An Iranian-backed militia conducted a one-way drone attack targeting US forces in northeastern Jordan on Jan. 28, killing three American service members and wounding another 25. This attack is part of the ongoing Iranian-led campaign to expel US forces from the Middle East.

President Biden and Vice President Harris were briefed by the National Security on the attack Other participants of the Brief included National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Brown, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Director of the CIA William Burns, United Nations Ambassador Linda Greenfield, Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, and Chief of Staff Jeff Zients.

"While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq," President Biden said in a statement. "Have no doubt - we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing," he said.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin echoed that threat.

According to Iraqi Sources, multiple Sites used by Iranian-Backed Militias and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran in Eastern Syria and Iraq are in the process of being Evacuated with Personnel and Equipment being “Scattered”.

Intense activity by aircraft believed to be American over the Iraqi-Syrian border near the Syrian city of Al-Bukamal where most of the Iranian weapons smuggled from Iran to Lebanon via Iraq and Syria pass through.

Iranian-Backed Sources are also reporting significant aerial activity by US forces over Iraq.

For those of you that want to keep track of the Iranian Navy drone & helicopter carriers (all of which were converted from old merchant vessels), here is where they are all located. The SHAHID BAGHERI is of particular concern as she may likely cause mayhem in the Arabian Sea.

UPDATE: Over the past few days, the Iranian Drone Carrier SHAHID MAHDAVI has been relocated to the Gulf of Oman.



https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....84aff0b12f.png
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U.S. Defense and Intelligence officials believe that the drone attack which was launched against the Tower 22 base in northeastern Jordan, originated from the Imam Ali military site near Abu Kamal in southern Syria.

The base is operated by the IRGC alongside several Iranian backed militias.

of course - but in most walks of life if you take the el-cheapo route and something goes wrong you're expected to live with the consequences................... the owners don't want to pay UK levels of tax and employment - so should they expect defence for free?

Here’s a map that shows how Tower 22 is in close proximity to Tanf, Rubkan, and Iraq’s Al Waleed air base. Several Iranian backed militias operate in this space. “Area 55” is the 55 km “safe zone” around Tanf protected by US troops.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b214721cf.jpeg

BREAKING: Jordan has requested Patriot air defense systems from the United States.

https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena...rabian-gulf-2/

Iran seizes oil tanker and crew in Arabian Gulf

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. There is going to be a very large oil spill around there (Yemen/Oman/Iran) if these challenges to international law are allowed to continue.

The USA and it's Allies have adopted a strategy of non-escalation with Iran, as it triggers one proxy after another to attack bases, warships, civilian shipping 1/ Today's killing of US troops may not be an "escalation"...

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1...202747996.html

Drone attack on Tower 22 got through due to failure to correctly ID as threat - friendly UAV was due back around the same time.

Well, "without escalating anything", I think its time to turn some IRGC facilities into parking lots and advise Iran that it they keep this up, that we may provide some extra parking space in their country.

I wonder if that was a deliberate ploy, also whether complacency may have played a part.

What's noteworthy is the strength of Iranian denials. Theyre clearly !!!!! scared of an American assault. So much for their much vaunted air defence network.

Fog of war.

https://gcaptain.com/houthis-claim-m...ewis-b-puller/

Houthis Claim Missile Attack Targeting U.S. Navy Sea Base USS Lewis B. Puller

Houthi officials claim to have launched a missile attack targeting the U.S. Navy’s afloat expeditionary sea base, USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3). However, U.S. officials have not yet confirmed the alleged incident.

The Houthis did not clarify whether the vessel was hit. It’s important to note that the group has made false claims about attacks in the past, including a similar claim of a missile attack on the US-flagged Ocean Jazz which the U.S. denied as “patently false.”

The USS Lewis B. Puller was delivered to the Navy in 2015 and was initially operated by the Military Sealift Command, the U.S. Navy’s civilian-manned sealift and ocean transport arm. The vessel was redesignated as a commissioned warship in 2017.

Measuring 784 feet, the USS Lewis B. Puller is designed to support air mine countermeasures and special warfare missions. It can also undertake additional missions, including counter-piracy, maritime security, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief.

In 2022, the USS Lewis B. Puller was harassed by Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) patrol boats in the Strait of Hormuz just days after it was involved in a massive seizure of illegal weapons in the Gulf of Oman, which were being transported by Iran to the Houthis in Yemen.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ae0e4bef7.jpeg

So far today there have been 2 more attacks by against U.S. forces in eastern Syria.

Rockets attacks have targeted the bases at the Al-Shaddadi patrol base and the Al-Omar Oil Fields;

No damage to the bases or casualties are being reported as a result of either attack.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/e...-under-threat/

Danish air-defense frigate heads to Red Sea as trade is under threat

PARIS — The Danish air-defense frigate Iver Huitfeldt set sail to the Suez Canal on Monday to join the coalition protecting shipping in the Red Sea, just days after an oil-products tanker was hit by a Houthi missile in the Gulf of Aden.

The Iver Huitfeldt will join U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian once parliament gives final approval, expected on Feb. 6, Denmark’s Ministry of Defense said on Monday.

France transferred a second frigate to the Red Sea region eight days ago, while Belgium is sending the frigate Louise-Marie to join a nascent European Union mission there.

The frigates will strengthen the multinational fleet defending commercial shipping from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, who have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with missiles and drones.

A.P. Møller-Mærsk, the world’s second-largest container shipping company, is headquartered in Denmark, while third-largest container shipper CMA CGM is based in France.

“As a major seafaring nation, Denmark has a clear interest in contributing to maritime security,” Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a statement.

“The Houthi attacks against international shipping and thus the security of international waters are deeply worrying and a serious threat to the international world order.”…

The Times:

…..On Tuesday night James Heappey, the armed forces minister, suggested that the Royal Navy could deploy an aircraft carrier to the Red Sea if required.

He told The House magazine that the UK could send warships “if we were needed to plug a gap in US deployments or if the situation deteriorates”. He added: “There’s a thing about just maintaining a carrier presence in the region where we might co-operate with the Americans to provide a capability there.”

Should the USS Dwight D Eisenhower, presently deployed in the Red Sea, return to the US, the UK could step in with either the HMS Prince of Wales or HMS Queen Elizabeth, two warships designed to carry F-35 fighter jets, Heappey said….

According to Yemeni sources, the Houthi are reported to have suffered significant casualties, including the loss of several high rank commanders, during renewed combat against the Yemeni Army in Marib and Shabwah.

It would seem the official government, whether on their own initiative or with the backing and cooperation of the US, are taking advantage of the disruption being caused by the UK and US air operations.

It remains to be seen if the Saudi armed forces also take advantage of the situation.

ORAC:
Interesting news, thanks. :ok: While I would like to the see Saudis take advantage of that, I suspect that they'll not do that since they don't want to appear to their various Arab colleagues to be helping Israel.
Their intervention at this point could easily be spun in that direction in the Information War.

In other related news, which points to Iran perhaps telling the Houthis and certain militias to tone it down a bit ...
I'll give him high marks for his efforts to cool things down.
He knows that if this snowballs his country will pay a price.

Sounds like Kata'ib Hezbollah have got their knuckles wrapped by Tehran