Units from the 4th Military Region (MRC) of the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) carried out a large-scale military drill in Yemen, which simulated offensive and defensive maneuvers against American, British, and Israeli forces.

The drill codenamed "Toophan al-Mudammer" (Destructive Flood in English) is one of the largest exercises conducted by the YAF. 

Overseeing the exercise were the Chief of General Staff, Major General Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, the commander of the 4th Military Region, Major General Abdul Latif al-Mahdi, Dhamar Governor Muhammad al-Bukhaiti, and several military officials and dignitaries.

العميد يحيى سريع:
مناورة "الطوفان المدمر" لوحدات رمزية من قوات المنطقة العسكرية الرابعة.
الإعلام الحربي سيوزع مشاهد المناورة الساعة الثالثة عصرا إن شاء الله. pic.twitter.com/w5e0YOmlAT

— أمين حيان Ameen Hayyan (@ameenhayan) July 6, 2024

The exercise involved various military units from the YAF's Unmanned Air Force, artillery units, sniper teams, anti-armor units, infantry forces, armored forces, and combat engineering units. The area of responsibility (AOR) was divided into two positions (offense-defense), with an emphasis on command, control, and coordination between the different units.

The YAF designed the exercise to mimic a possible offensive on hostile American, British, and Israeli forces, known as the "Triad of Evil" in Yemen, and the subsequent defense of the overtaken site. 

In the first stage, YAF forces executed a successful offensive on both an Israeli and British site, and later prepared to defend their positions, in the second stage, against an American force tasked with retaking the Israeli site. 

In the offensive, YAF troops showcased the high level of training and coordination among the different units, their diverse combat tactics, and their flexibility and combat performance. 

Dive deeper

In the first phase of the attack, drones targeted observation posts within the Israeli-British camp with 120 mm shells, while other drones targeted and destroyed enemy vehicles inside and outside the camp, rendering them inoperative and disabling surveillance and reconnaissance equipment.

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Simultaneously, the enemy's command and control rooms were targeted.

In the second phase, the artillery unit targeted the command and control room of the enemy's artillery forces, disabling their ability to provide support. This was accompanied by intense targeting of the enemy's artillery positions and batteries with precise firepower.

In the third phase, sniper units targeted surveillance cameras positioned on top of buildings. The momentum of the simultaneous attack on the enemy camp continued, with ongoing fire and coordination among the forces.

In the fourth phase, an anti-armor company equipped with RPG launchers advanced from secret underground tunnels and distributed factions to attack targets on the camp's perimeter, targeting enemy forces present in buildings and destroying remaining vehicles inside and outside the camp.

On the offense

The plan for an offensive was successfully executed as the second anti-armor unit continued targeting the remaining goals on the camp's perimeter and atop buildings. Simultaneously, the third unit advanced toward the barracks on the first floor of the camp buildings.

Additionally, another anti-armor unit, using motorcycles, emerged from tunnels and approached the camp from two paths—right and left—targeting objectives within the garrison and remaining enemy vehicles before returning to their positions.

After destroying all targets within the Israeli camp buildings and perimeter and all their vehicles and weapons, the fifth phase began with infantry and vehicles cleansing the camp and securing full control of it. A specialized infantry unit transported via BMP armored vehicles surrounded the camp via two paths to engage the enemy.

On the defense

The offensive plan demonstrated effective combat tactics in offensive operations, executed within a specified timeframe simulating real combat conditions. The exercise then transitioned to a defensive posture to protect the controlled area, taking into account all potential enemy attack scenarios.

In further detail, simulated enemy forces launched an intensive attack using vehicles and infantry to regain control of lost positions. The units, now on defense, strategically lured the enemy into a well-planned ambush.

Engaging the enemy

The engagement with the enemy included the first phase of potential enemy actions and combat tactics, where the enemy combed defensive positions using weapons and artillery. The defending forces lured the enemy, evacuated positions, and took cover in pre-prepared trenches and dugouts.

In the subsequent phase, as the enemy continued its advance onto defensive positions and controlling them, deploying armored vehicles (including APCs, armored vehicles, and tanks) into the operational area and advancing along the main road in the city center to control critical checkpoints, the defending troops detonated explosives to form a gully in front of the convoy, cutting it off, with the aim of isolating and fully encircling enemy forces. An infantry unit then regained control of positions and critical checkpoints seized by the enemy.

In the final phase, two anti-armor RPG units targeted and destroyed the besieged enemy vehicles, targeted enemy-occupied buildings, killed personnel, and set the vehicles ablaze. After the enemy fled into nearby buildings within the ambush area, a combat engineering team detonated and destroyed the buildings where the enemy had taken defensive positions.

This comes shortly after the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) unveiled its "Toophan al-Mudammer" (Destructive Flood in Arabic) unmanned surface vehicle (USV), marking the fourth revelation of a specialized weapon that joined the battle in support of the Gaza Strip during the month of June.