Mil News Current Iran/Iraq/US Tensions and Actions Unfolding

[Chazman]

Seems like the Houthis have acquired another batch of Iranian '358 SAM'. They have shot down two Saudi drones of Chinese make within three days. On May 20, a Wing Loong II was shot down and on May 23, a CH-4 was blown into pieces in Yemeni skies.

Video released by the Houthis of the CH-4 shootdown clearly shows the 358 missile in action:

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My Yemeni might not be very good, but it sounds like they think those Chinese sensors are American or Israeli. At around 4:50. Nope, just cheap Chicom copies.

 

[Mardonius]

Iran-backed militias turn to drone attacks, alarming U.S. forces in Iraq​

BAGHDAD — U.S. military officials in Iraq have grown increasingly alarmed over attacks by Iran-backed militias using drones to evade detection systems around military bases and diplomatic facilities.

In place of rockets, militiamen have turned at times to small, fixed-wing drones that fly too low to be picked up by defensive systems, military officials and diplomats say. An official with the U.S.-led coalition described the evolving drone threat as the military mission’s biggest concern in Iraq.

In April, a drone strike targeted a CIA hangar inside the airport complex in the northern city of Irbil, according to officials familiar with the matter. The drone’s flight was tracked to within 10 miles of the site, but its path was then lost as it moved into a civilian flight path, the coalition official said. The drone’s remains were partially recovered, and preliminary analysis suggested it was made in Iran, a coalition official said. The attack deeply concerned White House and Pentagon officials because of the covert nature of the facility and the sophistication of the strike.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/iraq-militia-drones-threat/2021/05/28/864e44d0-bc8f-11eb-922a-c40c9774bc48_story.html

 

[morris]

U.S. monitoring Iranian warships that may be headed to Venezuela

Tehran's intent in sending the vessels in the direction of the Western Hemisphere remains a mystery, as does their cargo.

www.politico.com

Lawmakers privy to the most sensitive intelligence information were informed over the past few days that the U.S. believed the Iranian ships may be heading toward Venezuela, but cautioned that the destination could change, according to a person briefed on the matter.
The mere presence of Iranian warships in America’s backyard would represent a challenge to U.S. authority in the region — and would likely inflame the debate in Washington over President Joe Biden’s decision to re-open negotiations with Tehran.

An Iranian frigate and the Makran, a former oil tanker that was converted to a floating forward staging base, have been heading south along the east coast of Africa

Iranian media has claimed the 755-foot long Makran, which was commissioned this year, can serve as a platform for electronic warfare and special operations missions, and Iranian officials have boasted of the ship’s missile and weapons capabilities. It is able to carry six to seven helicopters, as well as drones.

 

[Chazman]

U.S. monitoring Iranian warships that may be headed to Venezuela

Tehran's intent in sending the vessels in the direction of the Western Hemisphere remains a mystery, as does their cargo.

www.politico.com

Lawmakers privy to the most sensitive intelligence information were informed over the past few days that the U.S. believed the Iranian ships may be heading toward Venezuela, but cautioned that the destination could change, according to a person briefed on the matter.
The mere presence of Iranian warships in America’s backyard would represent a challenge to U.S. authority in the region — and would likely inflame the debate in Washington over President Joe Biden’s decision to re-open negotiations with Tehran.

An Iranian frigate and the Makran, a former oil tanker that was converted to a floating forward staging base, have been heading south along the east coast of Africa
View attachment 311448
Iranian media has claimed the 755-foot long Makran, which was commissioned this year, can serve as a platform for electronic warfare and special operations missions, and Iranian officials have boasted of the ship’s missile and weapons capabilities. It is able to carry six to seven helicopters, as well as drones.

Two things:

1) Iran must be impressed with the US Navy ESBs.

2) I'd doubt the US will build a 1/2 scale model of it, that it will mock attack every year.

Okay, three.

3) I'm not sure if an Iranian Frigate has ever traveled that far before.

 

[morris]

Two things:

1) Iran must be impressed with the US Navy ESBs.

2) I'd doubt the US will build a 1/2 scale model of it, that it will mock attack every year.

Okay, three.

3) I'm not sure if an Iranian Frigate has ever traveled that far before.

1 yes, 2 yes, 3 no, Mediterranean Sea via Suez was the furthest, IRIN is essentially a green water navy but they were planning to go Atlantic for 5 years now.
Going cross Atlantic is nothing but posturing, however bringing ESB to Mediterranean makes military and political sense.

 

[guest0001]

„Being out of one‘s depth“ springs to my mind…..

 

[Chazman]

1 yes, 2 yes, 3 no, Mediterranean Sea via Suez was the furthest, IRIN is essentially a green water navy but they were planning to go Atlantic for 5 years now.
Going cross Atlantic is nothing but posturing, however bringing ESB to Mediterranean makes military and political sense.

If I remember correctly, several years ago, the Iranian Navy claimed that it would send a naval task force to patrol off the east coast of the US. I don't believe they got very far before they turned back.

 

[Chazman]

Anyway, here's some more pics of their ESB.

 

[morris]

^^^

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and more photos.

Iran Commissions Its Massive Oil Tanker Turned Sea Base Into Service

The 755-foot vessel seems to be Iran's answer to the U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Sea Bases.

www.thedrive.com

 

[morris]

IRGC sensing Biden's weakness
The Islamic Republic’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) broadcast the video on Iranian state-run television before a televised speech to the nation by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

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Earlier this month, Senator Pat Toomey, a Republican, demanded Biden keep sanctions in place against Iran after the country's elite Revolutionary Guards released a chilling propaganda video which depicts the United States Capitol being blown up by a missile and its soldiers ‘liberating’ Jerusalem.

 

[ao_sepia]

Iraq’s F-16s Grounded After U.S. Contractor Pulls Maintenance Crews​

BAGHDAD — Lockheed Martin said on Monday that it was withdrawing its maintenance teams for Iraq’s F-16 fighter jets for security reasons, as the Iraqi government struggles to end rocket attacks by militias suspected of being backed by Iran.

The departure by the U.S. weapons manufacturer from Balad air base, 40 miles north of Baghdad, highlights the Iraqi government’s inability to rein in the militias, which are thought to be behind attacks on U.S. interests. It comes a year after the Iraqi prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, took power pledging to reduce Iranian influence in the country.

The decision by Lockheed Martin is expected to ground the few remaining F-16s from Iraq’s fleet that were still operational. That is casting doubt on Iraq’s ability to fight Islamic State militants without substantial U.S. help, at a time when Mr. Kadhimi is under pressure to negotiate a withdrawal of all American forces.

“In coordination with the U.S. government and with employee safety as our top priority, Lockheed Martin is relocating our Iraq-based F-16 team,” Joseph LaMarca Jr., a company vice president for communications, said in a statement.

Iraq’s F-16s Grounded After U.S. Contractor Pulls Maintenance Crews (Published 2021)

The decision by Lockheed Martin, after repeated rocket attacks, highlights the Iraqi government’s failure to rein in militia groups.

www.nytimes.com

sell alls to Iran,and buy MIG-29 or SU-27!

The iraqi's should be able to manage the basic maintenance, after that they can fly to somewhere safer for the deeper stuff. Really a bad buy, should have bought old hawks, or mirages, would have been easier to maintain.

Maybe Israel will offer to look after them.....

good ideal

 

[Chazman]

UPDATED: Iranian Warship Thought to be Headed to Venezuela Left Port with 7 High-Speed Missile Boats Aboard - USNI News

This post has been updated with a statement from the Pentagon and the Iranian Foreign Ministry. An Iranian Navy ship thought to be bound for Venezuela left its port in late April with seven high-speed missile-attack craft strapped to its deck, USNI News has learned. According to imagery provided...

news.usni.org

 

[Chazman]

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[Chazman]

Breaking — Iranian Navy’s largest ship sinks…

Iran’s largest navy ship catches fire, sinks in Gulf of Oman TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The largest ship in the Iranian navy caught fire and later sank Wednesday in the Gulf of Oman under unclear c…

citizenfreepress.com

 

[Chazman]

 

[BCNTM]

Breaking — Iranian Navy’s largest ship sinks…

Iran’s largest navy ship catches fire, sinks in Gulf of Oman TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The largest ship in the Iranian navy caught fire and later sank Wednesday in the Gulf of Oman under unclear c…

citizenfreepress.com

Was just going to post

Could today get any better - sunshine and sinking ships

Iranian navy’s largest ship burned & sank after mystery blast in 'engine room'

IRAN’s largest navy ship caught fire after a mysterious blast in the “engine room” and burned for 20 hours in the Gulf of Oman before sinking. The blaze broke out onboard the Brit…

www.thesun.co.uk

 

[Mardonius]

Either incompetence or sabotage. With Iran, you'll never know which one...

 

[Deleted member 11302]

Either incompetence or sabotage. With Iran, you'll never know which one...

Especially when you consider that Iran suffers a great deal of sabotage due to the incompetence of its so-called elites.

 

[Mike1976]

But What Caused It?

1) Incompetence
2) Divine intervention
3) Jews from space (but really an inside job)
4) Test of an Iranian missile that is programmed to "autonomously target the enemy". Test successful.
5) Juicy limpet mine

 

[IDF_TANKER]

Or just yet another symptom or state collapse - lack of funds, training, motivation and quality workforce translates into poor maintenance, negligence and deterioration of crucial infrastructure down to the level of critical safety systems. Plenty of this was going on in the Soviet Union prior to its collapse, culminating in Chernobyl...