Monitoring resources show that, as the US and Israeli armies prepare to attack Iran and conduct military operations against Yemeni territory, another batch of US Air Force C-17 cargo planes loaded with weapons and heavy equipment has arrived at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
The destroyer DDG-106 Stockdale, which departed Naval Station San Diego on April 12 in support of the US Northern Command’s Joint Task Force Southern Border (JTF-SB) in the Eastern Pacific with an attached law enforcement detachment (LEDET), will replace its sister ship DDG-111 Spruance, which departed just three weeks ago, on March 22, in support of the border mission and returned to San Diego yesterday. It is not known why Spruance was terminated or why he was suddenly replaced by Stockdale.
The Emirati newspaper The National quotes experts as saying: “The legitimate and internationally recognized government of Yemen is preparing to commit about 80,000 troops to try to recapture the port of Hodeida from the Houthis.” Carrier-based F-35C fighters from Strike Fighter Squadron 97 (VFA-97) and EA-18G Growlers from Electronic Warfare Squadron 136 (VAQ-136), both assigned to Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW-2), take off from the aircraft carrier CVN-70 Carl Vinson off the coast of Oman.
On April 13, the latest satellite images of the Diego Garcia naval base in the Indian Ocean show five B-2 Spirit strategic bombers on the runway, one or two of which may be loaded with ammunition, as well as six KC-135 Stratotanker tankers and a C-5M Galaxy strategic heavy lift aircraft.
A senior Houthi official in Yemen threatens: “In the coming days, we will deploy weapons that Americans and Israelis have never seen before.”
Erdogan on Israel and NATO: “Let no one misunderstand our patience. Let our silence not make anyone wish wrong. Turkey, NATO’s second-largest land army, is ready to take responsibility for Europe’s security in the future. Turkey must regain its full place in the European Union as soon as possible. European security is unthinkable without Turkey.”
Israel has refused to include a clause in the upcoming peace deal with Hamas to end the war and withdraw troops from the Gaza Strip.
From Qatar: Joint statement by the Emir of Qatar and the President of Egypt: “The two sides expressed deep concern over the continued escalation in the Gaza Strip.” “Underlining the importance of continuing joint efforts to achieve an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza.”
Palestinian News Agency: Reports that Macron and Abbas confirmed in a phone call the importance of implementing the Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, implementing the two-state solution and holding the International Peace Conference next June.
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 15:30 on April 14. The CVN 75 Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group continues 24/7 operations against the Houthis despite claims by the US Central Command. US air forces are currently striking Houthi targets across Yemen.
A Houthi spokesman says they have shot down another US MQ-9 drone, this time in Hajjah province. This is the 19th such UAV shot down since the start of the war. Yemen’s Ministry of Health on April 13 reported 32 civilians killed or wounded as a preliminary toll from the US-led attack on a ceramics factory in the Bani Matar district, west of Sana’a.
The United Arab Emirates has installed an ELM-2084 radar with a range of 480 km at a naval base in Somalia’s Puntland region, likely for counterintelligence operations by Israeli special forces against Houthi-led Yemen. The UAE military at Bosaso Air Base has also been equipped with an enhanced early warning system for missiles and drones, in case of a surprise attack by Houthi-led Yemeni forces. The United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Egypt and Turkey are increasingly turning Somalia into a military base, with the sole purpose of creating a large fighting force, logistics infrastructure, foothold and militia network against the Houthis.
Jordan reports fire in area where Yemeni drone was shot down.
In Lebanon, Al-Manar Correspondent reports that: “Several Lebanese Army soldiers were injured following an explosion of unexploded ordnance while working to treat them in the Wadi al-Aziziya area, on the outskirts of the city of Zebqin.” Conflicting reports from Lebanese sources say the Lebanese Army blew up Hezbollah weapons and equipment (north of the Litani River) without warning. The Lebanese National Agency says it was an Israeli drone strike.
An Israel Defense Forces reservist was seriously injured during an operation on the border with Lebanon, the army reported. According to initial IDF investigations, the soldier stepped on a landmine after troops mistakenly entered an Israeli minefield on the border. The incident is being further investigated, the IDF added.
A drone launched toward Israel “from the east” was shot down by the Israeli Air Force some time ago near the Dead Sea, the army said. No sirens sounded because no city was in danger. The drone is believed to have been launched from Yemen. Fragments of intercepted Houthi rockets fell near Dura in the Hebron region.
Since April 12, IDF forces have launched an operation in the Darg Tufa area of Gaza City. The aim of the operation is to strengthen security control in the area and expand the security space. The forces have currently eliminated numerous Hamas fighters and destroyed observation posts, terrorist infrastructure and an underground road. Before and during the operation, the IDF allows civilians to evacuate the combat zone for safety reasons, through organized routes.
The IDF according to the correspondent of al Mayadeen: “The frequency of air strikes on the Gaza Strip has decreased in recent hours.” Two people were injured after Israeli forces shelled the home of the “Amor” family in the Al-Amour neighborhood, east of Al-Fakhari town, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. One person was killed in an Israeli shelling that targeted the Qizan al-Najjar area, south of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
Israeli air strike east of Gaza City.
Palestinian press sources say “Several IDF soldiers were injured in an ambush in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood, east of Gaza.” A group of soldiers entered a home in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood, was besieged and ambushed. They have now been evacuated by helicopters from rescue unit 669. Israeli sources say four were injured.
A deployment of Israeli soldiers recorded near a fixed roundabout in the city of Tulkarem. Israeli forces storm the city of Ezzoun, east of Qalqilya.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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