Article

2005-08-19 Iraq-Jordan

Missile Attacks Target U.S. Vessel, Israel

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Posted by 11A5S 2005-08-19 07:58|| || Front Page|| [11131 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Statement By Jordanian Official Source
Amman, Aug. 19 (Petra) -- A Jordanian official source stated the following:

Three katyusha rockets were fired about 8:30 am Friday 19/8/2005, from a warehouse in Aqaba area where the first hit a warehouse for the Jordan Armed Forces in the port and resulted in martyring the Jordanian soldier Ahmad Jamal Najdawi and wounding another, and the second exploded near the military hospital where the third exploded in Eilat area in Israel. First-hand investigations pointed that the warehouse was rented few days ago by four persons carrying the Iraqi and Egyptian nationalities.

Upon directives from His Majesty King Abdullah II, HRH Prince Hashem Ben Al Hussein the Regent, accompanied by a number of security officials arrived in Aqaba to follow up the incident.
http://www.petra.gov.jo/nepras/2005/Aug/19/26968000.htm

Posted by SwissTex 2005-08-19 08:47|| 2005-08-19 08:47|| Front Page Top

#2 DEBKAfile Exclusive: The multiple Katyusha rocket attack Friday on Jordanâs Aqaba port, US naval shipping docked there and the twin Israeli Red Sea port-resort of Eilat was the work of a Jordanian al Qaeda team controlled by Abu Musab al Zarqawi.

August 19, 2005, 11:47 AM (GMT+02:00)
1. Two US warships anchored in Aqaba. One, the USS Ashland landing ship with elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Force aboard, was just missed and damaged. The rocket struck a warehouse on a nearby pier. No US marines or sailors were hurt. Both ships have put out to sea.
2. Another rocket exploded on the Emir Haya base parade ground during drill practice and is believed to have killed at least one Jordanian soldier and wounded several.
3. The Katyusha aimed at Eilat landed on a road outside the airport, exploded partiall and injured one Israeli. Aqaba port was cleared of shipping and Eilat airport closed. DEBKAfileâs Eilat sources report Jordan has imposed curfew on eastern Aqaba and is scouring the town for the missile launchers and brought in military reinforcements. Israeli and Jordanian security are cooperating in the investigation

Posted by Steve">Steve 2005-08-19 09:02|| 2005-08-19 09:02|| Front Page Top

#3 I was hoping to see some counter-fire instead of retreating from the terrorists.

The good news is that this happened from Jordan. Jordan have friendly relations with us and Israel. Whomever, shot these missiles, better leave Jordan now because I can the see the DeWalt saw and drill kit being fitted with brand new blades and bits.

Posted by Poison Reverse 2005-08-19 09:30|| 2005-08-19 09:30|| Front Page Top

#4 Poison, I don't think these two ships have the ability. CWIS, perhaps. Turning the Phalanx loose on dockside would be fairly spectacular.

Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins 2005-08-19 09:54|| http://blog.simmins.org]">[http://blog.simmins.org] 2005-08-19 09:54|| Front Page Top

#5 Media ignorance, stupidity once again. If it's katyushkas they arent missiles but rockets inj text is worst.... changes from mortar to missile...

Posted by Hupomoque Spoluter7949 2005-08-19 10:05|| 2005-08-19 10:05|| Front Page Top

#6 Chuck,

You're right, these two vessels can't but we have plenty ships that can do it. Bottomline, this better not go unpunished and punished publicly. In other words, no "Law Enforcement Method." Gather intelligence quickly and retaliate harshly.

Posted by Poison Reverse 2005-08-19 10:07|| 2005-08-19 10:07|| Front Page Top

#7 They couldn't even see them coming, main search radars have to be turned off coming into port. They tend to fry shore-side electronics. My Navy brother-in-law told me a story about how a ET on a destroyer turned on the big radar in Naples, I think it was. Blew up every light in a local hardware store.

Posted by Steve">Steve 2005-08-19 10:09|| 2005-08-19 10:09|| Front Page Top

#8 I doubt Phalanx would be turned on in port. Too much clutter and chance for mis-targeting. I assume they fired the 122mm Katyusha. It has a 40 pound non-armor piercing blast-frag warhead. It might have been embarassing if it hit, but wouldn't do much damage, maybe not even penetrate the hull.

Posted by ed 2005-08-19 10:18|| 2005-08-19 10:18|| Front Page Top

#9 And it's not complete without the official Jihadi Seal of Approval:

"A group of our mujahideen have targeted U.S. vessels in Jordan and Eilat port with three Katyusha rockets before safely returning to their base," the statement said.
"Zionists are a legitimate target and we warn the Americans, who are spreading their corruption throughout the world and who have stolen the wealth of the Muslim nation, to expect even more stinging attacks.
"This is our debut operation in Jordan," it added. "And as we have begun to destroy the throne of the Egyptian tyrant, we warn the Jordanian tyrant to release our jailed brothers and voluntarily abdicate before we force you to go."

Not a very impressive "debut" boys. Hope you can run fast.

Posted by tu3031 2005-08-19 10:24|| 2005-08-19 10:24|| Front Page Top

#10 ..The Navy then implemented measures aimed at increasing the physical security of ships in port.

HELL YEAH
Hope Jordan will do a search and destroy of sorts

Posted by Jan 2005-08-19 10:32|| 2005-08-19 10:32|| Front Page Top

#11 aqabas not all that big, and its pretty isolated. Desert all around. Only other nearby population center is Eilat,Israel, and Im pretty sure the jihadis arent running THERE. So the Jordanians need to surround the city - one main road going north to the more populated parts of Jordan, I think. And the Saudi border, nearby.

The sharm bombing showed these guys have beduin contacts. Most likely theyll try to escape through the desert, probably into Saudi first, then to Anbar prov in Iraq.

Of course IF this is Iraqi blowback, it seems kind of stupid. Youve just learned all about planting IEDs, making car bombs, and you try to rocket a SHIP?!?!?!

Posted by liberalhawk 2005-08-19 10:36|| 2005-08-19 10:36|| Front Page Top

#12 This is our debut operation in Jordan

Okay, you're kicking our butts & cutting off supply lines in northern Iraq but we got buddies! buddies wid rockets!! in Jordan, the ole man's home of record!!! we're contendahs!!!!

A group of our mujahideen have targeted U.S. vessels

Can't hit the side of a barn, but we targeted 'em. Maybe they'll scare people and kill a couple Jordanians or somethin'.

Posted by lotp 2005-08-19 10:43|| 2005-08-19 10:43|| Front Page Top

#13 Of course IF this is Iraqi blowback, it seems kind of stupid. Youve just learned all about planting IEDs, making car bombs, and you try to rocket a SHIP?!?!?!

LH,

This is probably indicative of a lack of a deep infrastructure in that region (as you indicated isolated desert; cue the Lawrence of Arabia soundtrack). If you have a lot of horses in the stable, then you can send forth the troops to do small operations. If they get picked off, so be it; there's more where they came from. But if you don't have depth, then you have to figure you'll get one chance before the security forces roll up your operations. And if you've only got one chance, you better make it big, Big, BIG!

Posted by Dreadnought 2005-08-19 10:46|| 2005-08-19 10:46|| Front Page Top

#14 well theyve just blown their cell to kill one Jordanian soldier, and to scare the living daylights out of an Israeli cabdriver. Doesnt seem like a cost effective effort.

Posted by liberalhawk 2005-08-19 10:48|| 2005-08-19 10:48|| Front Page Top

#15 i mean any 2 bit Pal terror group can do more than that.

Posted by liberalhawk 2005-08-19 10:49|| 2005-08-19 10:49|| Front Page Top

#16 i mean any 2 bit Pal terror group can do more than that.

Posted by liberalhawk 2005-08-19 10:49|| 2005-08-19 10:49|| Front Page Top

#17 Trying to hit a destroyer with a katyusha. Good luck. Those things are area weapons, not point weapons. Trying to hit something with one is like trying to hit a car from a skyscraper with a rock from 3 blocks away.

Posted by mmurray821 2005-08-19 11:12|| 2005-08-19 11:12|| Front Page Top

#18 Well, I think there's probably a lot of "Being Dr. Evil" going on in Al Qaeda circles. One cannot be satisfied with a mere shark; it must have laser beams in its head as well. In this case, you're correct: you could more easily have sent one man to walk on the pier and shoot the soldier, but image is so important in the Arab world. No, the shark has to have laser beams.

Posted by Dreadnought 2005-08-19 11:16|| 2005-08-19 11:16|| Front Page Top

#19 Unfortunately for Al Qaeda, all they can manage is ill-tempered sea bass instead.

Posted by Mizzou Mafia 2005-08-19 17:55|| 2005-08-19 17:55|| Front Page Top

#20 very funny

Posted by Number Two">Number Two 2005-08-19 19:36|| 2005-08-19 19:36|| Front Page Top

#21 The PHALANX is part a ship's "last ditch" defense ags anti-naval missles, and was never designed or intended to be target-selective - once the button is pushed, the missle/rocket plus anything on the PHALANX's radars, and includ all persons inside same, would be obliterated in mini-seconds.
* "Sighted Rocket, Sank/Shredded Harbor". The PHALANX is a violent, devastating weapon system - even with upgrades, about the best the Navy's CO's can do vv target-selectivity - read, protection of innocents - is to TRY and get the PHALANX to fire all its rounds in a single direction/vector so as to narrow its scope of destruction - read, "acceptable/collateral casualties"!?

Posted by JosephMendiola 2005-08-19 22:07|| 2005-08-19 22:07|| Front Page Top

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