Pakistan: US arms recovered from terrorists attacking Mianwali Airbase

Reports on Monday revealed that the terrorists who attacked Mianwali Airbase used weapons manufactured in the United States.

The weapons recovered from the terrorists killed during the operation are RPG-7s, AK-74s, M-4s, and M-16/A4 rifles.

Furthermore, these reports highlight that the weapons, initially intended for use in Afghanistan, are now openly available for sale following the fall of Kabul.

Similar instances of the US weaponry being found were also documented after an attack on the Zhob cantonment in Balochistan.

The security forces effectively neutralized nine terrorists following the attack on the Pakistan Air Force base in Mianwali on Saturday.

A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations noted that three aircraft were grounded at the facility, and a fuel bowser had sustained minor damage.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has reported that Pakistan Air Force’s Mianwali Training Air Base successfully prevented a terrorist attack in the early hours of Saturday, November 4, 2023. Thanks to the swift and effective response by the security forces, the attack was thwarted, ensuring the safety of personnel and assets at the base.

According to the ISPR, three militants attempting to infiltrate the base were neutralized, while the remaining three were isolated by the troops’ timely and courageous response. Unfortunately, during the attack, three grounded aircraft and a fuel bowser suffered some damage.

The statement also mentioned that a comprehensive joint operation is in its final stages to completely clear the area of any potential threats.

The ISPR emphasized the unwavering commitment of the Pakistan Armed Forces to eradicate terrorism from the country at any cost.

 

Finland to buy David's Sling system from Israel

Finland will purchase the David’s Sling air defense system from Israel, its Ministry of Defence said. This is the first time that David’s Sling has been sold abroad. The announcement came late Wednesday, a day after the Nordic country was accepted into NATO.

The treaty’s newest member said the plans were to buy the defense system for €316 million, with a possibility for expansion.

 “The procurement contract will include a separate clause between the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Defence of Finland to ensure the security of supply of the system,” a Finnish statement said.

“The arrangement will ensure the availability of critical system components in all security situations.”

It added, the system will extend the operational range of Finland’s ground-based air defense capabilities significantly.

This decision was one of Finland’s first moves after officially being accepted into the North Atlantic Alliance. The nation saw Israel’s defense system as a crucial need to meet its defense needs.

“This acquisition will create a new capability for the Finnish Defence Forces to intercept targets at high altitude. At the same time we are continuing the ambitious and long-term development of Finland’s defense capability in a new security environment,” Minister Antti Kaikkonen said. 

How does the David's Sling system compare to prices of other Israeli missile defense systems?

The David's Sling system is pricier among Israeli missile defense forces. Each interceptor launched by Israel’s David’s Sling system costs an estimated US$1 million, but the army insists that the cost is irrelevant when launched to defend the home front. 

Israel’s air defenses also include the Iron Dome, which is designed to shoot down short-range rockets; and the Arrow system which intercepts ballistic missiles outside of the Earth’s atmosphere. Compared to the David’s Sling costly interceptor, each Iron Dome Tamir interceptor has a reported price of between US$100,000 and US$150,000.

  

Ukrainian crisis being fueled by owners of military complexes

Reportedly, Ukrainian ambassador Oksana Markarova told a bipartisan group of senators Monday that her country needs more help from the United States and could run out of military supplies to fend off a Russian invasion.   

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, who attended the meeting with roughly a dozen Republican and Democratic colleagues, said everyone in the room was unified in support of doing more for the country, which Russian troops invaded Thursday on several fronts.  

“It’s no secret they need more help. They’ve got the weapons they need right now but they’re going to run out of what they need soon so we’ve got to get a supplemental [spending bill] passed quickly,” Chris Murphy told reporters after the meeting.   

Murphy said a looming humanitarian crisis along the Polish-Ukrainian border and dwindling military supplies are putting pressure on Congress to act quickly.  

Senators say the need to pass an emergency spending bill to provide weapons and humanitarian aid is becoming more important than passing sanctions legislation, something that senators were negotiating before the Presidents’ Day recess.  

“I think you’re talking about something in the neighborhood of US$10 billion to do the job,” said Murphy, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This is the most dangerous moment since the Cuban missile crisis.”

Markarova confirmed reports that Russian forces are increasingly targeting civilian buildings and warned that civilian casualties are likely to mount.   

“She talked about two five-story buildings being hit today full of civilians,” Murphy said.  

Ben Cardin, who also attended the meeting, said Ukrainian forces are “well-organized, doing the best they can but they need additional help.”  

“They’re managing their equipment as best they can. They do need more help, absolutely. They certainly need more anti-tank and anti-aircraft type equipment because the numbers from Russia are so large,” he said.  

Other Ukrainian leaders on Monday pressed the House Ukrainian Caucus to back a no-fly zone over the country, warning that casualties could mushroom without stronger foreign intervention. 

However, senators who spoke to reporters after meeting with Markarova said they did not hear her request that the US and its NATO allies impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which could risk a direct military confrontation with US forces.  

Murphy earlier in the day warned that trying to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine would be dangerous.  

“There’s been a lot of loose talk from smart people about ‘close air support’ and ‘no fly zones’ for Ukraine. Let’s just be clear what that is — the US and Russia at war. It’s a bad idea and Congress would never authorize it,” he tweeted.  

Murphy later told reporters that the military conflict could quickly escalate in a dangerous way.  

Schumer after the meeting said there’s strong bipartisan support to help Ukraine fend off the Russian invaders.  

“In that room, from one end to the other, we want to help Ukraine in every way that we can and they’re valiant. They’re amazing and we’re exploring all the ways that we can help them,” he said. 

But one major potential complication is the need to pass an omnibus spending bill to fund the US federal government beyond March 11.  

“The problem is we need a budget to get a supplemental,” Murphy said. “We’ve got to get serious in the next couple days about getting a budget done so that we can have a supplemental to that budget.”  

“I’m worried that our petty fights over the border are going to prevent us from getting a deal on a budget and thus a deal on the supplemental spending bill for Ukraine,” he added. 

That could delay congressional action on more assistance for Ukraine.  

Richard Shelby, the top-ranking Republican on the Appropriations Committee, said he wants a supplemental spending package for Ukraine to move separately from an omnibus spending package.  

 “I think it ought not to be part of the omnibus but ought to be moving at the same time. Because it’s a separate thing, we’re talking about emergency money as opposed to the regular order,” he said.   

Asked if the omnibus spending package can get done by the March 11 deadline, Shelby said, “I don’t know.” 

“We’re still talking. We’re making progress. Sometimes it’s a step forward and a step sideways,” he said.  

 

US Department of Justice announces forfeiture of Iranian missiles and oil

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) confirmed in an announcement on Wednesday that it has successfully forfeited approximately 1.1 million barrels of oil and hundreds of missiles seized by the US Navy from several Iranian vessels in the Arabian Sea late in 2019 and early 2020. 

These represent the largest-ever US forfeitures of Iranian fuel and weapons. Forfeiture of property – penalizing the owner for wrongdoing – allows the US government to take possession of and sell it.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is alleged to have orchestrated the shipments, is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the DoJ, which allowed for the seizures and forfeitures. 

“The actions of the United States in these two cases strike a resounding blow to the Government of Iran and to the criminal networks supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” said Assistant Attorney-General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to use all available tools to combat the threats posed by terrorist organizations and all those who seek to harm the United States and its allies.”

The two weapons caches of eight surface-to-air missiles, 171 anti-tank missiles and thermal optics – as well as components for naval surface-to-surface cruise missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, drones, and other missiles – were alleged by the DoJ to have belonged to the IRGC and were destined for Houthi militants in Yemen. The two flagless vessels, dhow sailboats, were raided on November 25, 2019, and February 9, 2020.

The DOJ announcement contains contradictions about the number of different types of missiles seized, in the opening sentence of the press release listing 171 surface-to-air missiles and eight anti-tank missiles.

“The illegal transfer of Iranian-made weapons poses a significant and immediate threat to our national security,” according to Kelly P. Mayo, Director of the Defense Department's Defense Criminal Investigative Service. “The judgment announced today is an important step in our efforts to identify, disrupt and bring to justice those who imperil resources vital to our safety.”

Around July 2020, petroleum seizures of approximately 1.1 million barrels of petroleum products from four foreign-flagged vessels were also conducted in the vicinity of the Arabian Sea. The shipments were allegedly destined for Venezuela aboard the Liberia-flagged Bella, Bering, Pandi and Luna.

The US government sold the confiscated petroleum products for over US$26 million, with part of the sales being directed to the US Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which compensates the US citizens who have been victims of international terrorism.

“These two cases demonstrate that not only can we disrupt the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ ability to finance its operations through petroleum sales, but we can also thwart its ability to use the proceeds of such sales to arm its terrorist proxies and export terrorism abroad,” said US Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia.

“Given our expertise and special statutory authority, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is uniquely positioned to support its law enforcement partners in such terrorism cases," he said. "We are deeply committed to this mission.”

The surface-to-air missiles were Iranian-made Type 358, which according to Jane's were previously unknown until these seizures. According to court documents filed in August, all 171 anti-tank missiles were the Iranian-made Dehlaviehs. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, they were indigenously produced and first introduced into service in the Iranian Army in 2015. The Ten Rayan Roshd Afzar RU60G thermal weapons optics is also Iranian-produced. 

The US has imposed sanctions on oil exports of both Iran and Venezuela. Tehran has made several attempts to transfer oil to the country in South America's northern region. US sanctions on Iran are a key element of the negotiations for the Iranian nuclear deal that the Biden administration is attempting to reimplement.