Middle Eastern tyrants

Chapter 231 This is my tactic!

Inside the bridge of the Zion Navy destroyer USS Harnett, dots of light flashed incessantly on the radar screen.

The missile boats of Masr and Surya are so small that they are not easily detected by radar, and therefore always appear and disappear intermittently.

声纳员急促的声音在充斥着静电噪音的通讯频道中响起：“接触确认！方位2-7-0，距离25公里，速度0.9马赫！”

"Electronic countermeasures system activated! Launch chaff/flares!"

Captain Itzhak Holmfel stood at the tactical command platform and issued the order: "Hard port, heading 1-9-5, speed up to 30 knots, and perform a zigzag evasive maneuver!"

"Yes, sir! Fire the chaff!"

"Hard port, heading 1-9-5!"

"Engine compartment, power output increased to 100%!"

The order was quickly relayed and executed. The ship tilted violently amidst the roar of its engines, and the immense inertia flung all unsecured objects to one side.

Holmfel gripped the control panel to keep himself from being thrown off.

On both sides of the deck, with muffled thuds, wads of chaff were launched into the air, quickly bursting into patches of metallic clouds.

Logically speaking, missile boats are the nemesis of destroyers, much like how light tanks attack the rear of heavy tanks. In addition, missile boats are equipped with anti-ship missiles, which further strengthens this restraining relationship.

However, after suffering a crushing defeat in the naval battles of the Six-Day War, Zion quickly developed corresponding electronic jamming technology that could disable the Styx missile.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Huge fireballs exploded one after another on the distant sea surface, and several Styx missiles were successfully jammed, their shattered bodies falling into the sea with flames.

However, one of the explosions was relatively close, and the shockwave from the explosion caused the entire ship to shake violently, with fragments clattering against the ship's armor.

"Nearly missing shot on starboard side! No structural damage reported!"

"Continue the interception!"

Holmfel steadied himself on the command platform, his gaze sweeping across the flanks.

Around the USS Hanit, several smaller Zion missile boats were also fighting hard, engaging in constant dogfights with their adversaries.

Missile contrails crisscrossed, and jets of water from explosions rose and fell.

"Captain, the Eilat reports that they have sunk a Zorya Wasp-class missile boat!"

Holmfel continued to issue orders via radio: "Order the escort fleet to maintain formation and absolutely not allow any enemy units to break through the defensive line and get close to the cargo ship group!"

"'Gabriel' hits target! Enemy vessel silent!"

"Beware! Torpedo trajectory detected on starboard!"

"The cargo ship 'Seagull' reports that they are under fire from small-caliber artillery and request cover!"

Holmfel continued to issue orders, allocating the limited escort force.

The battle lasted for nearly forty minutes before the Arab missile boat fleet finally began to retreat.

A missile boat can carry 2 to 4 anti-ship missiles. Once those are all gone, it can only rely on its twin 25mm naval guns to engage in firefights.

After the last Arab missile boat disappeared from sight, only burning wreckage, floating oil slicks, and dissipating smoke remained on the sea surface.

"Captain, the San Juan has an engine malfunction and requires repair."

What about the other units?

There are no reports of casualties.

Itzhak Holmfel rubbed his dry eyes, which had been strained from staring at the screen for so long, and slowly let out a sigh of relief.

Although he won this battle, he knew that the crisis was far from over.

As long as cargo ships from overseas continue to sail from the Eastern Mediterranean to Tel Aviv, they will continue to be harassed by the Arab navy.

The waterway is there; they are in the open, the enemy is in the shadows.

This time alone, Zion's navy has come out in full force.

"Continue patrolling along the flight path."

Just then, Holmfield noticed that a grayish-white fog was silently spreading, greatly reducing visibility on the already dark sea.

"It's getting foggy"

He squinted and murmured.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Jerusalem, November 11. A motorcade carrying Zion Prime Minister Hilbert drove through heavily guarded streets and finally stopped in front of a historic building.

This is the location of the wartime provisional government. Behind the sandbag fortifications at the entrance, fully armed sentries stand.

In the conference room converted from an underground bunker, two important figures were already waiting: Jerusalem Affairs Special Envoy Aitan Levi and Lieutenant General Daniel Tamir, commander of the Second Army, awaiting the Prime Minister's inspection.

Lieutenant General Daniel snapped to attention and saluted Hilbert: "Your Excellency Prime Minister, the entire Second Army is prepared to fight to the death for the Holy City! Even if we shed our last drop of blood, we will never let the glory of Jerusalem fall!"

Hilbert gripped the general's hand tightly, and from the general's trembling fingertips he could feel the general's resolute determination.

“Daniel, Zion thanks you and your soldiers. You have made the nation proud.”

On the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, twenty nautical miles north of Haifa, a large fleet is silently sailing at a speed of four knots through dense fog.

The fleet included converted cargo ships, small vessels, and missile boats, making it a mixed bag.

Behind the ship's hull, barely visible, the TOW anti-tank missile mounts revealed their menacing outlines beneath the wet canvas, while soldiers draped in waterproof cloaks huddled on the deck.

Al-Khali stared intently at the coastline where the lighthouse was flashing, gripping his rifle tightly.

Meanwhile, at the outpost of the 12th Naval Garrison on the other side of the strait, the sentry leaned against the bulletproof glass of the observation post, listening intently to the Premier's powerful speech on the radio.

The snow-like dots on the radar screen blended into the sea surface clutter.

An hour later, Hilbert stood in front of the Temple Mount church, surrounded by a dense array of microphones. His voice, transmitted via radio waves, reached all of Zion: "Fellow countrymen, I am speaking to you from the heart of Jerusalem, in our eternal capital."

The enemy thought they could subdue us through massacres and intimidation, and they thought they could instill fear in us by breaking agreements, but they were wrong.

Jerusalem is not their spoils of war, but the promised land given to us by God—the holy city where our patriarch David founded his capital, and the foundation upon which Solomon laid his temple!

"Commander, it's time."

Commander Hafez of the Surria Army Group glanced at his wristwatch, then stood up and issued the order: "Attention all personnel, execute Operation Typhoon Landing! We'll show the Zionians what real blitzkrieg is all about!"

Some accuse us of being tough, of being unwilling to compromise. But I ask: where is the world when our soldiers are being slaughtered, when our women and children are being driven from their homes?
When the enemy openly declares they will drive us all into the sea, what does compromise mean? It means the annihilation of the nation!

Haifa's northern defense line.

The soldiers in the trenches were listening to the Prime Minister's speech when suddenly, a burst of artillery fire came from afar.

"Enemy attack! All personnel to take their positions!"

Major Marcus, while lying down, grabbed the radio: "Haifa Command, sound the full alert immediately! Repeat, the northern defense line is under heavy artillery fire!"

Meanwhile, at the headquarters in Haifa, all radio stations were broadcasting the Prime Minister's speech.

It wasn't until the piercing alarm sounded that everyone snapped out of their daze.

"What's going on?" Admiral Eliezer Haim, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, jumped to his feet. "Take over to the front lines!"

Upon hearing the report, a chill ran down his spine: "Order all coastal defense forces to enter Level 1 combat readiness! Immediately recall the missile boat formations patrolling overseas!"

We once hoped for peace; we once reached out our hands.

But all they got in return was more rockets, more terror, and more betrayal.

Now we understand: on this land, survival is not achieved through charity, and peace is not achieved through begging! It is achieved through the guns in our hands, the faith in our hearts, and our indomitable will!

At the Shuangzhi Expeditionary Force's frontline command, Bandar also issued an offensive order: "Order the 3rd Armored Division to immediately outflank Haifa from the east, and the 7th Mechanized Infantry Division to reinforce the offensive on the northern front. I want to see our flag planted on Haifa's city hall before sunset!"

Look at the stones of Jerusalem; they have witnessed the rise and fall of countless empires—Babylon, Rome, the Crusaders—all turned to dust, yet the Zion people still stand. Today, we will stand as well.

We will never retreat, for we have nowhere to retreat! Behind us lies the Wailing Wall, the Temple Mount, and our three-thousand-year-old dream and prayers!

"The Fourth Combined Arms Army is organizing a counterattack, but the Fifth Armored Army is tied down on the eastern front!"

The staff officer reported anxiously, "According to the news, Surya and Shuangzhi's troops have launched a surprise attack on us simultaneously. This is a general offensive!"

Just as General Haim was about to make a call to headquarters, he glanced out the window and looked at the mist, a vague sense of unease creeping over him.

At that moment, an urgent call came over the radio: "The enemy has broken through the northern defense line and is advancing towards the center of the port!"

Hilbert proclaimed: "Victory will surely be ours, for justice is on our side, and God is with us!"
Long live Zion!

"All personnel, full speed ahead!"

Al-Khali ripped off the camouflage net from the fishing boat and roared, "Fire at will!"

In an instant, the wet canvases on both sides of hundreds of modified ships slid down, revealing the armored vehicles and tanks hidden underneath.

The missile boat's diesel engines roared, billowing black smoke as it hurtled toward the shore. The first wave of rockets rained down on the coastal defenses, and the entire coastline of Haifa Port was instantly engulfed in flames.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

(End of this chapter)