A useful map

Comments

[turcopolier]

All

From this it looks like the filmed flight was on Route 15 to the NW through the mountains rather than to the east. That actually makes better sense. West is in the direction of civilization.

[Stephanie]

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/exclusive-saudi-arabia-gives-green-light-for-talks-with-Iran

[different clue]

I know this question is irrelevant to the main point of the map, but . . .
is the irregular wandering blue line an ephemeral flash-flood watercourse?

If so, is there any flash-flood water-harvesting agriculture anywhere along it?

[luke8929]

I just watched this one on the Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywlm_n7By2g

That is a lot of booty, storage wars on steroids and whats with the lighters in front of the APC's before they burn them, is that the new "pen is mightier than the sword" the bic lighter is mightier than the Saudi APC, be funny if it wasn't such a pathetic effort by the Saudi's. Surely the US will intervene with US troops if this keeps up?

[Peter AU 1]

Map of the operation (Houthi presentation)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EFtYzaBX0AAzAKn.jpg

Same place google maps
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@17.2745616,44.2020975,12767m/data=!3m1!1e3

At a twitter account that posted the earliest pics to come out, when scrolling through the account for the days prior had this.. "They have contacted the intelligence of Yemeni army in advance and led thousands of Saudi mercenaries into besiege." https://twitter.com/Sunkway_China/status/1176158241220259841

No other tweets to put that comment in context and it came out several days before Houthi made the operation public.

[Peter AU 1]

These pics of Saudi forces taking a corner on the road..
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EFooNZvUUAAustS.jpg:large

Appears to be this corner https://www.google.com.au/maps/@17.2062804,44.2149071,207m/data=!3m1!1e3

[oldman22]

Your map makes it clear that this attack was in Saudi. I have seen several articles claiming that it took place across the border in Yemen, including statements by Juan Cole for the past 2 days.
Also: thanks for your translation of Houthi military spokesman.

More video here:
https://theduran.com/yemen-houthis-continue-to-shock-saudi-military-video/

[Peter AU 1]

The houthi map of the operation shows arrows coming into the road at two points.
Southern point is the bends that match pics in my previous comment, northern point is here.
Houthi map shows slight right bend, a straight then a slight left bend when northern most arrows hit the road.
I think this is the location.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@17.2306434,44.2061691,2014a,35y,38.76t/data=!3m1!1e3

[turcopolier]

luke 8929

Don't post things twice!!!

[The Twisted Genius]

Peter, those are helpful maps. Seems the operation took place on the road between Najran, SA and Katif, Yemen on Yemeni territory fifteen miles or so south of the border. The Saudi force was lured into advancing towards Katif while the Yemeni/Houthi "foot cavalry ranged the hills to envelop the road-bound Saudis. Seems the Saudis never read Robert Rogers "Rules of Ranging." They never put out flanking parties to guard the main column.

Light infantry rules!

[oldman22]

Question for you warriors:
Are those TOW missiles in the video, with the little red window
on the target? Are they shoulder fired, or tripod, or what?

[Paco]

Amazing clip, America and Israel are mentioned in unison quite a few times, after Allah of course, maybe they're thanking them for the booty.

[ISL]

olman22

I have found Juancole not to be a very reliable source. Moreover, his biases tend to line up with US deep state propaganda - aka the borg (usually rather shallow propaganda at that) except for Palestine (and Iraq when it was a republican president's war).

[charly]

The only way to defeat the Houthi's is with the hunger weapon. But the US army can't use the hunger weapon, at least not so openly, against fighters which are not mortal enemies.

[turcopolier]

TTG

Between Katif, Yemen and Najran, SA? that doesn't seem likely to me. BTW the name of the wide spot in the raos is "Kitaf," not "Katif." "Katif" or "Qatif" is a place in the outskirts of "Dammam" in the Eastern Province of SA. The state of the road would suggest that Route 1556 is not the road in the videos A hard surface, crowned road that is curbed seems very unlikely that far north in Sadah governorate. pl

[MisanthropicUSA]

Most look to be AT-4 and AT-5, one towards the end might be an AT-14. None of them are shoulder fired.

[The Twisted Genius]

The map used by Brigadier Saree in his briefing coincides with the ISWNews map provided by Peter AU. Both maps definitely show the battle area as between Katif and Najran. The Google topographical view of the area also shows a paved road in that area.

[JP Billen]

oldman,

I did not see the red window you mention. But other shots in the videos of ATGMs seemed to me to be similar to or knock-offs of the Russian made Konkurs or the Iranian Tosan. Less than half the weight of TOW and launcher, so better suited for light infantry when you have to lug them up steep slopes in the mountains.

[The Twisted Genius]

Oldman22, The video from Brigadier Saree's briefing showed a couple of Houthis carrying Toophan rounds up a hill. The Toophan is an Iranian copy of our TOW and has been seen in Yemen. Prior to this war, the Yemeni Army stockpiled a lot of AT weapons in the mountains. Some Toophans have also been intercepted on their way to Yemen by dhow. The video also shows a Houthi SPG-9 in action. The Houthis employ the Iranian version of the Konkurs ATGM as well. Here's a video of the Toophan and Tosun in action in Yemen.

The TOW/Toophan is man portable, but just barely. We carried our TOWs out to the field on a 10 mile march a few times in the 70s. It damn near killed my AT section. Two people carrying each piece would be much better.

[turcopolier]

TTG

They are probably carrying it a few hundred yards from a truck to a firing position.

[The Twisted Genius]

Sorry about Kitaf/Katif. I must be developing dyslexia. Have to talk to the VA about that. :)

[The Twisted Genius]

I agree. A toophan in the back of a pickup could easily range the smaller trails in the area. Were pack animals ever used in the area?

[turcopolier]

TTG

So you and Peter AU think the Saudi column was trying to escape NE on Route 1556 to a junction with the east-west road from Najran into the desert? What is the link to the ISW map?

[The Twisted Genius]

This is Peter AU's link.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EFtYzaBX0AAzAKn.jpg

[turcopolier]

TTG
Donkeys or horses. Yemenis don't usually mess with camels.