Global Conflict Reporting

Category: Middle East

  • US targets Houthi territory in Yemen with wave of airstrikes.

    US targets Houthi territory in Yemen with wave of airstrikes.

    By. Scott Jackson

    March 15, 2025

    The U.S. has launch a wave of airstrikes on the Houthi sites in Yemen with confirmation that at least some of the strikes struck in Sanaa.

    “Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,”

    US President Donald Trump during the strike. He also said,

    “Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US aircraft, and targeted our troops and Allies. ”

    And..

    “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.”

    While Houthi attacks in international shipping had stopped since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas todays attack is in response to a statement put out by the Houthis two days ago saying that any Israeli or U.S. linked ship that came close to Yemen would be attacked in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Houthi spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Sare’e said on Twitter that the Houthi threat to attack these ships would be in place until Israel resumed Gaza crossings, as well as aid delivery’s into the region.

    Houthi militants had spent over a year, since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 7th, 2023 attacking any ship with (and some without) any link to Israel and the U.S. with several ships being damaged by anti-ship ballistic missile or drone attacks. The U.S., in response, deployed several CSG’s (Carrier Strike Groups) into the region to counter this Houthi threat. US carrier aircraft conducted a number of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. Currently the Harry S. Truman is deployed to the area, having resumed her deployment after some repairs from an accident that occurred in the Suez.

    A Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile. The Houthis were the first to fire an ASBM in anger.

    This video shows the strikers launching from the USS Harry S. Truman. A mix of F/A-18 Super Hornets for air cover as well as for the actual strike task. These are accompanied by growlers who will cover all electronic warfare and jamming.

    Cue up “Danger Zone”

    This short video shows the strike on Sanaa. Houthi sources claim 13 killed and another 9 wounded. They also report an additional strike north of Sanaa near the border near Saudi Arabia.

    U.S. President Trump issued a direct warning to Iran for their support to the Houthis, promising to hold them “fully accountable” for the actions of the Houthis, Irans proxy. This comes two weeks after a letter was sent from the U.S. to Iran offering a path to restarting bilateral talks.

  • Footage released showing US forces conducting targeted airstrike killing senior Huertas Al-Din members.

    Footage released showing US forces conducting targeted airstrike killing senior Huertas Al-Din members.

    By Scott Jackson

    02/02/2025

    On February 23rd US Central Command (US- CENTCOM) forces carried out a targeted airstrike on an automobile driven by Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, a military leader of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate operating in Northern Syria.

    Video shows the airstrike on a vehicular claimed to be occupied by Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay.

    The airstrike took place in Northern Syria on February 23rd while the video was not released until yesterday. The attack was carried out with a Hellfire AGM-114 R9X “Flying Ginsu” or “knife missile”. The AGM-114 R9X is a regular hellfire missile with the

    AGM-114R9X

    As we have said in the past, we will continue to relentlessly pursue these terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and U.S., allied, and partner personnel in the region,”

    Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command

    The strike was the 3rd strike in February that targeted a member of one of the groups located in Northern Syria and the 4th strike of this nature since U.S. President Trump took office. During the Biden administration the group, made up of about 2,500 soldiers at best estimate, was given the designation as a terrorist outfit and strikes were carried out periodically that would target upper leadership. The group made a standby after the fall of Assad that they would be disbanding however US surveillance drone flights have increased in the northern Syria and Idlib region to make sure that the groups members don’t migrate to other theaters of conflict.

  • US Airforce conducts show of force flight through the Middle East.

    US Airforce conducts show of force flight through the Middle East.

    By: Scott Jackson

    February,20th 2025

    February 17 concluded a 24 hour flight for a number of US aircraft that went on a “show of force” mission. Also called a “force projection” demonstration through the Middle East.

    Flying out of RAF Fairford, South of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, 2 US B-52 Stratofortress long range bombers made their way south over Europe and into the Mediterranean and then on to the Middle East.

    The Bombers were joined by a number of escorts from 4 regional partner nations at various points during its mission as well as at least 2 U.S. F-15 Strike Eagles.

    B-52s flying with 2 US F-15 Strike Eagles as well as two unknown partner nation F-16s Vipers.

    “Bomber Task Force missions demonstrate U.S. power projection capability, commitment to regional security, and ability to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the CENTCOM region”said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander.

    While being mainly a power projection mission the bombers also took part in dropping live munitions on several target ranges located in partner nations.

    Live fire range bombing (location unknown released by US CENTCOM)

    These bombers are apart of the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron that just started the U.S. Air Forces first European bomber deployment for the year. They will fly out of RAF Fairford and are under command of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFA).

    Some of the B-52s in Europe had already been photographed earlier this week when a picture was released by USAFE out of the cockpit of a B-52 showing them flying alongside French Dassault Rafales, Swedish Saab JAS-39 Gripens, and Finnish F/A-18 Hornets,other photos were later released of the the flight. (shown below)

    Operation APEX COMMANDER shows the U.S. Bombers operating with European allied fighters.

    “Bomber Task Force missions reinforce our ability to rapidly project combat power, demonstrating U.S. lethality and readiness in a dynamic security environment,” Maj. Gen. Joseph Campo, U.S. Air Forces in Europe–Air Forces

    While the U.S. has shown a desire to back away from European security it’s likely that the bomber deployments will, at least for the moment remain. US Allies do not, for the most part, have the ground attack capabilities that aircraft like the B-52, the B-1 and the B-2s can bring (as well as the new B-21 Raider. and interest in training alongside these bomber forces remains high.

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  • Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman collided with a vessel at the Egyptian port of Said.

    Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman collided with a vessel at the Egyptian port of Said.

    By:Scott Jackson

    February 13th,2025
    USS Harry S. Truman.

    Yesterday at around 11:46pm local time the US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) collided with the M/V Besiktas-M, a merchant vessel at the Egyptian port of Said near the mouth of the Suez Canal.

    Position of the ships at the time of writing. (2:25PMEST) Both ships seems to be moving under their own power. Highlighted vessel is the Truman, the other goverment vessel shown to the south of it is the Guided Missile Destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) a part of its Strike Group.

    Statements from navy officials say that no flooding occurred because of the collision and that the Truman was undamaged and her nuclear power plant was safe and secure. The status of the Besiktas-M is unknown at this time.

    M/V Besiktas-M

    The Truman was most recently deployed to the Red Sea and Mediterranean to combat the threat from Iranian backed Houthis in Western Yemen, as well as projecting power in the region and supporting other US and allied forces in the area. Recent Iranian actions have made maintaining a force in the Middle East increasing only important.

    The Truman will likely continue or already has continued on its journey back to the Red Sea area. It was returning from a port call in Souda Bay, Crete Greece. NSA Souda Bay provides logistical and operational support to the components of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group

    BWhile it might seem absurd to think a merchant vessel could get close enough to a carrier to collide with it in the first place because of the almost absurd amount of security around a U.S. Aircraft Carrier. However, in a restricted space such as close to the Suez Canal there isn’t room for everybody to maintain a distance from the carrier strike group and from how I understand it, all anybody can do is follow the international maritime “rules of the road” which have no requirements that merchant vessels make way for a carrier. All the U.S. can legally do is ask them to keep their distance. That’s how I understand it but if I’m wrong I welcome corrections.

    Update

    (5:00PM EST)

    Some more info has come on the merchant ship Besiktas-M. It is a Panamanian-flagged bulk cargo ship. The ship has been heading north through the Suez canal heading to its destination states as being Constanta in Romania on the Black Sea. The Truman was heading south at the time when the mishap took place. The bulk carrier is said to have moderate damage above the waterline but continued under its own power.

  • Two Iranian Cargo ships set to leave China filled with propellant used for ballistic missile production.

    By. Scott Jackson

    January 24,2025

    M/V Golbon and M/V Jairan, Two Iranian flagged containerships have reportedly been loaded with over 1000 tonnes of sodium perchlorate at a Chinese port over the past several days. 

    M/V Jairan
    M/V Golbon

    Sodium perchlorate is used to make ammonium perchlorate which can be used as a solid propellant in ballistic missiles and is controlled under the Missile Technology Control Regime, an international Anti- Proliferation group. 

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