👀👀
Quite a scoop here by Thomas Wiegold at @AugenGeradeaus:

German frigate Hessen intercepted Houthi drones with RAM & 76 mm main gun.

Before that incident however Hessen tried to intercept, by mistake, a US MQ-9 UAV using two SM-2, both of which failed for "technical reasons".

As per report the MQ-9 had its IFF turned off & operational command (presumably EUNAVFOR Aspides) was unaware of its presence. According to a spokesperson "the incident has been analysed and the deficit was corrected".

​​​​​​​Unclear whether referring to IFF issue or SM-2 issue or both….

https://augengeradeaus.net/2024/02/r...huthi-drohnen/

What we have here is failure to communicate. (As regards the MQ-9 engagement). C2 failure.

Bulker #Rubymar is drifting northward in deep water and it is possible she is dragging her starboard anchor across the cables on the floor of the #RedSea.

If not enough chain is not paid out and with the additional weight from flooding, the ship is not holding.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c8b5112c3d.png
​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​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.