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Iran Super Thread- Merged

Is this thread going to devolve into posting IRGC propaganda as just "pound of salt because its on my Google feed"? 3 seconds to search to source says its owned and operated by folks with close ties to IRGC, so worthless.
Which is now being picked up by US media such as Breaking Points. A 5 second search would show that.
 
This sounds encouraging...

Saudi Arabia prepares sea and possible land offensive against Houthis​

Yemeni sources say Saudis concentrating forces for what could be attack in central Yemen

Saudi Arabia is preparing for a major military offensive against the Houthis by sea and possibly by land in central Yemen, Yemeni sources believe, in a move to break the chokehold on its oil exports through the southern Red Sea.

Saudi forces have been seen withdrawing from the east of Yemen in what could be preparation for a land offensive. At the same time, Riyadh is trying to organise a naval coalition to protect shipping from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait.


The Saudi defence ministry said on Thursday that 14 states including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti had issued a joint statement supporting a multinational maritime defence coalition.

The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, and much of its Red Sea coastline, announced on 20 July that they were implementing a blockade against Saudi ships, but they have denied they are planning to impose tolls on all ships.

 
This sounds encouraging...

Saudi Arabia prepares sea and possible land offensive against Houthis​

Yemeni sources say Saudis concentrating forces for what could be attack in central Yemen

Saudi Arabia is preparing for a major military offensive against the Houthis by sea and possibly by land in central Yemen, Yemeni sources believe, in a move to break the chokehold on its oil exports through the southern Red Sea.

Saudi forces have been seen withdrawing from the east of Yemen in what could be preparation for a land offensive. At the same time, Riyadh is trying to organise a naval coalition to protect shipping from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait.


The Saudi defence ministry said on Thursday that 14 states including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti had issued a joint statement supporting a multinational maritime defence coalition.

The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, and much of its Red Sea coastline, announced on 20 July that they were implementing a blockade against Saudi ships, but they have denied they are planning to impose tolls on all ships.

They won't be doing that without a partner like the UAE and a lot of intelligence support from either the US/Israel or perhaps even the UK or even France.
 
This sounds encouraging...

Saudi Arabia prepares sea and possible land offensive against Houthis​

Yemeni sources say Saudis concentrating forces for what could be attack in central Yemen

Saudi Arabia is preparing for a major military offensive against the Houthis by sea and possibly by land in central Yemen, Yemeni sources believe, in a move to break the chokehold on its oil exports through the southern Red Sea.

Saudi forces have been seen withdrawing from the east of Yemen in what could be preparation for a land offensive. At the same time, Riyadh is trying to organise a naval coalition to protect shipping from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait.


The Saudi defence ministry said on Thursday that 14 states including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti had issued a joint statement supporting a multinational maritime defence coalition.

The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, and much of its Red Sea coastline, announced on 20 July that they were implementing a blockade against Saudi ships, but they have denied they are planning to impose tolls on all ships.

I’m not terribly optimistic the Saudis can, by land invasion, succeed in preventing the Houthis front sending drones and missiles at ships and oil infrastructure. There really seems to be an asymmetric advantage right now to parties who possess long range low cost strike weapons, and who are willing to honey badger critical infrastructure.
 
I’m not terribly optimistic the Saudis can, by land invasion, succeed in preventing the Houthis front sending drones and missiles at ships and oil infrastructure. There really seems to be an asymmetric advantage right now to parties who possess long range low cost strike weapons, and who are willing to honey badger critical infrastructure.
Don’t Saudis hire others to soldier for them?
 
With similar levels of diplomatic skills being displayed ;)

Soldiers Falling GIF
Yes, but the difference is that Leonidas had integrity.
 
I’m not terribly optimistic the Saudis can, by land invasion, succeed in preventing the Houthis front sending drones and missiles at ships and oil infrastructure. There really seems to be an asymmetric advantage right now to parties who possess long range low cost strike weapons, and who are willing to honey badger critical infrastructure.
Does the Houthis have the supply of drones and missiles needed to maintain such a advantage though? Iran is different they have been stockpiling for decades.

Can the Houthis continue being supplied or is it a we fired off the few we had situation and now cannot be resupplied what we need once the full scale invasion starts?
 
Don’t Saudis hire others to soldier for them?
Sure. I’m not talking about who the troops will be, I’m just saying I’m not optimistic Saudi could successfully occupy enough land with enough control to stop this threat. Even a small country is a massive geography when you need to identify and stop fleeting targets that can fit in a cube van.

Does the Houthis have the supply of drones and missiles needed to maintain such a advantage though? Iran is different they have been stockpiling for decades.

Can the Houthis continue being supplied or is it a we fired off the few we had situation and now cannot be resupplied what we need once the full scale invasion starts?
I don’t know. But it won’t take many for them to be able to make this extremely costly for Saudi Arabia. The Houthis don’t need to fight and stop mechanized brigades to achieve objectives here. They need to be able to impose enough economic cost on the Saudis. Refineries are big, fat, vulnerable targets, and Saudi oil and gas exports have three ‘outer’ choke points - Hormuz, BeM, and Suez - and an ‘inner’ choke point in the form of the pipeline infrastructure they use to move O&G to the Red Sea for export. All of this has been vulnerable, and save for Suez, all has been hit directly. The Suez export route was hit indirectly a couple days ago as a demonstration of capability.

Saudi is not in an enviable position here. This isn’t a fight decided by who can push a trench line a few km this way or that.
 
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Sure. I’m not talking about who the troops will be, I’m just saying I’m not optimistic Saudi could successfully occupy enough land with enough control to stop this threat. I can a small country is a massive geography when you need to identify and stop fleeting targets that can fit in a cube van.


I don’t know. But it won’t take many for them to be able to make this extremely costly for Saudi Arabia. The Houthis don’t need to fight and stop mechanized brigades to achieve objectives here. They need to be able to impose enough economic cost on the Saudis. Refineries are big, fat, vulnerable targets, and Saudi oil and gas exports have three ‘outer’ choke points - Hormuz, BeM, and Suez - and an ‘inner’ choke point in the form of the pipeline infrastructure they use to move O&G to the Red Sea for export. All of this has been vulnerable, and save for Suez, all has been hit directly. The Suez export route was hit indirectly a couple days ago as a demonstration of capability.

Saudi is not in an enviable position here. This isn’t a fight decided by who can push a trench line a few km this way or that.

👍 It doesn't take many hand grenades and barrels of ANFO to make an area unattractive to investment and trade.
 
Can confirm... although poor government decision making can have an even larger negative economic impact (e.g., looking at you, Brexit)


'Arf an' 'arf....😄

Brexit is what happens when the employers (people) want one outcome and the employees (government) want another.

Implementation was left in the hands of those who wanted failure.

I never used to be a fan of the American system of electing judges and dog-catchers. I changed my mind.
 
Sure. I’m not talking about who the troops will be, I’m just saying I’m not optimistic Saudi could successfully occupy enough land with enough control to stop this threat. Even a small country is a massive geography when you need to identify and stop fleeting targets that can fit in a cube van.


I don’t know. But it won’t take many for them to be able to make this extremely costly for Saudi Arabia. The Houthis don’t need to fight and stop mechanized brigades to achieve objectives here. They need to be able to impose enough economic cost on the Saudis. Refineries are big, fat, vulnerable targets, and Saudi oil and gas exports have three ‘outer’ choke points - Hormuz, BeM, and Suez - and an ‘inner’ choke point in the form of the pipeline infrastructure they use to move O&G to the Red Sea for export. All of this has been vulnerable, and save for Suez, all has been hit directly. The Suez export route was hit indirectly a couple days ago as a demonstration of capability.

Saudi is not in an enviable position here. This isn’t a fight decided by who can push a trench line a few km this way or that.
In the previous version of the conflict, the Houthi's had a fairly steady supply of food aid coming into Hodeidah, that is mostly gone. Also they got supplied by air from Iran. That is also down to a trickle. I would say grabbing the ports will be key to limiting the Houthi's ability to attack. They will have a dwindling supply of drones and missiles. Going into the mountains to fight them would be a fools errand with the KSA army, the Houthi make good light infantry.
KSA and UAE need to bury the hatchet and work together again to support and build up the Yemen government. At the very least don't work at cross purposes. Egypt has a competent army (comparatively) and with the two Mistrals would be a valuable asset to taking and holding the ports. As I have said at the same time offer money and food to the tribes to turn on the Houthis. That is the way hostilities traditional seem to work there. The Houthi will be short of money, food and weapons which will cause support to fade. Ensuring no aircraft can fly in to Houthi territory is also important. Once the Ports are seized, the Yemen army can push up and clear North along the coast to Mocha, which is the another port and has a airport. It is currently held by Tareq Saleh who is independent, but aligned with the Yemen government against the Houthi. From Mocha to Hodeidah is 147km. In the last conflict, anti-Houthi forces reached the southern edge of Hodeidah from this direction.

KSA forces can slowly push south to take Al luhayyah which is one of the key smuggling ports for the Houthi. The next target is Al Khawban, another large fishing/smuggling port and further south is Ibn Abbas. The port of Salif would also be an important target. Which looking at AIS seem to be very valuable to the Houthis and should be blockaded. Once the port is to be taken, if from the sea, the only road to it can be cut, preventing the Houthi's from reinforcing it.

Making sure the Yemen government can supply aid to the towns they capture will be key in gaining support, the west need to bump up aid to the Yemenis government (yes I know they are corrupt) Aid should be mostly in the form of goods for now, then as an area stabilizes, then rebuilding of wells, clinics, etc.

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