Operation Jonah

Operation Jonah
Part of the Final War of the Deluge
Royal Marine Corps landing reinforcements on West Seneca, 2 January 2022
Date 24 December 2021 - present Location Seneca Islands Result Ongoing
Belligerents
Urcea Alstin	Varshan
Units involved
Royal and Imperial Army Royal Navy Royal Marine Corps United Republic Navy	Seneca Islands Garrison Navy of Varshan
Strength
125,000+ (initial) 300,000+ (March 2022)	130,000+
Casualties and losses
High	High

The Operation Jonah was the Urcean invasion of the Seneca Islands during the Final War of the Deluge. The Seneca Islands, a critical commercial and shipbuilding territory for Varshan, were the only major remaining target to ensure the full naval blockade of Varshan. The Islands, which are strategically located just off the shore of mainland Varshan, also provided allied forces a convenient target to relieve pressure from Varshani operations elsewhere, including the ongoing occupation of Cetsencalia, Quetzenkel front, and other parts of the Final War of the Deluge. The campaign featured the first wartime use of an atomic bomb since the Great War.

Background

Through November 2021, allied forces in the Final War of the Deluge - especially Urcea and its Nysdra Sea Treaty Association partners - had been unable to make significant progress against Varshani territory itself. Varshan, on the other hand, had managed to successfully invade Cetsencalia and were making progress in their war with Corumm. Allied planning dictated that a major operation against Varshan was necessary to relieve pressure on other fronts. Operation Jonah was designed in order to take advantage of the allies' clear naval supremacy in the war and was originally envisioned as an amphibious attack against mainland Varshan, which was eventually ruled out due to the objections of the Royal Navy. The strategically valuable Seneca Islands, on the other hand, presented numerous advantages. Varshan would be quick to reinforce the islands due to its proximity to the Varshani coast where the could be easily trapped by allied naval action. Additionally, several new shipbuilding facilities and other commercial ports had been constructed on the islands during the early 2000s as an effort by Varshan to prepare against The Deluge. Consequently, it could be easily reinforced and used as a forward base for further operations against the mainland at a future point in the war. Allied leaders agreed to the Seneca Islands as the target in early November and operational planning began immediately.

Summary of operations

Naval campaign

Main article: Battle of the Seneca Straits

West Seneca invasion

The successful joint naval campaign of the end of December 2021 allowed for an amphibious assault to occur on the Seneca Islands. On the morning of 30 December, elements of the Royal Marine Corps landed on the southwestern tip of West Seneca and established a small beachhead after 72 hours of straight fighting in which the Marines took heavy casualties. Following an attempted naval breakout by what remained of Varshani naval forces in the area, the Royal Marines captured the city of Enuzha'Thaan, which was then the second most populous city on the island and also the second largest port. The capture of the port allowed major Royal and Imperial Army forces to reinforce the Urcean position. Among the port was found the keel of an Occidental-style supercarrier along with evidence that unknown Occidental advisers had been assisting the Varshani navy with construction of a vessel capable of countering the Royal Navy and Urcean advance. The fall of Enuzha'Thaan necessitated a change in the defensive strategy, and on 5 January the Varshani army conceded the southern half of the island and withdrew to the approximate middle of the island, establishing a line of defenses anchored by the village of Ne'Shel to the south and Hazaan to the north. The remaining armored forces were marshaled at the defense line to attempt to penetrate and encircle the advancing Royal and Imperial Army in a counter offensive once they attacked the line.

The Royal and Imperial Army continually advanced to the northeast and broke through the main Varshani defensive line at Ne'Shel, destroying most of the Varshani armored forces remaining on West Seneca on 24 January. The Varshani counter-attack quickly stalled due to the relative outdatedness of its armored forces and lack of reliable aerial or satellite intelligence on the Urcean armored force. Following the destruction of most of its ability to counter-attack, the Varshani forces were divided into independent platoons and used suicide attacks in order to slow the Urcean advance towards the main port city of Zakan Rot. These tactics were successful in delaying, and Urcean forces did not arrive at the outskirts of Zakan Rot until 19 February. A secondary defensive line erected around the city was broken the next day, resulting in street-to-street skirmishes for nearly two weeks. Varshani forces were largely beaten back to the port by 22 February, though independent platoon cells began to fan out through the city the same day requiring a larger engagement of Urcean forces.

Atomic bombing of Zakan Rot

Main article: Atomic bombing of Zakan Rot

With the Royal and Imperial Army spread throughout the city of Zakan Rot engaging independent bands of Varshani forces, several full divisions of Urcean forces were committed within the city limits. On the morning of 24 February, the Varshani forces detonated a 300 kt nuclear bomb at the port, destroying the port and inflicting severe casualties on the civilian population, the Royal and Imperial Army, and the local Varshani forces. Nearly a division and a half (at full strength) of the Royal and Imperial Army was destroyed. In the week following, military efforts shifted towards humanitarian relief for the local population. On 3 March, West Seneca was declared fully secured.