Max_B
Member
There were a couple of alleged attacks on US warships in the middle of October, and a US missile destroyer responded by obliterating a number of houthi controlled radar stations. I assumed that this was what Spicer was talking about. I did think his briefing was a bit blurry and got Iran's recent Ballistic Missile launch mixed up with the new Saudi warship incident. A UAE warship had been destroyed with a missile in a similar attack in the previous week to the attack on the USA warships. Interesting to note that some analysis of the UAE ships damage pointed the finger at a Chinese type missile. Not that you can blame the Houthi's trying to attack the USA, as the USA is directly aiding the Saudi attacks on them. Russia apparently moved a couple of destroyers into the area immediately after the radar station attack - it seemed to me in response, and to deter any continuation of the USA attacks.
Saudi of course was aiding the rebels in Syria, in response Iran was aiding the rebels in Yemen.
I haven't been following the middle east too closely the last couple of weeks, but it seems to me that Russia doesn't quite have Iran's back at present, at least not in the way it has for the last few years.
Saudis recent agreement to reduce oil production and thus allow oil prices to increase does help Russia - which was interesting. And Russia had knackered Saudi in Syria, with Russia even going so far as to form an alliance with Turkey, who had previously been working with Saudi.
Honestly, unless you're at this 24/7, you miss the moves that occur elsewhere on the board.