USS Mason Repels Iranian Backed Houthi Attack in Southern Red Sea

 

The USS Mason of the Navy intercepted and neutralized a drone and an anti-ship ballistic missile in the Southern Red Sea, fired by Houthi rebels, according to the U.S. Central Command on Thursday.

The incident took place between 5:45 p.m. and 6:10 p.m. local time in Sanaa, as confirmed by U.S. officials.

This marks the 22nd attempted assault on international maritime vessels since October 19, as reported by CENTCOM. No damages or injuries were reported in this occurrence, which has become a routine challenge for U.S. vessels patrolling the Red Sea, aiming to establish and maintain order amidst the ongoing conflict between Hamaz and Gaza. Presently, there are 18 vessels operating in the region, and none have sustained damage from the nearly two dozen assaults.

Most of the weaponry used in these attacks, targeted at allied ships or in their proximity en route to Israel, have been linked to Iranian-backed factions, such as the Houthis, as indicated by CENTCOM.

In response to the threat posed by the Houthi militia, the U.S. has imposed sanctions on groups that have aided Iran with weaponry or financial support. Additionally, the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian has been initiated to counter the escalating Houthi assaults.

US MQ-9 Drones Conduct Surveillance Missions Over Gaza During Israel-Hamas Conflict

The U.S. has been conducting surveillance missions over Gaza using MQ-9 drones in an effort to gather information about hostages held by Hamas and other militants. These missions began after Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in significant casualties. Approximately 240 hostages, including some American citizens, were taken by Hamas. The drones are not armed with weapons and are focused solely on surveillance.

The Pentagon, on November 3, acknowledged these flights and stated that they are also providing advice and assistance to support Israeli efforts in hostage recovery. Additionally, other unarmed U.S. military assets, such as RC-135 Rivet Joint signals intelligence aircraft, P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft, and various ISR platforms, have been operating in the Middle East over the past year.

A U.S. Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft was observed flying off the coast of Israel and Gaza recently, as per publicly available transponder data. Furthermore, assets like the E-2D Hawkeye and E/A-18 Growler aircraft are currently stationed on the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

A senior U.S. defense official stated on October 30 that their presence in the region is aimed at supporting any necessary requests to ensure the safety of U.S. forces, personnel, and interests across the region. In response to Hamas' attack, the British government also announced the deployment of P-8s as part of a larger force meant to provide practical support to Israel and its partners in the region.

2.000 U.S. Troops on Standby as Israel-Hamas Conflict Escalates

In a bold move by the Pentagon, approximately 2,000 American troops have been placed on high alert, poised to deploy in response to the rapidly intensifying conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant organization, Hamas. This significant development comes as U.S. officials, speaking to the Wall Street Journal, confirm the growing urgency of the situation.

This proactive stance underscores the United States' commitment to stabilizing the volatile region, with a US Marine rapid response force making its way towards the waters adjacent to Israel. The Pentagon's reinforcement of its military presence in the area highlights the nation's determination to prevent any further expansion of the hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

The heightened military posture is indicative of the U.S. government's dedication to maintaining regional stability. The move to deploy troops reflects their readiness to intervene and de-escalate the ongoing conflict. Tensions continue to mount, and the international community watches closely as the United States takes proactive measures to help quell this potentially explosive situation.

 

Eisenhower Strike Group to Team Up with USS Ford in the Eastern Mediterranean amid Israel Gaza war

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier is set to head to the Eastern Mediterranean and will unite with the USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group to offer assistance to Israel. This represents the most recent action by the Pentagon to strengthen the U.S. presence in the area during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The carrier set sail from NAS Norfolk last Saturday, the 14th, for a planned deployment to the U.S. European Command region of responsibility. The 'Eisenhower' Strike Group is accompanied by Carrier Air Wing 3, the cruiser Philippine Sea, and the destroyers Gravely and Mason.

On Tuesday, the 10th, the USS Gerald Ford arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean. The strike group comprises eight squadrons of attack and support aircraft, along with the destroyers Thomas Hudner, Ramage, Carney, and Roosevelt, as well as the cruiser Normandy.

Additional U.S. Air Force F-15s, F-16s, and A-10 fighter aircraft have also been dispatched to the region. The duration of the operations of both strike groups off Israel and when Ford will begin its return home remain uncertain.

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US Deploys A-10s, F-15s, and F-16s and USS Gerald R. Ford to Middle East amid Israel-Gaza Fighting

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Israel strikes Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza and Syria

Israeli aircraft struck the Islamic Jihad militant group in both the Gaza Strip and Syria late Sunday.
In the latest tit-for-tat violence ahead of a fresh general election in the Jewish state, the Israeli Air Force targeted “Islamic Jihad terror sites” throughout Gaza and near the Syrian capital Damascus, a February 23 military statement said.
It followed more than 20 rockets and mortars fired from Gaza, themselves a response to the killing of a Jihad militant along the Gaza-Israel border.
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U.S. halts Hellfire missile transfer requested by Israel

The White House has instructed the Pentagon and the U.S. military to put on hold a transfer of Hellfire missiles that Israel had requested during its recent operation in the Gaza Strip.
During Israel's Operation Protective Edge, White House officials were dismayed to discover how little influence they wield over the topic of Israeli arms shipments, against the backdrop of the U.S. government's unhappiness with the widespread damage inflicted upon Palestinian civilians.
During the Gaza war, White House officials came to realize that large amounts of weaponry are being passed to Israel via direct channels to the Pentagon, with little oversight by the political arena.
In light of that, and against the backdrop of American displeasure over IDF tactics used in the Gaza fighting and the high number of civilian casualties caused by Israel's massive use of artillery fire rather than more precise weapons, officials in the White House and the State Department are now demanding to review every Israeli request for American arms individually, rather than let them move relatively unchecked through a direct military-to-military channel, a fact that slows down the process.
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Pentagon Supports Emergency $225M for Israel's Iron Dome

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sent a letter to congressional leadership on Tuesday requesting $225 million in additional US funding to accelerate production of Iron Dome missile-defense components to ensure Israel will have adequate stockpiles to protect itself from rockets launched by Hamas militants in Gaza.
Israel requested the extra components in recent days, and the Pentagon supports the request.
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Hamas Publishes Photo of a Drone It Says It Built

Hamas, said on Monday that it had built and flown three types of unmanned aircraft against Israel, all variants of the Ababil-1, an Iranian-made drone. It said two of the drones were armed for attacks and one was intended for reconnaissance.
Hamas’s military wing published a photograph that it says shows one of its drones. The image gives no direct indication of how big the aircraft is, what its capabilities are, where it came from or where or when the photo was taken. The Iranian-made Ababil-1 is nine and a half feet long, with a range of about 150 miles, and is able to carry up to 88 pounds of payload, such as explosives or camera equipment.
nytimes

Israel Readies First US Co-Production Order for Iron Dome

Israel fielded its seventh Iron Dome intercepting battery under fire last week in an operational debut that destroyed five Gaza-launched rockets headed for Tel Aviv.
The July 10 interception over Tel Aviv by Israel’s Iron Dome battery averted strategic tailwind for Hamas, which claimed credit for the attack that could have triggered a full-scale Israeli invasion of Gaza.
That critical interception and 100 others scored by Iron Dome since the July 7 start of Operation Protective Edge highlights the “strategic significance” of active defenses in Israel’s battle against more than 10,000 Gaza-based rockets threatening nearly three quarters of the country.
As of press time on July 11, no Israelis had been killed in more than 400 Gaza-launched rocket attacks. In contrast, Israeli air, land and sea-based strikes against more than 1,100 targets throughout the strip killed nearly 100 uninvolved Palestinians, most of them women and children.
As Rafael works on the eighth battery in parallel to fast-tracked production of intercepting missiles, it is preparing to receive the first Defense Ministry procurement contract for US-based builds in support of Iron Dome.
The firm recently finalized an agreement making Raytheon its US partner in co-production of major components for the Iron Dome’s Tamir intercepting missile.
The US firm will supply components through various subcontractors.
US investment in Iron Dome was nearly $900 million.
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Israel air strike 'hits charitable association for disabled' in Gaza

An Israeli air strike hit a home for disabled people on Saturday as the Operation Protective Edge in Gaza continued for a fifth day, with the death toll passing 120 Palestinians.
Two were killed in the strike that hit a charitable association for the disabled in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, while three others died in a second attack in western Gaza City.
There were unconfirmed reports that a third body was later pulled from the rubble at the home for the disabled. Hamas fired five more rockets into Israel as the Islamist movement rejected growing international calls for a halt to hostilities, insisting Israel must act first.
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Israeli jets bomb Gaza after rocket fire

Israeli planes pounded Gaza late Tuesday night, in a retaliatory strike after several rockets were shot at southern Israel hours earlier.
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At least five missiles were fired at Israel, according to media and military accounts.
Another rocket fired out of Gaza landed inside a residential community in the Sdot Negev region.
The Iron Dome anti-missile system shot down two rockets fired at the Hof Ashkelon region in quick succession. Two more rockets fired at the area landed in open areas.
More than 200 rockets have been fired on Israel since the beginning of the year.
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IAF strikes Gaza in response to rocket fire

Israeli jets bombed targets in the northern Gaza Strip Thursday night, hours after a rocket launched from Gaza landed in the Negev Regional Council.
There were no immediate reports of injuries. The IDF confirmed it struck the Gaza Strip in response to the rocket fire earlier in the evening, which caused no injuries or damage.
Twitter users in the Gaza Strip reported at least four explosions.
The exchange of fire was the latest in a series of recent security incidents along the volatile Israeli-Gaza border.
The missile came several hours after a Palestinian teen in Gaza who attempted to damage the border fence was shot and injured by IDF soldiers operating nearby.
It was not clear if there was a connection between the rocket fire and the shooting.Last week, the Israeli Air Force struck targets in Gaza after several rockets hit Israeli territory, landing in open areas.
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Cyber offensive against Israel: 100 million attacks with little to show for it

Hackers launched an estimated 100 million attacks against Israeli websites during Operation Pillar of Defense, but caused relatively little damage.

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Israeli sources hail UAV contribution to Gaza operation

The eight days of fighting over Gaza have brought the use of unmanned air vehicles and intelligence sensors to a peak that some Israeli sources have described as "unprecedented".

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Israel targets Hamas UAV development sites

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Rafael Works 24/7 To Meet Demand for Iron Dome Missiles

Israel’s Rafael initiated emergency, round-the-clock operations last week to meet intensifying demand for Iron Dome intercepting missiles and the accelerated deployment of a fifth battery to defend against Gaza-launched rockets and missiles.

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Iron Dome intercepts two rockets over Tel Aviv

Israel's vaunted Iron Dome anti-missile system on Sunday shot down two rockets over Tel Aviv as sirens wailed across the city, in the fourth such interception in one day, police said.

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Israeli Strike Kills at Least 11, Including Children

Israeli forces killed at least 11 people, including several children, in a single airstrike that destroyed a home here on Sunday, as Israel pressed its bombardment of the Gaza Strip for a fifth day, deploying warplanes and naval vessels to pummel the coastal enclave.

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Iran denies supplying Fajr 5 rockets to Gaza

A senior Iranian official has denied his country supplied the Fajr 5 missiles which Palestinian militants have been firing at Tel Aviv
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