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Friday, February 12

Saudi Twilight Zone UPDATED 11:40 AM EST

UPDATE
Heh. Found another February 10 AMN report, filed by the News Desk, which I just excavated from my stack of To Read news reports:

Saudi Crown Prince visits Yemeni frontlines to lift dwindling morale
The report names both Yemeni and Lebanese news sources for the story of the prince's visit; that would have told me right away Leith wasn't hallucinating about the Yemini attacks on military bases in Saudi Arabia.    

Well, onward. 

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February 10

Yemeni Army devastates Coalition forces in southern Saudi Arabia - Leith Fadel, AMN

Huh. Can't be that much devastation because the story's not on Google News. Let's see what this is about:
The Missile Battalion of the Yemeni army launched another Type-1 Qahir ballistic missile into Jizan Regional Airport in southern Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The ballistic missile that struck the Jizan Regional Airport was the third of its kind to be fired at the Saudi-led Coalition on Tuesday afternoon. Based on earlier reports, the Yemeni Army struck the Khamis Mushayt military base in the Asir Province of Saudi Arabia before launching their strike on the Jizan Regional Airport.
[Pundita note:  the Saudis had turned the airport into a military base; see earlier Feb 10 report in the update.]
The Yemeni military media broadcast included video footage of Tuesday’s operation, pointing out that the base is one of the most important Saudi installations. The Saudi defense minister Mohammad bin Salman visited Jizan hospital to lift spirits and check on the Kingdom’s wounded soldiers as the latest death toll greatly exceeded over 200 casualties. [...]
Two hundred, eh? But how many killed?  Let's see what the English Arab news outlets have to report about it.  [taptaptaptaptap]  Huh. Nothing. Is Leith sure this happened?  [looking again at the AMN report]  He doesn't say the report is unconfirmed. Well, with a strike that size something will pop up about it in the Saudi press. 

February 12

Yemeni Army, Houthis make huge gains against the Saudi forces - Leith Fadel, AMN 

Now what's this about?
The Yemeni army and the Popular Committees captured the strategic hilltop of Talat Al-Hamra inside the Sarawah Directorate on Thursday, killing several enemy combatants that were loyal to the exiled Yemeni president ‘Abd Rubbah Mansour Hadi. ...
I think that's in Yemen; I have enough strategic hilltops in Syria to worry about. What else? 
According to local sources, Talat Al-Hamra overlooks the provincial capital of ... 
yada yada yada -- yikes!    
Meanwhile, at the Saudi city of Rabu’ah, the Yemeni Army’s Republican Guard forces captured 2 more Saudi military installations, leaving only a small parcel of territory left under the control of the coalition forces.
The Yemeni Army did not stop there, they also stormed the strategic Shurfa Camp in the Najran Province of Saudi Arabia; this battle is still ongoing.
Uh oh. Here's another report from Leith today:

Breaking News: Yemeni ballistic missiles rain down on Saudi military posts in the Jizan province
Earlier today the Yemeni Army’s missile battalion launched a powerful rocket attack on the Saudi Army’s military installations at the Jizan Regional Airport, causing severe damage to this large site in the Jizan Province of southern Saudi Arabia. According to several field reports from the Yemeni Army, several rockets and a Type-1 Qahir ballistic missile struck the Jizan Regional Airport, resulting in another high death toll for the Saudi regime forces and further destruction to this imperative military site. 
This latest missile strike comes just 48 hours after the Saudi crown prince attempted to lift the spirits of his soldiers by making a visit to the Jizan field hospital.
Let's see what Reuters or AP is reporting on this. [taptaptaptaptap]  CNN? [taptap] What about the Saudi Gazette or Al Jazeera English?  [taptaptap]  Al-Arabiya English? [taptap] Sputnik?  [taptap]  BBC? [taptap] 

This news is serious stuff; where is everybody? [Pundita races around the internet to 20 other news sites.] This is nuts; nobody but AMN is reporting the story. Has Leith taken up chewing peyote? Oh right, I forgot to check at FARS. [taptap] Holy cow!

Yemen's Ballistic Missile Hits Jizan Airport Again, Inflicts Heavy Losses on Saudi Forces --February 12, FARS


TEHRAN (FNA)- The Yemeni army and popular forces hit Jizan airport in Southern Arabia on Friday morning inflicting heavy losses and casualties on the Saudi forces.

Yemen's Qaher-I missile hit Jizan airport, killing and wounding a large number of soldiers earlier today.

This was the third time in the past two days that Jizan airport came under the Yemeni forces' ballistic missile attack and the sixth time that Saudi military positions are targeted in Southern Saudi Arabia.

The ballistic missile attack came 48 hours after Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman attempted to boost the morale of his soldiers by paying a visit to Jizan's field hospital.

In a relevant development on Wednesday, the Yemeni forces hit Jizan airport in inflicting heavy losses and casualties on the Saudi forces.

"Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has visited the wounded Saudi soldiers in Jizan hospital to help boost their morale and he has also closely assessed the damages inflicted on the Saudi forces," informed Yemeni sources told FNA.

On Tuesday, the Yemeni army and popular forces pounded Saudi Arabia's military base and airport in the kingdom's Southern provinces with ballistic missiles, killing tens of soldiers and injuring dozens more.

The Yemeni forces hit the Khamis Mushait military base in Asir province with two Qaher-I ballistic missiles.

Tens of Saudi soldiers and officers were killed in Yemen's missile attack on Khamis Mushait military base.

Meantime, the Yemeni army and popular forces fired two Qaher-I ballistic missiles at Jizan Airport on Tuesday.

"Dozens of Saudi soldiers were killed and many more were wounded in the attacks," witness reports said.

In a similar incident on Saturday, at least 104 Saudi-led forces, including 8 senior Saudi and UAE officers, were killed in Yemen's ballistic missile attack on Ma'as military base in Ma'rib province in Central Yemen.

Also on Friday, a Commander of Yemen's Ansarullah Movement confirmed the missile attack at the Ma'as military base in Ma'rib in Central Yemen.

In a relevant development on Wednesday, the Yemeni army and popular forces rained down a barrage of missiles at the Saudi forces' military tower in Al-Dokhan region in Jizan province in Southern Saudi Arabia.

Al-Dokhan tower was reportedly destroyed in the Yemeni missile attacks in Jizan as eyewitnesses said that they had seen smoke rising from it.

The Yemeni army and popular forces regained control of Al-Khurma region in Asir province after they destroyed two arms depots and other military hardware of the Yemeni forces in the region.

Meantime, the Yemeni army's artillery units pounded Malhama military base in Jizan province. The Saudi troops started fleeing their base as soon as they came under the missile attack.

Also on Tuesday, the Yemeni army and popular forces raided Saudi Arabia's military bases and military positions in the Southern part of the kingdom and destroyed their military equipment and hardware.

Informed military sources in the Northern parts of Yemen confirmed that the Yemeni Army alongside the popular forces raided Saudi Arabia's military bases and positions near the borders with Yemen, and destroyed 11 Saudi tanks and armored vehicles.

[END REPORT]

Okay, I'll assume Leith isn't hallucinating. Surely Al-Arabiya has something to say by now about this crisis in the kingdom:
Saudi’s decision to send troops in Syria ‘final’
What about the Saudi Gazette? 
King Salman to visit Egypt on April 4
Al Jazeera? 
Clinton and Sanders clash over minorities, money, Obama in debate
Mark my words, something strange is going on over there in Saudi Arabia. Something even stranger is going on with the major world press.

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