Hezbollah Attacks, Russian Missile Strikes

THE WAR NEWSLETTER — OCT 16 2024

Good morning. Today’s update covers updates from Israel and Ukraine.

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Map of today’s newsletter:

• 🇮🇱 Hezbollah continues rocket attacks

• ⚔️ A landing craft that can land on any terrain

• 🇺🇦 Russian missiles hit civilian ships

1 - ISRAEL

1 thing to know

Terror group Hezbollah continues to pummel Israel with rockets from Lebanon.

The context 

Israeli ground forces, along with air support, continue to work on removing Hezbollah forces from southern Lebanon. 

Hezbollah has intensified rocket attacks on northern Israel, with more than 30 rockets fired in the last day or so and four Israelis injured. In response, Israel has conducted airstrikes targeting more Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon. 

More from the region

The US gave Israel 30 days to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, threatening to stop weapons supplies if Israel didn’t take action. Israel took action immediately, increasing aid deliveries to Gaza,  allowing 50 aid trucks to enter Gaza.

In the news

• 50 aid trucks enter Gaza

• Rocket fire wounds 4

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TECH SPOTLIGHT: LANDING CRAFT AIR CUSHION

The Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) is a high speed amphibious landing craft used chiefly by the US Marine Corps for transporting equipment and troops from ships to the shore. The LCAC is capable of transporting up to 75 tons of cargo, and is the only transport that can move an M-1 Abrams tank from an amphibious ship to the beach.

Traditional landing craft can only reach about 15 percent of the world's coastline, but with the air cushion technology, the LCAC can reach over 70 percent. The first concept of the LCAC was first designed in the early 1970s, with the first craft being delivered to the U.S. Navy in 1984, and the final version in 2001. The 87 foot craft is operated by a crew of five sailors: the Craft Master, Navigator, Craft Engineer, Deck Engineer, and Load Master.

What it’s used for

The LCAC was first deployed in 1987 aboard the USS Germantown, and is used for beach landings of personnel and equipment, as well as for evacuation support, lane breaching, and mine countermeasure operations. With a Personnel Transport Model (PTM) on the cargo deck, the craft can seat 180 troops, 120 combat loaded troops, and can also be converted to carry 54 casualties.

Read more here.

2 - UKRAINE

1 thing to know

Civilian ships were struck by Russian missiles in Ukrainian ports for the fourth time since October 5th.

The context 

Russian forces struck civilian vessels in Ukrainian ports multiple times since October 5, with the goal of disrupting Ukraine's grain corridor. In the latest attack from October 14, the port of Odesa was hit by a ballistic missile, damaging two civilian vessels and infrastructure, including a grain warehouse. 

Analysts reviewing the strikes against the grain corridor infrastructure agree that the attacks are meant to undermine confidence in Ukraine's ability do defend the corridor, and influence Western decisions about long-term support for Ukraine.

More from the region

Ukraine's military efforts have also had a marked increase in mobilization as the country works to strengthen its forces against Russia. 

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that mobilization indicators have been increased 2.5 times, with 12% of military personnel now joining the army voluntarily through a new recruitment system, thanks to new laws passed in April to improve the process. 

According to Umerov, Ukraine has enough troops, and now they just need more weapons and equipment from international partners.

In the news

• War updates

• Russian attacks on Odesa ports

• Comments from Ukrainian Defense Minister

P.S. If you have a source, tip, or piece of information we missed, please reply to this email and tell us about it. Thank you!