Operation: LEFT JAB

Previous:	Battle at Szurdok Ridge
Concurrent:	Operation: UPPER CUT
Next:	Siege of New Alexandria
Operation: LEFT JAB
Conflict:	Human-Covenant War Siege of the Inner Colonies Fall of Reach
Date:	August 14, 2552
Location:	Reach, Epsilon Eridani system
Outcome:	UNSC victory Covenant forces successfully diverted. Success of Operation: UPPER CUT. UNSC strategic gains nullified due to arrival of Covenant reinforcements.
Details Belligerents UNSC UNSC Navy Covenant Covenant military Covenant fleet Commanders VADM Michael Stanforth Supreme Commander Rho 'Barutamee† Shipmaster Kantar 'Utaralee Strength Epsilon Eridani Fleet 2+ Epoch-class heavy carriers 4+ Marathon-class heavy cruisers 12+ Paris-class heavy frigates 10+ GA-TL1 Longswords 9+ F-41 Broadswords Epsilon Eridani Fleet (UPPER CUT) 1 Paris-class heavy frigate Fleet of Valiant Prudence 3+ Varric-pattern heavy cruisers 5+ Ket-pattern battlecruisers 14+ Ceudar-pattern heavy corvettes 14+ Morsam-pattern Seraphs 22+ Keljiric-pattern Tarasques Fleet of Valiant Prudence (UPPER CUT) 1 Sh'wada-pattern supercarrier 1 Ceudar-pattern heavy corvette Multiple Morsam-pattern Seraphs Multiple T-27 Banshees Casualties Unknown UNSC Savannah Heavy Majority of the fleet destroyed Long Night of Solace Ardent Prayer

Operation: LEFT JAB was an operation of the United Nations Space Command during the Fall of Reach in the Epsilon Eridani system on August 14, 2552. Desperate to destroy the Covenant Sh'wada-pattern supercarrier Long Night of Solace—flagship of the Fleet of Valiant Prudence—in orbit over Reach, Operation: LEFT JAB distracted the Covenant fleet while the concurrent Operation: UPPER CUT destroyed the supercarrier.

Background

During the Fall of Reach in the summer of 2552, Covenant Sh'wada-pattern supercarrier Long Night of Solace—flagship of the Fleet of Valiant Prudence—was discovered in orbit over the planet during the Battle at Szurdok Ridge. In response, the United Nations Space Command concocted two operations to destroy the supercarrier, allowing the UNSC to gain the upper hand in the ongoing battle for the planet. Operation: UPPER CUT would see the destruction of Long Night of Solace, while Operation: LEFT JAB served as a supporting mission to distract the Fleet of Valia