Red Sea and Gulf of Aden SITREP

Ansarallah’s spokesman Brig.-Gen. Yahya Sariʾi announces new phase of operations against US and UK naval coalition that included a swarm attack of 37 drones at naval vessels; and several anti-ship ballistic missiles at an American merchant vessel.

Tehran’s Responses to ‘Maximum Pressure Campaign’ and ‘Bomb Iran’ Threats

Nobody likes a bully; and USA is a loud-mouthed bully. Iranians resent 125+ years of foreign interference in their affairs. Tehran has responded to USA’s ‘maximum pressure’ and ‘bomb Iran’ threats by enhancing Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) capacities. IRGC can ‘kill’ US aircraft carriers outside Persian Gulf. Iran is prepared for an ‘inevitable war.’ Washington underestimates Iranian tenacity and military technologies

War of the Flea in the Red Sea

Robert Taber’s classic study offers insights into Ansarallah’s (Houthi’s) Red Sea campaign. Five characteristics of ‘protracted war’ apply to Yemen. ‘Popular support’ in is with Ansarallah. This is demonstrated every Friday by the millions of Yemenis that assemble after prayers to support Palestine and oppose U.S./UK airstrikes. Even Ansarallah’s civil war enemies have drifted to their camp.

Ansarallah and Royal Navy: Lesson from the Falklands War

Argentina’s sinking of HMS Sheffield in 1982 offers a lesson on how Ansarallah can defeat British aggression against the Yemeni people. Sheffield’s demise sent shockwaves through Britain. But Britain had a path to victory in the Falklands that it does not have in the Red Sea. If Ansarallah sinks a Royal Navy ship, which they can, it will likely end the British mission. It almost certainly will end Rishi Sunak’s premiership.

Lebanon-Syria-Hezbollah SITREP

Iran is supplying its Khordad-15 air defense system to the Syrian and Lebanese armies. Since October 2023, Iranian cargo aircraft have been using Russia airbases in Syria. A report claims that Hezbollah sends its older weapons to Russia for the Ukraine War; while advanced Iranian weaponry is safely delivered to Hezbollah through Russian airbases in Syria.

Yemen-Ansarallah SITREP

Houthis sank one British ship; struck two American ships; shot down a US drone. Danger of deadly strikes on US Navy and Royal Navy ships has increased, especially since Ansarallah has apparently received advanced missiles from Iran

A Russian Proxy War in the Middle East?

An agreement between Iran and Russia is being finalized. The Kremlin is chafing at U.S. support for Ukraine. Russia is likely to support Iran in a ‘proxy war’ in the Middle East. A Russian think-tank said, for payback, Russia may support a ‘hybrid war far from its own borders.’

Ansarallah’s Long Game: The Case of HMS Diamond

Withdrawal of HMS Diamond from Red Sea is probably because it ran out of ‘ammo’ (surface to air missiles used to down Houthi missiles) and has to be re-armed. Essay examines what this means for Ansarallah's blockade and military strategy.

IRGC and Shiʿa Militias in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon: ‘Why We Fight’

The essay examines the four stages of developments in the Middle East that gave rise to Shiʿa militias in Lebanon Iraq, and Syria, with support from Iran; and their ultimate goal, as expressed by Sayyid Nasrallah of Hezbollah in his famous ‘T’ hand signal (see image), which indicates that ‘Americans can leave the Mideast vertically, leave horizontally.’

U.S. Airstrikes in Iraq & Syria

What is the endgame for the U.S. in striking ‘Iran-backed’ Shiʿa militias in Iraq and Syria? Some 85 ‘targets’ were struck 2/3 February 2024 (around midnight, Syria/Iraq time). The strikes are a response to the 29 January 2024 drone strike in Area 55—the 55 km2 area in Syria that adjoins Iraq and Jordan. Area 55 … Continue reading U.S. Airstrikes in Iraq & Syria →