Gaza - Israel Conflict ~ Naval Aspects

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U.S. Central Command

Pier-building begins

Construction of the floating JLOTS pier in the Mediterranean is underway.
The pier will support USAID and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
USTRANSCOM and @USEUCOM support the movement of #humanitarianaid.
3 More photos at https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1785059473351966759

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RFA Cardigan Bay has sailed from Cyprus and has now arrived off the coast of Gaza to support the construction of an 1,800-foot pier, along with a floating RoRo facility situated about three miles off the coast.
Cardigan Bay is the command ship and will provide accommodation for several hundred US Army personnel involved in the aid effort.

Sir Humphrey reposted
Deborah Haynes
A timely reminder of the RFA’s vital work globally.
Yet RFA sailors say they’ve suffered a real term pay cut over 14 years that amounts to 30% - and could take strike action if
Defence HQ don’t offer a better deal.


Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Royal Navy ship will help get life-saving UK aid into Gaza as part of an international effort to set up a humanitarian maritime corridor in early May.
We are also pledging £9.7 million for aid, equipment and expertise to help set up the maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza.

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US-led Gaza humanitarian aid pier comes under fire, UN officials say

JERUSALEM — An under-construction pier for a U.S.-led project to bring aid into the Gaza Strip came under fire Wednesday, forcing U.N. officials to take shelter there, Israeli and U.N. officials said.

No militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault, which the Israelis described as a mortar shell attack.

Authorities said that no one was wounded.

The attack marks a shaky start to the construction of the pier, a project that the U.S. is spearheading to surge humanitarian aid into Gaza. A Hamas official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the militant group will resist any foreign military presence involved with the port project.

Continues https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your ... cials-say/

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U.S. Officials are reporting that the Army’s Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS) Floating Dock off the Coast of the Gaza Strip is nearing Completion and will likely begin receiving Humanitarian Aid from Cyprus by this Weekend; the Final Stage of the Project, which is the Construction of the Temporary-Floating Causeway which will Travel from the Dock, roughly 5 Miles off the Coast, to the Pier in Central Gaza built by the Israel Defense Force should be Finished by Sunday.

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U.S. Central Command

Update on the Construction of the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability in Mediterranean Sea

Yesterday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) temporarily paused offshore assembly of the floating pier in the vicinity of Gaza due to sea state considerations. Forecasted high winds and high sea swells caused unsafe conditions for Soldiers working on the surface of the partially constructed pier. The partially built pier and military vessels involved in its construction have moved to the Port of Ashdod, where assembly will continue, and will be completed prior to the emplacement of the pier in its intended location when sea states subside.

Once in place, the temporary pier in Gaza will allow for the delivery of additional humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in need. This temporary pier, part of the U.S. military’s Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) capability, enables the delivery of large quantities of humanitarian aid from ship to shore by truck, with vehicles driving directly off ships and across the temporary pier to a marshaling yard ashore. Humanitarian aid will be offloaded in the shore facility before being transferred to humanitarian partners for onward distribution inside Gaza.

The maritime corridor between Cyprus and Gaza facilitates international humanitarian assistance deliveries by sea. The U.S. military’s unique JLOTS capability provides an essential logistics enabler for the multinational effort to increase the supply of humanitarian aid to Gaza by all routes.


OSINTdefender
U.S. Central Command has announced that due to Severe Weather Conditions including High Winds and Seas, the Army’s Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS) Floating Dock off the Coast of Gaza, which was set to be Completed and possibly begin Humanitarian Operations this Weekend, has been Delayed with all U.S. Army and Navy Ships moving to the Port of Ashdod in Southern Israel where they are planning to Complete the Construction of the Dock as well as the 5-Mile Temporary Floating Causeway that will Connect to the Shore.
Photo attached.

[Pelican]

U.S. Central Command

Update on the Construction of the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability in Mediterranean Sea

Yesterday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) temporarily paused offshore assembly of the floating pier in the vicinity of Gaza due to sea state considerations. Forecasted high winds and high sea swells caused unsafe conditions for Soldiers working on the surface of the partially constructed pier. The partially built pier and military vessels involved in its construction have moved to the Port of Ashdod, where assembly will continue, and will be completed prior to the emplacement of the pier in its intended location when sea states subside.

Once in place, the temporary pier in Gaza will allow for the delivery of additional humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in need. This temporary pier, part of the U.S. military’s Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) capability, enables the delivery of large quantities of humanitarian aid from ship to shore by truck, with vehicles driving directly off ships and across the temporary pier to a marshaling yard ashore. Humanitarian aid will be offloaded in the shore facility before being transferred to humanitarian partners for onward distribution inside Gaza.

The maritime corridor between Cyprus and Gaza facilitates international humanitarian assistance deliveries by sea. The U.S. military’s unique JLOTS capability provides an essential logistics enabler for the multinational effort to increase the supply of humanitarian aid to Gaza by all routes.


OSINTdefender
U.S. Central Command has announced that due to Severe Weather Conditions including High Winds and Seas, the Army’s Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS) Floating Dock off the Coast of Gaza, which was set to be Completed and possibly begin Humanitarian Operations this Weekend, has been Delayed with all U.S. Army and Navy Ships moving to the Port of Ashdod in Southern Israel where they are planning to Complete the Construction of the Dock as well as the 5-Mile Temporary Floating Causeway that will Connect to the Shore.
Photo attached.

Navy Lookout
Construction of pier (about 50% complete) to deliver aid to Gaza halted due to bad weather.
Military vessels involved in its construction have moved to the Port of Ashdod, where assembly will continue.
RFA Cardigan Bay returned to Cyprus on Wednesday.
Hurst Point sailed from Gibraltar this week bound for Limassol.
[Hurst Pt. now arrived Limassol]

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OSINTdefender
According to Satellite Imagery from Yesterday, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), who was initially believed to be heading back to the United States after recently entering the Eastern Mediterranean following Operations against the Houthi Terrorist Group in the Red Sea, appears to instead be Reentering the Red Sea. In my Opinion, this is likely due to the Imminent Ground Invasion of Rafah by the IDF, which could cause a Significant Response from Iranian-Backed Groups like the Houthis and Hezbollah against Israel.


MT Anderson
*UPDATE: CSG 2 Suez Southbound*
CARRIER STRIKE GROUP 2
Look who is heading back to the Red Sea!
TheCVN69 & an Arleigh Burke Class destroyer (USS Gravely?) are southbound in the Suez Canal (just exiting the Great Bitter Lake)
5 May 2024: Landsat 8-9

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GAZA HUMANITARIAN PIER
Sentinel 2 from 9 May 2024 show the floating pier (100m x 50m) is once again ~25km off the coast of Ashkelon with a fair bit of vessel traffic near her.

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Bob Hope Class RoRo Vehicle Cargo Ship USNS Roy P. Benavidez pictured at Port Ashdod, Israel on May 10th 2024.

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US PIER OFF GAZA

Little lately from usual sources but quick trawl provides:

US completes building humanitarian pier off Gaza coast
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4649 ... pier-gaza/

US military completes construction of Gaza aid pier
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-military-c ... 01895.html

US military completes construction on temporary Gaza pier
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/middle ... 85886.html

Video https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68534370