Global SITREP E2-21: US Airstrikes in Syria; Israeli MV Helios Ray attacked by Iran

Helios Highway (attribution in image)

Update 27 February 2021: On a hunch Eschatology Today posted this SITREP upon the privately-held assessment it would not be a one-off singular retaliatory strike and that further events would follow in short order. A correct assessment it was.

Within 18 hours of the U.S. strikes in Syria an Israeli-owned car carrier ship, the MV Helios Ray (Helios Highway image above), was attacked with a least two Iranian magnetic limpet mines after departing Dammam, Saudi Arabia and transiting the Strait of Hormuz outbound into the Gulf of Oman. There were no injuries to the crew, but the ship immediately reversed course and headed for Port Dubai to conduct a damage assessment. Initial reports indicate the limpet mines were attached to both port and starboard sides of the ship's hull causing holes 5 feet (1.5m) in diameter just above the waterline. 

An interesting twist reported by the Israeli Hebrew-language broadcaster, Kann News, is that the MV Helios Ray is owned by the Tel Aviv-Jaffa based Ray Shipping Ltd. Ray Shipping CEO Rami Ungar is tied closely to Mossad chief Yossi Cohen. No sourcing for this twist to the report was given.

Iran has been warned repeatedly that it cannot act with impunity.

26 February 2021: At approximately 02:00 in the morning today (18:00 EST last evening) American aircraft began a series of retaliatory airstrikes against several Iranian proxy militia (Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada) weapons depot sites in the area of Ayyash-Al Bukamal, Dier Ez-Zor province, Syria.  

Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada within the past two weeks launched deadly rocket attacks against US and Coalition forces bases in the area of Erbil, Iraq. A Philippino contractor was killed and American personnel were injured in the rocket attacks.

An anonymous U.S. source reported the strikes were carried out by USAF F-15E following surveillance by a UAE-based USAF Bombardier E-11A aircraft and its Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) over the area.

In the midst of Biden Administration efforts to re-engage Iran in a nuclear agreement this strike sends a clear message about U.S. resolve to protect American and Allied forces in Iraq and the entire Persian Gulf region.

Update 27 February 2021: An aei.org OpEd published yesterday has quickly called into question the Biden Administration's narrative on the airstrike in Syria. Point blank, the OpEd reports (a good assessment!) that problems with the strike are two-fold. First, the wrong targets were hit, and second, the Biden Administration's claim that the strikes were proportional are erroneous at best. They were not even remotely proportional, they were a wrist-slap instead of a sledgehammer blow. A truly proportional retaliatory strike would have Guam-based B-1B Lancer strategic bombers and their stand-off weaponry striking an Iranian air base as the U.S. and Coalition base in Erbil, Iraq was struck. 

Instead of causing Iran and its proxy militias to stand down, the Biden-approved retaliation strike will exacerbate regional tensions and lead to more significant escalations in the region.