Iranian Fighter Jet Crashes, Three Killed: State TV

TEHRAN, IRAN — An Iranian fighter jet crashed Monday in a residential area of the northwestern city of Tabriz killing three people, including two crew, state television reported.

The head of the local Red Crescent organization said the plane smashed into a school and that one of the dead was a resident of the neighborhood.

Local official Mohammad-Bagher Honarvar told state television that the school was closed at the time due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A handout picture provided by the news agency TASNIM on February 21, 2022 shows firefighters putting out a blaze at the crash site of a fighter jet in a residential area of the northwestern city of Tabriz.

He identified the plane as a F-5 fighter aircraft and said it went down at around 9:00 a.m. (0530 GMT) in the central Tabriz neighborhood of Monajem.

An investigation is underway, the state broadcaster said.

The official news agency IRNA posted on its website video footage showing firefighters putting out a blaze at the crash site.

A handout picture provided by the news agency TASNIM on February 21, 2022 shows residents gathering at the crash site of a fighter jet in a residential area of the northwestern city of Tabriz.

Iran’s air force has mostly Russian MiG and Sukhoi fighter jets that date back to the Soviet era, as well as some Chinese aircraft.

Some American F-4 and F-5 fighter jets dating back to before the 1979 Islamic revolution are also part of its air fleet.

US Deploying Fighter Aircraft to United Arab Emirates

The U.S. Defense Department said Wednesday that it was deploying advanced fighter aircraft to the United Arab Emirates to help protect the country against the threat posed by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi rebels.

In a statement, the Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahy via telephone Tuesday that he was sending the aircraft to bolster U.S. military support for the country.

Austin also agreed to send the USS Cole, a guided missile destroyer, to assist the UAE navy and make a port call in Abu Dhabi, the department said.

It said the deployments were meant send “a clear signal that the United States stands with the UAE as a long-standing strategic partner.”

Yemen’s Houthi rebels recently launched three missile attacks on the UAE, including a foiled attempt that targeted a base that hosts U.S. forces.

The Houthi movement, which is fighting a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen that includes the UAE, has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The most recent attack occurred during a visit Monday by Israel’s president, when UAE forces intercepted a missile. Israel and countries on the Arabian Peninsula have pursued closer relations in recent years as a bulwark against Iran.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz began a two-day visit to Bahrain on Wednesday, during which he will sign a security agreement with Bahraini leaders, according to Israeli media reports.

The Biden administration has said it is considering financial sanctions against the Houthi rebels and their leaders as part of an effort to get the Houthis to join talks to wind down the war in Yemen. The eight-year conflict has devastated Yemen, a nation where of millions of people have been pushed into poverty by clashes and government mismanagement.

Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press and Reuters.

US Deploying Navy Destroyer, Fighter Jets to Aid UAE

WASHINGTON — 

The U.S. military is sending a guided missile destroyer to the United Arab Emirates and deploying fighter jets to help the UAE as it contends with missile attacks from Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed the moves in a phone call Tuesday with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

A Pentagon statement said the USS Cole will “partner with the UAE Navy before making a port call in Abu Dhabi.”

“The Secretary also informed the Crown Prince of his decision to deploy 5th Generation Fighter aircraft to assist the UAE against the current threat and as a clear signal that the United States stands with the UAE as a long-standing strategic partner,” the statement said.

A January 17 rebel attack killed three foreign workers at an Abu Dhabi oil facility.

One week later, UAE and U.S. forces at Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra airbase launched interceptor missiles to destroy two Houthi missiles.

A third attack came Monday, with UAE missiles intercepting a Houthi rocket during a visit from Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

The UAE is part of a Saudi-led coalition, which since 2015 has battled the Houthi rebels in defense of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.