التصنيف: أخبار

Four British fighter jets attacked a series of Houthi targets in Yemen after taking off from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on Monday.

It was the second RAF attack on the Iran-backed militia, and was part of a coordinated wave of strikes with the US.

The latest US strikes were all carried out by jets from the USS Eisenhower.

So why is the UK using land-based RAF Typhoons flying over 3,000-mile missions from Cyprus rather than the immensely capable carrier strike (CS) capability?

By way of background, in early 1997 the Labour government launched a defence review, which sought to build on the global power-projection role developed by Joint Force Harrier.

It led to the commissioning of two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers to act as the foundations of a new, potent CS group.

They were built at Rosyth dockyard – in Gordon Brown’s then constituency – and entered into service in 2017 and 2019 respectively at a cost of £6bn for the pair.

These are now the most powerful ships in the navy’s history and were designed to deploy with up to 72 strike aircraft on board.

However, unlike the UK nuclear deterrent, which has four Vanguard-class submarines to maintain a “continuous at-sea deterrent”, two carriers were not sufficient to maintain any single carrier at continuous readiness for operational duty.

Unlike the US carrier fleet, which maintains an operational posture around the world 24/7 – each bristling with fighter jets and ready to deploy at very short notice, UK carriers do not routinely have jets on board and often require considerable notice to work up to operational readiness.

‘Missed opportunity’ to show potential

When the US and UK forces attacked the Houthis, the two navy carriers were moored up at Portsmouth.

Why? Aircraft carriers do not operate autonomously.

They routinely deploy with two frigates and two destroyers to provide protection from the air, a submarine, and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) support ships to replenish fuel and dry stores.

However, the RFA Fort Victoria is the only dry store vessel in service and has limited availability due to a staffing crisis and serviceability.

Its replacements are not due to enter service for several years.

In short, although the UK carrier strike has immense potential, it is not a 24/7 capability and has not been resourced effectively.

The irony is that the UK CS has never deployed a combat mission from its decks since it was commissioned in 2017.

Yet the first occasion when it might have demonstrated its potential [against the Houthis], it was not available.

This conundrum is not lost on the Ministry of Defence.

Indeed, as recently as February 2023, politicians have called for the second of the carriers – HMS Prince of Wales – to be either decommissioned and put in the reserve fleet or to be scrapped or sold.

But even if the UK CS capability had been available, would it have been used?

The Houthis are apparently becoming increasingly effective at targeting merchant and military shipping – bear witness to the excellent performance of HMS Diamond in providing protection to shipping in the region.

Would the UK have risked deploying the carrier and all its support vessels into such a dangerous part of the world?

Although such a deployment would have reduced the distance for the fighters to reach their target, the RAF has the resources and capability to launch such missions from a distance, and at significantly reduced risk.

For low-tempo, precision strikes, the option to launch RAF assets from a main operating base in Cyprus carries significant benefits.

Having flown fighters from the decks of an aircraft carrier, I understand well the enormous potential of carrier-based aviation to have global reach.

However, in these uncertain times, the UK needs assets available at short notice, to deliver decisive effect, and provide swift and comprehensive options to our political masters.

Having a carrier strike capability that is available “some of the time” is just not cost effective.

It is like resourcing a fire brigade that is available only part of the year – with the significant risk that the one time they are needed, they are not available.

Read more from Sky News:
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According to Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, we live in an increasingly dangerous world.

When asked if we should increase defence spending as a proportion of GDP to levels seen under Mrs Thatcher (4%), he pointed out it was not just the amount of money spent, but how it’s spent.

Perhaps the UK carrier strike capability provides a cautionary tale for future defence spending.

From a city famed for its golden beaches, to the history-steeped former capital of Japan – the best city destinations outside Europe have been named.

Australia dominates the list – compiled by consumer group Which? – with Sydney claiming top spot, and both Melbourne and Perth featuring high.

South Africa’s Cape Town comes second, while Chicago in the US, Japan’s Kyoto, and the city-state of Singapore, in southeast Asia, are placed joint third.

Meanwhile, several US cities featured towards the bottom of the list, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

The results are from a survey by Which? – the consumer group’s first on world cities since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “The top-rated cities in our latest survey may be wildly different.

“But they all have one important thing in common – they offer visitors a feast for the senses, with a fantastic array of cultural sights, excellent food and stunning scenery combining to create that undeniable ‘wow’ factor.

“Australia proved particularly popular, with sun-soaked Sydney wooing visitors with its unique mix of cosmopolitan city life and laid-back beach vibes, while Melbourne and Perth also impressed.

“Chicago meanwhile offers the best of the US at a better price.”

The consumer group asked more than 1,800 members of its online panel to rate their experiences of world travel outside of Europe over the last three years, receiving feedback on over 3,000 trips.

Locations were marked on seven separate criteria, including the quality of food and drink, cultural sights and tourist attractions, ease of getting around and value for money.

A city score was then calculated based on a combination of overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend the destination.

Sydney, with its world-famous Opera House and its sun-soaked Bondi Beach, finished top with an impressive city score of 88%.

The city received a string of four-star ratings in categories including accommodation, shopping, food and drink, as well as cultural sights and attractions.

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Cape Town took second place with a city score of 85%, and an impressive five-star rating for food and drink, with visitors noting the “amazing, freshly caught” seafood and local wines.

Chicago, Kyoto, and Singapore, all tied for third place.

Located on the southern shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago was praised for its “breathtaking” architecture, while Singapore was the only city in the survey to achieve two five-star ratings, which it achieved for its food and drink, and shopping experience.

Kyoto, the former capital of Japan for more than 1,000 years, and home to some of the country’s best historical attractions, received an impressive five-star rating for cultural sites and attractions – one of just two cities in the survey to do so.

Melbourne (83%) and Perth, Tokyo, and Washington DC, all tied on 82%, were close behind, taking sixth and joint seventh places.

At the other end of the survey, Las Vegas, often dubbed the “entertainment capital of the world” and famed for its huge casinos and star-studded shows, was the lowest-scoring destination, at 52%.

Chile’s capital, Santiago, and Los Angeles completed the bottom three with scores of 58% and 60% respectively.

An oil tanker caught fire after a missile attack by Houthi fighters based in Yemen.

The ship’s owner, Trafigura, said the Marlin Luanda “was struck by a missile as it transited the Red Sea” on Friday.

The incident happened 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which oversees the area.

Trafigura confirmed on Saturday afternoon the fire had been extinguished and the vessel has been directed to sail to a safe harbour.

The entire crew is safe and no further ships will be transiting through the area for Trafigura, the commodities trader added.

The UK’s defence secretary, Grant Shapps, said the country remains “as committed as ever” to protecting freedom of navigation following the latest “intolerable and illegal” attack by Houthi rebels.

Houthi brigadier general Yahya Saree called the Marlin Luanda a “British” tanker and said the attack was in support “of the oppressed Palestinian people” and in response “to the American-British aggression against our country”.

“The vessel is now sailing towards a safe harbour,” Trafigura said, adding the firefighting effort had been supported by Indian, US and French navy vessels.

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Crew had boarded lifeboats as a precaution but no injuries had been reported, American officials told Sky’s US partner NBC News.

The ship is loaded with a flammable liquid called naphtha, which made the fire even more dangerous.

Trafigura says the liquid originates from Russia and was bought “in line with G7 sanctions”.

USS Carney and a French frigate responded to the ship’s distress call.

The USS Carney was itself targeted by a missile in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, according to the US military, who said the projectile was shot down.

A US official, speaking anonymously, said it was the first time the Houthis had directly targeted an American warship since they began their attacks.

On Saturday morning, an anti-ship missile aimed into the Red Sea was also destroyed, said US Central Command.

The Indian Navy said it also responded to the distress call, adding 22 Indians were part of the crew along with one Bangladeshi.

Houthi attacks continue

The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November, blaming Israel’s war on Hamas.

However, they have targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, endangering shipping on a key trade route and causing some to sail a much longer route.

Houthi brigadier general Yahya Saree said: “Using a number of appropriate naval missiles, the strike was direct, and resulted the burning of the vessel.”

“Yemeni Armed Forces persist with their military operations,” he added.

“Enforcing a blockade on Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian seas until a ceasefire is achieved in Gaza, and food and medicine are allowed in to the besieged Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

Read more:
What firepower do UK and US have in the Gulf?
Why have allies launched more strikes and who are the Houthis?

Shipping data suggests the Marlin Luanda sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands and was on its way to Singapore.

UKMTO warned other ships to sail with caution and report any suspicious activity.

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Alongside numerous airstrikes on key Houthi targets, the UK and US are also targeting key figures in the Iran-backed militant group with sanctions.

A second series of UK and US airstrikes, carried out at the start of the week, appears to have done little to deter Houthi action.