Editing Arizona

{{Status|Canon}}

On November 17, Covenant [[proselytization network]] cohesion broke with the departure of the [[Prophet of Truth]] through the [[Portal at Voi|portal]] to [[Installation 00]]. UNSC forces took advantage of this windfall and began a [[URNA Southwest Campaign|counteroffensive]] across the former southwestern URNA. On November 19, UNSC flagword [[LUX]] was declared and a [[UEG]] emergency evacuation broadcast was initiated in anticipation of a tactical nuclear deployment against shielded enemy positions at OZONE, which followed shortly after. On December 3, [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Joseph Harper]] directed [[Operation: MARSH FLASH]], which successfully eliminated clusters of high-value Jiralhanae leadership attempting to activate a [[Forerunner]] artifact there.<ref name="loot2">''[[Halo Legendary Crate]]'', [[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #2]]</ref>

On [[2557#July|July 25, 2557]], The [[Ur-Didact]] arrived at Earth with his ship, the ''[[Mantle's Approach]]'', and a [[Composer]]. The Didact used the Composer to target [[New Phoenix]], Arizona, and successfully composed the entire population—approximately seven million people. [[John-117]], who had managed to get aboard the [[Forerunner]] vessel, stopped the Didact before more damage could be done and destroyed the ''Mantle's Approach'' with a Mark 2556 MFDD [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]]. The [[United Nations Space Command]] moved swiftly to establish a presence in the city{{Ref/Level|Halo 4|[[Epilogue (Halo 4 level)|Epilogue]]}}, particularly in order to secure a [[Unidentified Forerunner machine|Forerunner artifact]] at a local [[New Phoenix ONI facility|ONI facility]]. Soon after the city was first attacked, however, [[portal]]s throughout the city opened and [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]] [[Battle of New Phoenix|poured]] into it from [[Installation 03]], along with a host of mechanical [[Promethean]]s. The enemies were repelled by the UNSC and the portals were closed when a device known as the [[Conduit]] was united with the artifact ONI had been studying.<ref name="HSS">''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]'', [[Operation D: Adamantine Shield]]</ref> Due to uncertainty over the finality of the Didact's defeat, the UNSC Security Council decided to hide the details of the attack from the public, concealing it as an attack by only the [[Covenant remnants]] which had been stopped by the return of humanity's greatest hero, the Master Chief.{{Ref/Comic|Halo: Escalation|Issue=[[Halo: Escalation Issue 3|#3]]}} Additionally, the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] quarantined New Phoenix for a year. Six months later, however, ONI public relations officer [[John Sullivan]] released a statement to the press confirming the Covenant was not responsible for the attack.<ref>''Spartan Ops'', [[Departure]]</ref>  

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File:H4 - NewPhoenix Streets.png|The empty streets of New Phoenix following the Didact's attack.

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