-
The Houthis’ Red Sea power play
The Houthis are on the offensive in Yemen, threatening one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints and bringing the war back to Saudi Arabia’s doorstep. Bill Roggio is joined by FDD research analyst and Long War Journal contributor Bridget Toomey to discuss the Iranian-backed group’s renewed campaign to conquer Yemen, its advances along the Red Sea coast, and its siege of the strategic city of Taiz.
-
Ukrainian intelligence details new low-cost Russian cruise missile
A new missile called the Filin adds to Russia’s growing arsenal of low-cost, long-range munitions, placing strain on Ukraine’s overstretched air defenses. Ukraine is expected to scale production of faster interceptor drones, but this addresses only part of the challenge of countering Russia’s evolving missile and drone capabilities.
-
Protests break out in Syria against ‘Israeli incursions and attacks’ as tensions rise
Protests erupted across southern Syria and Damascus on October 23 against Israeli military operations in the buffer zone along the Golan border, following reports that a Syrian man with disabilities was killed during an IDF raid. The protests come amid growing Syrian condemnation of Israeli incursions, as well as diplomatic efforts by Syrian officials to…
-
FBI arrests alleged Islamic State supporter accused of plotting to assassinate Texas congressman
A 17-year-old Texas teenager allegedly plotted to assassinate Republican US Representative Keith Self at a veterans’ fundraiser as part of a broader Islamic State-inspired terrorist plot. Federal agents arrested the suspect after he acquired a firearm.
-
Iran says it has agreement with Iraq to expel Kurdish Iranian opposition groups
Iran’s ambassador to Iraq claimed on October 20 that Iraq has agreed to expel Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region. The announcement came amid increased Iranian attacks on these groups and as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party withdraws from positions in northern Iraq as part of a peace process with Turkey. An Iraqi…
-
Pakistan-Taliban border clashes continue amid diplomatic efforts
Pakistani forces and the Taliban exchanged heavy fire along the border as Russia, the European, and China pressed for dialogue and action against terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan.
-
Lebanon revokes Iranian bank’s license amid US pressure over Hezbollah financing
Lebanon has revoked Bank Saderat Iran’s operating license amid US pressure to disrupt Hezbollah’s financial networks. The bank has a documented history of channeling Iranian funds to Hezbollah, but whether Lebanese authorities have closed its branches or initiated liquidation proceedings remains unclear.
-
Hezbollah accuses Lebanese police of violating security coordination procedure after supporters reportedly obstruct raid
Armed men identifying themselves as Hezbollah supporters reportedly surrounded Lebanese security personnel conducting an October 16 raid on a pharmaceutical warehouse near Beirut’s southern suburbs. Hezbollah subsequently claimed the officers had violated an agreed security coordination procedure with the group.
-
Profile: Hezbollah’s new liaison to the Lebanese state and society
Hussain al Abdallah, the new chief of Hezbollah’s Liaison and Coordination Unit who succeeded Wafiq Safa, reportedly sought the return of explosives seized by Lebanese security forces in early October. Abdallah’s career spans more than two decades in Hezbollah’s southern security apparatus.
-
Israel reportedly blocks Board of Peace base in Gaza, IDF reports 31 ceasefire violations October 1–15
Efforts to implement the US-backed Board of Peace’s plans for Gaza remain stalled on the ground, with a first military facility still unbuilt, but preparations for Hamas’s disarmament and international reconstruction cooperation are moving forward. Meanwhile, Hamas maintains its grip on Gaza’s civilian administration and commercial activity, despite its July declaration that it was relinquishing…
-
Iraqi commander killed by Islamic State following Iraqi airstrikes against the group
An Iraqi brigadier general and two other military personnel were killed by an explosive device linked to the Islamic State near Kirkuk on October 14, a day after Iraqi F-16s carried out airstrikes against Islamic State positions in the area. The incident underscores the continued threat posed by the remnants of the jihadist group in…
All Articles
-
The Anbar Campaign Intensifies
The final assault on Tal Afar has commenced. The joint U.S. and Iraqi strike force has begun searching homes door-to-door after targeted airstrikes in the center of town. It is estimated over one-third of the city has been swept by Coalition forces. Defense Minister Dulaimi said the operation in Tal Afar was planned several months ago. He also states that Tal Afar is the Iraqi Army’s first true test in combat in an urban environment, and but the first of such operations; “[Tal Afar] is a good experiment for the Iraqi forces. It is an urban warfare experiment. And we…
-
The “Islamic Republic of Qaim”
Last week, the Washington Post reported that the border city of Qaim was overrun by al Qaeda jihadis, who soon afterward declared it the “Islamic Republic of Qaim” and proceeded to implement Shariah law. These claims have been under no uncertain terms refuted by the Marines: Maj. Neil Murphy, a spokesman for II Marine Expeditionary Force, told Marine Corps Times that reports detailing an all-out al Qaeda takeover in Qaim were a “crock of crap.” “Sure, anyone can hang up a poster. That does not mean anything,” Murphy wrote in an e-mail response to questions. “We have a battalion there.…
-
al Qaeda vs the Magic Kingdom
In a recent poll at an online forum of radical Islamists closely associated with al Qaeda in Iraq, the participants overwhelmingly endorsed taking the fight to Saudi Arabia (72 to 28% in favor). In the same timeframe, al Qaeda’s commander in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has openly denounced the royal family of Saudi Arabia. “The (Saudi) tyrants are traitors to the nation and its religion, who have waged war against the mujahideen and allowed the Crusaders into the peninsula of Prophet Mohammad to loot its wealth and spread corruption From what we have seen of these tyrants, their rule has no…
-
The Battle for the Border IV
The Coalition continues to maintain the tempo of combat operations in Western Anbar and Tal Afar. Qaim In the region of Qaim, the U.S. focuses on local intelligence and airpower to target al Qaeda leaders and fighters, and disrupt their operations. Within the last twenty four hours, two more air strikes are conducted in the region, and two leaders of al Qaeda are killed. Abu Mohammad, the leader of a bomb making cell, has been killed during an air strike on a terrorist safe house in Husaybah. According to CENTCOM, Mohammad was well connected in the region, and reported directly…
-
Balad of the Hellfire
The act of attacking U.S. forces becomes increasingly difficult as the U.S. military leverages its technical abilities. Several days ago insurgents unwisely decided to attack the Balad Air Base (also known as “Mortaritaville” for the large number of inbound mortar attacks). The U.S. Army was prepared. They detected the firing location and requested the dispatched of a Predator drone equipped with Hellfire missiles. The Department of Defense releases video of the attack (sub par quality but viewable) and provides the timeline of events: 5 Sept 0458 60mm mortar fired at Balad Airbase 5 Sept 0459 Point of origin from mortar…
-
A photo from the front
SSG Levi sends us a picture of his squad, wearing their new sunglasses. Many thanks to all who have contributed to the Adopt-a-Squad program, making the purchase of the sunglasses and a host of other items for SSG Levi’s squad possible. If you wish to continue to contribute, please click this link for details, or email me with any questions . . . . .
-
Tal Afar: Calm Before the Storm in Sarai
After cordoning off the Sarai neighborhood of Tal Afar, U.S. troops are waiting for residents to leave before executing the assault. The residents are refusing to leave. Ethnic Sunni Turkmens make up the majority of those living in the Sarai neighborhood, and they fear reprisals from the Shiite minority if they follow the proscribed evacuation route, which takes them south through the Shiite neighborhoods. U.S. troops are negotiating with the residents. United Press International‘s Pam Hess has some excellent background information on Tal Afar, including the mosaic of tribal and ethnic relationships in the city; “Tall’ Afar is home to…
-
Qaim and the Big Picture
The fluid security situation in Qaim, where the pro-government Albu Mahla tribe is battling with al Qaeda for control over the city of Qaim, has many Iraq watchers scratching their heads. Who exactly is in control? In a Washington Post article titled Insurgents Assert Control Over Town Near Syrian Border, the authors claim al Qaeda is fully in control of the city and implementing Shariah law (much like the claims made about Haditha several weeks ago). The Marines do not substantiate this claim. The Washington Post provides the proper context to the claims of al Qaeda control: Insurgents have occasionally…
-
Operation Restoring Rights in Tal Afar
The battle of Tal Afar intensifies. Operation Restoring Rights is easily the largest since Fallujah, based on both the size of the assault force – five to six battalions, about 5,000 U.S. and Iraqi infantry – and the scope of the objective. Tal Afar is a city of over 150,000, ranking it just behind Fallujah in size. In the past three days of fighting, over 200 insurgents have been killed, with minor casualties to the coalition forces (two American and four Iraqi troops lightly wounded). The terrorist casualty count easily outstrips that encountered during the fighting last May in Operation…
-
Battle along the Northern Ratline
U.S. and Iraqi forces have launched the largest operation since Fallujah last November. Over 5,000 U.S. and Iraq troops strike at the town of Tal Afar, which is located west of Mosul, along the northern ratline from Syria. The insurgents have taken heavy casualties, and U.S. Army helicopter pilots are learning to spot IED deployments via air, and react accordingly. During the course of the day, at least 30 insurgents were killed as U.S. troops conducted house-to-house searches in the baking sun. Apache attack helicopters that circled the city of 250,000 all day killed 27 people, including eight who were…
-
Tales of the Tape
A video of the purported leader of the London 7/7 attacks, Mohammad Sidique Khan, has surfaced, and was aired on Al Jazeera. In the tape, Khan blames “democratically elected governments” for inciting the jihadis, and vows the jihadis will continue to conduct acts of terror until the West surrenders; “Until we feel secure you will be our targets. Until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture… we will not stop this fight. We are at war and I am a soldier.” Reuters maintains that evidence of a connection between the 7/7 London killers and al Qaeda isn’t forthcoming and…
-
The Battle for the Border III
The Battle for the Border continues. On the heels of last Friday and this Tuesday’s air strikes and tribal fighting, Marine attack aircraft pound a train station being used as an al Qaeda weapons storage depot and headquarters last evening. Marine Captain Jack Pool emails “Over the past two days, numerous reliable sources have observed approximately 50 Al Qaeda (AQIZ) terrorists staging weapons at a train station to be used in continued attacks against local Iraqis and coalition forces.” According to the military press release, “Marine F/A-18 jets dropped precision-guided 500 pound bombs on the target after “numerous reliable sources”…
-
Battle at the Border
“We decided, either we force them out of the city or kill them.” – Sheikh Muhammed Mahallawi, leader of the Albu Mahal tribe, on fighting al Qaeda Further details emerge on the fighting in Western Anbar between pro-government and pro al Qaeda tribes. The Washington Post‘s Ellen Knickmeyer and Omar Fekeiki report that of the 56 thought to be killed Tuesday, the majority are very likely to be al Qaeda; “Forty-two of them wore the black training-suits and athletic shoes favored by Zarqawi’s fighters.” Al Qaeda has openly admitted to 17 of its members killed. US forces are often accused…
-
More Tribe-on-Tribe in Qaim
In the western Iraqi town of Qaim, clashes continue between the pro-government Bumahl tribe and the pro-al Qaeda Karabila tribe. Newsday, in an article titled “Heavy Fighting Erupts in Western Iraq“, reports that “20 members of the Bumahl tribe and 15 from Karabila were killed in the clashes,” with dozens wounded. Reuters reports 47 were killed in multiple U.S. air strikes directed at terrorist safe houses. “Intelligence leads Coalition forces to believe that Abu Islam and several of his associates were killed in the air strike,” a U.S. military spokeswoman said in Baghdad. A hospital official in Qaim, near the…
-
Qaim: A Tale of Two Tribes
The battle for control over the Syrian border region in the vicinity of Qaim continues. Jack Kelly points us to a press release from the Marine Corps on an airstrike on an al Qaeda safehouse in the contested town of Husaybah. The fact that terrorists are operating in Husaybah is no surprise, and neither should the fact that the residents of Husaybah were critical in pointing out the location of the terrorist. At approximately 4:40 p.m. (local) Coalition Forces conducted multiple air strikes against a known terrorist safe house in the western Al Anbar province border town of Husaybah., Multiple…
-
Back to Haditha
It is time to revisit the Guardian’s claim that Haditha is a jihadi “citadel” along the lines of Fallujah of old. Soldier’s Dad points us the recent issue of This Week in Iraq, a newsletter published by Multinational Forces Iraq, which helps refute two of the claims in the article: Haditha is not being patrolled, and the insurgents control the output from the Haditha Dam The Guardian’s Claim #1, Haditha is not being patrolled: There is no fighting here because there is no one to challenge the Islamists. The police station and municipal offices were destroyed last year and US…
-
The Islamic Republic of Haditha?
Has Zarqawi established a new Fallujah-on-the-Euphrates in city of Haditha? The Guardian claims this is the case, after “a three-day visit by a reporter working for the Guardian last week.” The reporter is unnamed, and the article is single sourced. Haditha is the site of the ambush of six Marine Snipers and the IED attack on an Armored Amphibious Vehicle earlier this month that resulted in the deaths of 14 Marines. According to the unnamed reporter, Zarqawi’s agents are in complete control of the town of 90,000, and has implemented Shariah law, complete with summary beheadings of “American agents” and…
-
Islam, Democracy and Iraq’s Constitution
One of the most controversial items from a western standpoint is the role Islam will play in the laws of Iraq. The common cry [paraphrased] is “did we sacrifice our soldiers to establish an Islamist state?” Security Watchtower excerpts the text of the draft submitted to assembly (the full text can be viewed at Newsday.com). The text of the constitution gives sound reason to believe Iraq is not being established as an Islamist state. Article Two of the submitted draft explains the role of both Islam and democracy: The political system is republican, parliamentary, democratic and federal. 1. Islam is…
-
Constitutional Delay, Round 2
Three more days. Iraq’s constitutional committee has moved the draft out of committee and submitted it to the National Assembly. Omar from Iraq the Model provides the details of the day’s events. The Assembly deferred a vote for three days to gain further consensus, and again followed the proper procedure according to Transitional Administrative Law (TAL). “The Assembly has received the draft from the CDC but because there is a number of issues that still need further discussion and in accordance with clause 61-f of the TAL, voting will be postponed for another 3 days until the leaders of political…
-
Border Wars
The battles against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and al Qaeda and the insurgency in Iraq are increasingly being pushed towards the borders. The Taliban and Iraqi terror campaigns are relying on cross border havens to muster, arm and train fighters entering the country. The movement of combat from the political centers of gravity to the outlying border areas highlights the cumulative political and military successes over the past year. In both Afghanistan and Iraq, progress has been made in creating viable political and security institutions, increasing the legitimacy of the governments while decreasing the appeal of the al Qaeda sponsored…
