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Originally Posted By WoodHeat: And of all the places Russia might invade, Poland is last on the list. Poland would curb stomp them and they know it. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By WoodHeat: Originally Posted By bigstick61: Originally Posted By BM1455: Originally Posted By djohn: World War 3 subforum? LOL. Might be too broad but they way things are going... I would keep it to US & proxies vs. Iran a proxies. If China kicks off Taiwan and Russia invades Poland the WW-III thread will be great for all of about two days and we are all dead. I seriously doubt there would be a major nuclear exchange, especially so quickly. And of all the places Russia might invade, Poland is last on the list. Poland would curb stomp them and they know it. Baltics would be the easiest target. If southern Ukraine fell I could see Moldova and Romania become targets as well. At this point, I wonder if Orban would just welcome them in with open arms. No way Poland does not throw down with or without the rest of NATO in this scenario, though. |
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The finest opportunity ever given to the world was thrown away because the passion for equality made vain the hope for freedom.
-Lord Acton |
Originally Posted By Shadyman: Pretty much this. Isolationism of the USA always leads to war, the draft and social upheaval. Think about that when you vote. But mom’s basement dwellers and GD millionaires follow the orange God. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By Shadyman: Originally Posted By PolarBear416: People who think Iran / Russia and China aren't actually out to get us... Iran / Russia are seeking to deny us resources though military violence, controlling shipping lanes and controlling resources in places like Africa, with a long term goal of strangling us. China is pursuing a similar strategy except more based on diplomacy and economic influence than actual military intervention, so far... Both groups are actively using espionage to steal our technology (especially China) and disrupt our political and economic system (especially Russia). A lot of folks are complacent thinking whatever happens overseas will have no effect on them / how bad can it get. We have enjoyed a great standard of living for a long time, and there is no reason that shouldn't continue. But it's not guaranteed to continue. If we fail to protect our interests things like fuel shortages, sky high food prices, hunger, etc, can eventually happen to us. Pretty much this. Isolationism of the USA always leads to war, the draft and social upheaval. Think about that when you vote. But mom’s basement dwellers and GD millionaires follow the orange God. An irony if the main isolationist movement on the Right today is that it is basically derived from Leftist ideas and that it uses Iraq and Afghanistan as examples when those campaigns ended as they did because of the impact of the anti-war and isolationist types on domestic politics. The people opposed from the start or later on set the stage for failure and then used the failure they helped create as a basis for opposing conflicy and embracing isolationism. |
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The finest opportunity ever given to the world was thrown away because the passion for equality made vain the hope for freedom.
-Lord Acton |
Originally Posted By brass:NYT - Preparing the public for what the .gov has already decided. There will be a pointless limited war with Yemen/Middle East (possibly terrorists on US side) after the Gaza things dies down. Probably around election season. View Quote I would hope we aren't dumb enough to jump into a ground war in Yemen. Our only objective there should be destroying or degrading the Houthi's ability to attack commercial shipping. That is doable with air and naval power. It might take some creativity and time, but that's a given. It might also take dealing with Iran and forcing them to choose between the Houthis and their own air and naval forces. |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Originally Posted By michigan66: I would hope we aren't dumb enough to jump into a ground war in Yemen. Our only objective there should be destroying or degrading the Houthi's ability to attack commercial shipping. That is doable with air and naval power. It might take some creativity and time, but that's a given. It might also take dealing with Iran and forcing them to choose between the Houthis and their own air and naval forces. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By michigan66: Originally Posted By brass:NYT - Preparing the public for what the .gov has already decided. There will be a pointless limited war with Yemen/Middle East (possibly terrorists on US side) after the Gaza things dies down. Probably around election season. I would hope we aren't dumb enough to jump into a ground war in Yemen. Our only objective there should be destroying or degrading the Houthi's ability to attack commercial shipping. That is doable with air and naval power. It might take some creativity and time, but that's a given. It might also take dealing with Iran and forcing them to choose between the Houthis and their own air and naval forces. We can bomb Yemen everyday for the next decade and it won't do shit to stop these attacks if Iran can just keep supplying them with more missiles. Iran needs to be dealt with. |
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Originally Posted By castlebravo84:We can bomb Yemen everyday for the next decade and it won't do shit to stop these attacks if Iran can just keep supplying them with more missiles. Iran needs to be dealt with. View Quote I agree about hitting Iran, hence the second part of my post. But that needs to be on top of hitting the Houthis. |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Footage widely shared on social media showed a massive blast at Israa University, prompting the Biden administration to ask Israel for clarifications.
The IDF says the Navy identified the threat, and together with the 179th Reserve Armored Brigade, struck the operatives. The IDF releases additional footage showing the Hamas tunnel in Khan Younis where hostages were previously held. The sites hit by fighter jets in Markaba include a military building, observation posts, rocket launch positions, and other infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah, the IDF says. |
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The IDF says the troops raided a Hamas site in Maghazi, where they located machinery used to build firearms in the yard of a home. Nearby, a rocket launcher was found, it says.
In Khan Younis, the IDF says Kfir soldiers operated in the Bani Suheila area, locating many weapons used by Hamas, including firearms, explosive devices, grenades, and rockets, as well as killing dozens of terror operatives. Before fighting in Khan Younis, Kfir operated in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood, in what was the brigade’s first-ever ground maneuver. The IDF releases an even longer video of the tunnel in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, where hostages were previously held by Hamas. Troops of the 630th Reserve Battalion operated with combat engineers to locate and destroy Hamas “attack tunnel” shafts and other underground infrastructure on the outskirts of northern Khan Younis, the IDF says. |
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Israel vs. Hamas in a building of Gaza:
IDF finds more Hamas terrorist infrastructure in Khan Younis: |
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Originally Posted By bigstick61: Baltics would be the easiest target. If southern Ukraine fell I could see Moldova and Romania become targets as well. At this point, I wonder if Orban would just welcome them in with open arms. No way Poland does not throw down with or without the rest of NATO in this scenario, though. View Quote Moldova? Moldova is already part of Russia. It's just not reflected on maps. |
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Institute for Study of War backgrounder 24 Jan Key Takeaways: Northern Gaza Strip The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) 215th Artillery Brigade (assigned to the 162nd Division) directed airstrikes to kill Palestinian fighters in the northern Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours. Hamas fighters are reinfiltrating areas that Israeli forces cleared in the northern Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s (PIJ) military wing published footage on January 24 of its fighters firing mortars targeting an Israeli supply line east of Jabalia. Central Gaza Strip Israeli forces destroyed an underground tunnel route 1.5 kilometers from the Israeli border that connects the northern and southern Gaza Strip. Palestinian militias did not claim any attacks targeting Israeli forces in the central Gaza Strip on January 24. Southern Gaza Strip Palestinian fighters defended against Israeli clearing operations in western, southern, and eastern Khan Younis on January 24. Hamas and other Palestinian militias claimed several attacks targeting Israeli forces in western Khan Younis where Palestinian militias are continuing to execute a deliberate defense against Israeli offensive operations. Hamas claimed that its fighters detonated explosives that Israeli forces had planted to demolish a building in western Khan Younis. The group conducted a similar attack on January 22 that killed 21 Israeli soldiers in the central Gaza Strip. Political Negotiations Israel and Hamas continued indirect talks regarding a ceasefire on January 24. Hamas demanded a total Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. West Bank No clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian militias in the West Bank on January 24. Southern Lebanon and Golan Heights Iranian-backed militias, including Lebanese Hezbollah, conducted four attacks from southern Lebanon into northern Israel on January 24. Iraq The United States conducted airstrikes targeting three Kataib Hezbollah facilities in Iraq in al Qaim, Anbar Province, and Jurf al Sakhr, Babil Province, on January 23. The US strikes targeted the 45th Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Brigade’s 3rd Regiment in al Qaim and the 46th and 47th PMF brigades in Jurf al Sakhr. US Central Command reported that the strikes targeted KH's “headquarters, storage and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack UAV capabilities.” Iran uses the al Qaim-Albu Kamal border crossing to transport air defense equipment, precision-guided munitions, and other weapons into Syria. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq—a coalition of Iran-backed Iraqi militias—claimed responsibility for three strikes on US positions in Iraq and Syria on January 24. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacked US forces at Erbil International Airport and Ain al Assad Base in Iraq. The group attacked US forces in Syria at Conoco Mission Support Site in Deir ez Zor Province. Yemen Houthi fighters fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles targeting two US-flagged ships transporting US military supplies through the Gulf of Aden on January 24. CENTCOM conducted airstrikes targeting two anti-ship ballistic missiles in Houthi-controlled territory of Yemen on January 23. CENTCOM reported that the missiles were aimed at the southern Red Sea, were prepared to fire, and posed an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy in the region. Iran Iranian officials discussed the Israel-Hamas war with senior Russian officials on January 24. View Quote |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Haaretz | News Israel-Hamas War Day 111 | Two Drones Cross Lebanese Border Into Israel; Rocket Sirens Sound on Gaza Border Jan 25, 2024
Following report of suspicious people near Lebanon border, IDF says scans of area show no sign of infiltration ■ Palestinians report armed clashes between Israeli army, local armed forces in Jenin ■ IDF investigating UNRWA attack, says not due to IDF airstrike or artillery fire ■ International Court of Justice to issue ruling on Friday, South Africa's foreign minister expected to attend hearing ■ Israeli source say sides are far from agreeing on new hostage deal ■ American military confirms Houthis fired at U.S.-flagged ship RECAP: Two drones cross Lebanese border into Israel; Rocket sirens sound on Gaza border Israel Air Force attacked Hezbollah targets in the area of the Lebanese city of Tyre. One of the targets was an airfield that included infrastructure used by Hezbollah to direct terror attacks against Israel. Report: IDF enter West Bank city of Jenin, gunfire reported Israel's opposition leader Yair Lapid called on Jordan on Thursday to condemn the opening of a new restaurant in the city of Kerak named "October 7" . Indictment filed against manager of car wash in Ra'anana accused of employing two Palestinians who carried out attack in city last week IDF: Dozens of terrorists killed in past day in Khan Yunis Right-wing activists, family members of hostages block aid trucks from entering Gaza View Quote Terrorism Information Center: Documents brought back from the Gaza Strip show Hamas atrocities against Israeli civilians were part of the plan and not the work of a few rogue or unaffiliated terrorists. According to documents located by IDF forces in the Gaza Strip and found in the possession of Hamas operatives who participated in the terrorist attack and massacre on October 7, 2023...Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip instructed the organization’s terrorist operatives to brutalize Jews, both soldiers and civilians, while justifying such actions “in the name of Islam.” Hamas militants were told, "know that your enemy is a disease which has no cure except beheading and removing their hearts and livers." Training included careful preparations for attacking shelters to take hostages, stripping them and threatening to kill them while questioning them. In Gaza City, the IDF found an after action review discussing [Hamas] operatives’ performance during a [training] exercise. Among the criticisms was this: “No thorough operation was carried out to increase the number of hostages (number of women, children, men…),” The captured documents are ...proof that contrary to the claims made by senior Hamas members that the “operation” targeted only military personnel, it had been planned in advance to carry out premeditated acts of violence against the civilian residents of the cities, towns and villages surrounding the Gaza Strip. View Quote Translated notes are inside the spoiler: Click To View Spoiler Among the documents found was an Arabic-Hebrew phrasebook with Hebrew words and phrases transliterated into Arabic characters. The pamphlet was found in the possession of the Jerusalem Battalion of the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, and was apparently distributed to terrorists who participated in the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre. Its contents are shocking and testify to the terrorists’ intentions and plans, including attacking and humiliating civilians, stealing their vehicles, separating men, women and children, capturing and murdering civilians. Some of the Hebrew phrases are, “Take off your pants,” “Where is your weapon?” “I will kill you,” “You are a prisoner,” “Where is the head of the kibbutz?” “We have hostages,” “We will kill the captives,” “Where are the car keys?” “Men are here,” “Women are here,” “The children are here,” “Take off your clothes,” “Where is the commander?” [img]https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/app/uploads/2024/01/020_24_01-1.jpg" /> A document seized by the IDF in one of the Hamas strongholds in the Gaza Strip revealed details of the preparations made by Hamas operatives prior to the terrorist attack and massacre in the cities, towns and villages near the Gaza Strip, indicating that the planning of the attack included locating the shelters to deliberately harm as well as kidnap civilians, including women, children and the elderly. The document includes a follow-up report on a platoon exercise carried out by Hamas operatives in preparation for the massacre as well as a review, apparently written by one of the commanders, about the operatives’ performance during the exercise. Among the criticisms it was written, “No thorough operation was carried out to increase the number of hostages (number of women, children, men…),” indicating that the terrorists planned to kidnap civilians. |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
WSJ: U.S. Secretly Alerted Iran Ahead of Islamic State Terrorist Attack
The U.S. secretly warned Iran that Islamic State was preparing to carry out the terrorist attack early this month that killed more than 80 Iranians in a pair of coordinated suicide bombings, U.S. officials said. The confidential alert came after the U.S. acquired intelligence that Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan, ISIS-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, was plotting to attack Iran, they said. One former U.S. official said there could be a number of reasons for Washington to warn Iran. In addition to protecting innocent civilians, such a warning might be intended to prevent Tehran from responding to the attack in a way that could create further instability in the region and potentially undermine U.S. interests. Other former officials said that providing such a warning might also be a way to spur dialogue on foreign policy issues. View Quote Full article in spoiler: Click To View Spoiler WSJ News Exclusive | U.S. Secretly Alerted Iran Ahead of Islamic State Terrorist Attack
WASHINGTON—The U.S. secretly warned Iran that Islamic State was preparing to carry out the terrorist attack early this month that killed more than 80 Iranians in a pair of coordinated suicide bombings, U.S. officials said. The confidential alert came after the U.S. acquired intelligence that Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan, ISIS-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, was plotting to attack Iran, they said. American officials said the information passed to Iran was specific enough about the location and sufficiently timely that it might have proved useful to Tehran in thwarting the attack on Jan. 3 or at least mitigating the casualty toll. Iran, however, failed to prevent the suicide bombings in the southeastern town of Kerman, which targeted a crowd that was commemorating the anniversary of the death of Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds force. Soleimani was killed in a January 2020 drone attack near the Baghdad airport ordered by then-President Donald Trump. “Prior to ISIS’s terrorist attack on January 3, 2024, in Kerman, Iran, the U.S. government provided Iran with a private warning that there was a terrorist threat within Iranian borders,” a U.S. official said, using an acronym for Islamic State. “The U.S. government followed a longstanding ‘duty to warn’ policy that has been implemented across administrations to warn governments against potential lethal threats. We provide these warnings in part because we do not want to see innocent lives lost in terror attacks.” Officials with Iran’s mission to the United Nations didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Despite the American warning, some Iranian hard-liners have suggested that Islamic State perpetrators were linked to the U.S. and Israel. At a ceremony in Kerman honoring the victims, Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, the most senior Revolutionary Guard commander said Islamic State “has disappeared nowadays,” arguing the jihadists “only act as mercenaries” for U.S. and Israeli interests. U.S. officials declined to say what channels were used to warn Iran or divulge details of what was passed. Nor did they say if this was the first time Washington has passed such a warning to the Iranian regime. Iranian officials didn’t respond to the U.S. about the warning, said one American official. It wasn’t clear why the Iranians failed to thwart or blunt the attack, several officials said. The U.S. routinely shares warnings of potential terrorist activity with allies and partners. In some cases, it also warns potential adversaries. In December 2019, Russian President Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked President Trump for sharing intelligence that helped the Kremlin thwart a plot in St. Petersburg. The bombings in Kerman, which killed 84 Iranians and wounded hundreds more, were the bloodiest terrorist attack inside Iran since the current government took over in the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi honored the victims of the suicide bombings.Photo: Iranian Presidency/Zuma Press Islamic State claimed responsibility after the attack, saying that two of its operatives had detonated explosive belts. The ideology of Islamic State, a hard-line Sunni group, considers Shiite Muslims, a majority of Iran’s population, to be apostates. Islamic State and Iran have previously clashed. ISIS-K first emerged in Afghanistan in 2015 after Islamic State militants declared a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. It was responsible for the bombing near the Kabul airport in August 2021 that killed 13 American troops and about 170 Afghan civilians as the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan. The group has been a mortal enemy of the Taliban and had been greatly weakened during the American military presence in Afghanistan by attacks from U.S. and Afghan government forces and by the Taliban themselves. With the departure of U.S. forces, ISIS-K has grown in strength. U.S. officials say it is one of the most dangerous groups in the region, eclipsing al Qaeda, with ambitions to strike targets in the West. Biden administration officials confirmed soon after the Jan. 3 attack in Iran that they had information that ISIS-K was the culprit. But they didn’t reveal that the U.S. had advance intelligence about the attack or that they had tipped off the Iranians. A U.S. intelligence community directive known as “duty to warn” requires spy agencies to warn intended victims, both U.S. citizens and non-Americans, if they are the target of a terrorist attack. There are exceptions, including if the intended victims are themselves terrorists or criminals, or if issuing a warning would endanger U.S. or allied government personnel, or intelligence or military operations. In the case of Iran, Washington alerted an adversary that has armed multiple proxies, including Yemen’s Houthis as well as militias in Syria and Iraq that have carried out more than 150 attacks on American forces since mid-October. One former U.S. official said there could be a number of reasons for Washington to warn Iran. In addition to protecting innocent civilians, such a warning might be intended to prevent Tehran from responding to the attack in a way that could create further instability in the region and potentially undermine U.S. interests. Other former officials said that providing such a warning might also be a way to spur dialogue on foreign policy issues. “With Iran, it gets gray,” said former CIA officer Douglas London, because the U.S. has designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a foreign terrorist organization and yet most of the intended victims of the ISIS-K attack were civilians. London, who worked on counterterrorism including duty-to-warn issues at the spy agency, said the decision to tip off Iran was likely made by senior officials at the White House and CIA. Passing the intelligence, he said, allowed the U.S. to take the moral high ground and could also be intended to encourage Iran to be receptive to dealing with Washington on some security matters. Within the U.S. government, the warning to Iran has been a carefully guarded secret, a U.S. official said, suggesting that Washington was trying to minimize the risk that its contact with Tehran, even indirect, might be disclosed. The ISIS-K bombings have posed a conundrum for Iran’s hard-liners, who have portrayed the U.S. and Israel as the regime’s enduring foes. After ISIS-K took responsibility for the attack, Iran on Jan. 15 fired four Kheibar Shekan ballistic missiles at targets Tehran claimed were linked to Islamic State in Syria’s Idlib province. Fired from Iran’s Khuzestan Province, it was Iran’s longest missile strike, according to the IRGC Aerospace force commander. An investigation by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, published on Jan. 10, reported that the attack was carried out by a team of Tajik operatives based in Afghanistan—where the local branch of Islamic State’s ISIS-Khorasan Province is based. Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute, a Washington think tank, said that the ISIS-K attack was a humiliating setback for Tehran, whose strategy calls for training and equipping proxies across the Middle East so it doesn’t have to fight its foes at home. “ISIS operatives were able to come in and attack in the birthplace of Soleimani,” Vatanka said. “The headlines wrote themselves: the Islamic Republic cannot protect the Iranian homeland.” |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Wall Street Journal: Israel Builds Buffer Zone Along Gaza Border, Risking New Rift With U.S.
An Israeli soldier and members of his reserve unit worked day after day in a northern section of the Gaza Strip to create a wasteland. Their orders were to clear a 1-kilometer-wide area along the border, the soldier said, as part of an Israeli plan to construct a security zone just inside Gaza—to which Palestinians would be barred entry. With bulldozers and other heavy equipment, they leveled greenhouses and other structures, filled Hamas militants’ tunnel shafts and plowed under farm fields. “Everything has been flattened,” the soldier said. “It was mostly agriculture. Now it’s a military zone, a complete no man’s land.” According to a study by a professor at Hebrew University..the Israeli military appears to have demolished 1,072 out of 2,824 structures located one kilometer or less from the border, he said. Most of the buildings were residential. To Israeli officials, the buffer zone is a critical security measure in their plan to demilitarize Gaza and assure Israelis that they can return safely to the towns and communities near the border that were evacuated after the Oct. 7 attack. Israeli officials haven’t said what would happen to people who enter the zone. Israel already had a no-go zone for Gazans near sections of the border before Oct. 7, but the restrictions weren’t always enforced. The project is a source of growing frustration for U.S. officials, who say they first voiced their opposition to such plans shortly after the Gaza war began and have watched with growing dismay as Israel has pushed ahead anyway. View Quote Full article in spoiler: Click To View Spoiler Israel Builds Buffer Zone Along Gaza Border, Risking New Rift With U.S.
TEL AVIV—Beginning last November, an Israeli soldier and members of his reserve unit worked day after day in a northern section of the Gaza Strip to create a wasteland. Their orders were to clear a 1-kilometer-wide area along the border, the soldier said, as part of an Israeli plan to construct a security zone just inside Gaza—to which Palestinians would be barred entry. With bulldozers and other heavy equipment, they leveled greenhouses and other structures, filled Hamas militants’ tunnel shafts and plowed under farm fields. “Everything has been flattened,” the soldier said. “It was mostly agriculture. Now it’s a military zone, a complete no man’s land.” To Israeli officials, the buffer zone is a critical security measure in their plan to demilitarize Gaza and assure Israelis that they can return safely to the towns and communities near the border that were evacuated after the Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 people. The project is a source of growing frustration for U.S. officials, who say they first voiced their opposition to such plans shortly after the Gaza war began and have watched with growing dismay as Israel has pushed ahead anyway. U.S. officials warn that turning the border along the 25-mile-long Gaza Strip into a no man’s land would deepen Palestinian fears that Israel intends to occupy all or part of the crowded enclave, and make it harder to persuade Arab governments to help rebuild the shattered territory after the fighting stops. Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced opposition to the concept Tuesday after the Israeli military said 21 soldiers had been killed during demolitions of buildings while attempting to create a security zone. “We’ve been very clear about our opposition to the forced displacement of people. We’ve been very clear about maintaining in effect the territorial integrity of Gaza,” Blinken told reporters. But, in a sign of the difficulty the U.S. faces in pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to halt the project, Blinken indicated Washington might accept a zone temporarily, saying questions remained about “transitional arrangements” when Israeli military operations slow. Israeli officials agree the buffer zone could be temporary, but they have given no timetable for how long it might be necessary. Nor have they publicly described the size of the planned strip and other details. Some sections might be one-kilometer wide but that could vary, depending on the topography and how close Palestinian communities are to the border, according to a former Israeli official familiar with the plans. In some areas, Israel’s military might not remove all structures in the zone, as they already have in some places, two current officials and the former official said. Israeli officials haven’t said what would happen to people who enter the zone. Israel already had a no-go zone for Gazans near sections of the border before Oct. 7, but the restrictions weren’t always enforced. Jonathan Conricus, a former Israeli military spokesman, said Hamas was able to send operatives close to the security fence disguised as protesters, allowing them to conduct reconnaissance in preparation for the Oct. 7 attack. A kilometer-wide zone likely wouldn’t prevent future rocket launches or drone attacks from within Gaza by Hamas fighters and other militants who survive the war, analysts said. Asked about the clearance of areas along the border, Israel’s military said in a statement that it was removing “terror infrastructure,” calling the work “imperative…in order to implement a defense plan that will provide improved security in Southern Israel.” The work is already well advanced in some areas, according to a study by Adi Ben Nun, a professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem who examined satellite imagery since the beginning of the war for an Israeli Channel 12 report on the project. The Israeli military appears to have demolished 1,072 out of 2,824 structures located one kilometer or less from the border, he said. Most of the buildings were residential, according to his study. The most built-up area of the potential buffer zone is near Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza and where Israeli troops have been operating for over a month. There 67%, or 704 of 1,048, buildings have been demolished within one kilometer of the border, the study found. |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Institute for Study of War backgrounder 25 Jan Key Takeaways: Iraq The United States and the Iraqi federal government will soon begin negotiations on Iraq's current security arrangement with US-led coalition forces, which could involve US forces withdrawing from Iraq. Iranian-backed Iraqi actors praised the US and Iraqi decision to begin negotiations about the status of US-led coalition forces in Iraq. Yemen Houthi Supreme Leader Abdulmalik al Houthi falsely claimed that Houthi attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea have not significantly impacted maritime trade. Abdulmalik separately reiterated the false Houthi narrative that the anti-shipping attacks have only targeted Israel-linked vessels and further claimed that the Houthis have allowed almost 5,000 non-Israel-linked vessels to freely operate in the Red Sea. Northern Gaza Strip Israeli forces continued to engage Palestinian fighters throughout the northern part of the strip. CTP-ISW previously assessed that Hamas and other Palestinian militias are reinfiltrating areas that Israeli forces previously cleared. Central Gaza Strip Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine conducted a combined attack targeting an Israeli supply line. The operation marks the third claimed indirect fire attack targeting Israeli supply lines in recent days. Southern Gaza Strip Israeli forces continued conducting clearing operations in Khan Younis. Palestinian fighters continued conducting a deliberate defense against Israeli clearing operations in western and southern Khan Younis. Political Negotiations US Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns will meet with the Qatari prime minister and the Egyptian and Israeli intelligence chiefs in the coming days to broker a deal for the release of hostages and a pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip. West Bank Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian fighter four times in the northern West Bank, primarily around Jenin and Tubas. Southern Lebanon and Golan Heights Iranian-backed militias, including Lebanese Hezbollah, conducted four attacks from southern Lebanon into northern Israel. Iran The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States secretly warned Iran that the Islamic State was preparing to conduct the January 3 terrorist attack in Kerman. View Quote |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Some Gazan civilians call for the release of Israeli hostages:
Condolences for Filipino soldier killed fighting for Israel: Funeral at Mt. Herzl for 24 soldiers killed: |
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"Today we plant trees in blood-soaked soil in memory Saturday, October 7, 2023. We are committed to achieving the final victory. Final victory means the elimination of Hamas, the return of all our hijackers, we are not giving up on this goal."
Filipino IDF Sgt First Class Cydrick Garin laid to rest in Israel: IDF finds another weapons cache: New footage of IDF operations in Gaza's second largest city: |
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Houthis fire anti-ship ballistic missile toward USS Carney (DDG 64) On Jan. 26, at approximately 1:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward Arleigh-Burke class destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) in the Gulf of Aden. The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney. There were no injuries or damage reported. View Quote |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
https://www-bild-de.translate.goog/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/israel-waren-un-mitarbeiter-am-hamas-terror-beteiligt-86923486.bild.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_hist=true “Shocking allegations” Were UN employees involved in Hamas terror? Almost four months after the terrible attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, a new, terrible suspicion arises: Were United Nations employees involved in the massacre that left more than 1,200 dead? The UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA says it wants to examine the possible involvement of several of its employees. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, 60, said on Friday: “I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these employees and launch an investigation to immediately find out the truth.” 12 employees under suspicion According to a statement, Israel had provided the aid organization with information about the alleged involvement of several employees. Lazzarini spoke of “shocking allegations” and said: “Any UNRWA staff involved in terrorist attacks will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.” As the “ Jewish Insider ” portal reports, there are twelve employees who are suspected of being involved in the cruel attack. The allegations also prompted the USA to suspend payments to the aid organization until the facts were clarified. UN Secretary General Guterres horrified UN Secretary-General António Guterres (74) was also horrified by the news that several UNRWA employees could be involved in the terrorist attacks in Israel. He also threatened those affected with immediate dismissal and criminal consequences if the investigation revealed their involvement in the attacks. UNRWA chief Lazzarini explains: “Anyone who betrays the core values of the United Nations also betrays those we serve in Gaza, throughout the region and elsewhere in the world.” There have been more than two million people in the Gaza Strip since the war began in need of assistence. Lazzarini did not provide details about how employees may have been involved in the terrorist attack on Israel or how many people were involved. According to Lazzarini, the UN aid agency strongly condemns the “heinous attacks of October 7th” and calls for the release of all hostages kidnapped from Israel. According to Israeli figures, well over 100 people are still in the hands of the terrorists. Just a month after the attack, there were serious accusations against journalists who reported on the atrocities first hand when the terror began. The accusation: They knew in advance about Hamas' cruel plans and accompanied the attacks more or less directly. Among the defendants' clients: The US news giants “New York Times” and CNN, but also news agencies such as AP and Reuters. The revelations caused anger and indignation in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (74) declared at the time: “These journalists were accomplices in crimes against humanity; their actions violated professional ethics.” |
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Originally Posted By Fantomas: https://www-bild-de.translate.goog/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/israel-waren-un-mitarbeiter-am-hamas-terror-beteiligt-86923486.bild.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_hist=true “Shocking allegations” Were UN employees involved in Hamas terror? Almost four months after the terrible attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, a new, terrible suspicion arises: Were United Nations employees involved in the massacre that left more than 1,200 dead? The UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA says it wants to examine the possible involvement of several of its employees. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, 60, said on Friday: “I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these employees and launch an investigation to immediately find out the truth.” 12 employees under suspicion According to a statement, Israel had provided the aid organization with information about the alleged involvement of several employees. Lazzarini spoke of “shocking allegations” and said: “Any UNRWA staff involved in terrorist attacks will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.” As the “ Jewish Insider ” portal reports, there are twelve employees who are suspected of being involved in the cruel attack. The allegations also prompted the USA to suspend payments to the aid organization until the facts were clarified. UN Secretary General Guterres horrified UN Secretary-General António Guterres (74) was also horrified by the news that several UNRWA employees could be involved in the terrorist attacks in Israel. He also threatened those affected with immediate dismissal and criminal consequences if the investigation revealed their involvement in the attacks. UNRWA chief Lazzarini explains: “Anyone who betrays the core values of the United Nations also betrays those we serve in Gaza, throughout the region and elsewhere in the world.” There have been more than two million people in the Gaza Strip since the war began in need of assistence. Lazzarini did not provide details about how employees may have been involved in the terrorist attack on Israel or how many people were involved. According to Lazzarini, the UN aid agency strongly condemns the “heinous attacks of October 7th” and calls for the release of all hostages kidnapped from Israel. According to Israeli figures, well over 100 people are still in the hands of the terrorists. Just a month after the attack, there were serious accusations against journalists who reported on the atrocities first hand when the terror began. The accusation: They knew in advance about Hamas' cruel plans and accompanied the attacks more or less directly. Among the defendants' clients: The US news giants “New York Times” and CNN, but also news agencies such as AP and Reuters. The revelations caused anger and indignation in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (74) declared at the time: “These journalists were accomplices in crimes against humanity; their actions violated professional ethics.” View Quote Very interesting. I knew a UN teacher held a hostage in his house for Hamas, didn't know about the others, |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Attached File |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
British oil tanker "on fire" after getting hit by Houthi missile strike off Yemen.
Wonder what would happen to the Houthi’s if they caused a huge environmental disaster by sinking a oil tanker? |
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Originally Posted By GoldenMead: British oil tanker "on fire" after getting hit by Houthi missile strike off Yemen. Wonder what would happen to the Houthi’s if they caused a huge environmental disaster by sinking a oil tanker? View Quote
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Originally Posted By GoldenMead: British oil tanker "on fire" after getting hit by Houthi missile strike off Yemen. Wonder what would happen to the Houthi’s if they caused a huge environmental disaster by sinking a oil tanker? View Quote Maybe the Earth Liberation Front will have better luck deterring them. |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
There is an Iranian missile targeting ship on the map. We never touch it. |
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Originally Posted By texashomeserver:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GEyv9rjWEAEwB-P?format=jpg&name=900x900 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GEyv9rhXIAAWFbt?format=jpg&name=medium There is an Iranian missile targeting ship on the map. We never touch it. View Quote Of course. Attacking it would lead to Mayhem and Chaos. /sarc Fucker should have become an artificial reef before Halloween. One interesting thing--since we started bombing, most of the ships attacked are in the Gulf of Aden/Indian Ocean, where before most attacks were in the Red Sea. Not sure why, would love to hear any theories. Here's a map tracking attacks through 15 Jan. Ships attacked in the last few days were in an area that hadn't seen many attacks previously. Attached File |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Originally Posted By michigan66: Of course. Attacking it would lead to Mayhem and Chaos. /sarc Fucker should have become an artificial reef before Halloween. One interesting thing--since we started bombing, most of the ships attacked are in the Gulf of Aden/Indian Ocean, where before most attacks were in the Red Sea. Not sure why, would love to hear any theories. Here's a map tracking attacks through 15 Jan. Ships attacked in the last few days were in an area that hadn't seen many attacks previously. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/501718/Screenshot_2024-01-18-20-35-28_kindlepho-3099083.JPG View Quote The Iranian ship that’s now in the gulf of Aden coordinating the attacks the Houthi’s are doing was in the Red Sea when the Houthis were firing at ships there. With out Irans ship giving guidance to these missiles the attacks would be far less effective. The United States Government knows this and is allowing that ship to be afloat. Now the question is why haven’t we sunk it yet and put a stop to this bullshit. Edit: here is a article from the wall street journal from a month ago explaining how Irans “spy” ship helps the Houthi’s target vessels. https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iranian-spy-ship-helps-houthis-direct-attacks-on-red-sea-vessels-d6f7fd40 link pass the paywall. https://archive.ph/H0SWp |
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Originally Posted By GoldenMead: The Iranian ship that’s now in the gulf of Aden coordinating the attacks the Houthi’s are doing was in the Red Sea when the Houthis were firing at ships there. With out Irans ship giving guidance to these missiles the attacks would be far less effective. The United States Government knows this and is allowing that ship to be afloat. Now the question is why haven’t we sunk it yet and put a stop to this bullshit. View Quote I thought could have sworn I read where it was taken out of the area altogether. Guess not, seeing as how it's on the map posted earlier. They haven't hit it because Team Brandon's #1 priority is non-escalation and his military experts--Loyd Austin and Gen Charlie Brown--are useless. I knew Charlie when he was a Captain. Take it from me, he's a moron. |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
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Originally Posted By texashomeserver:
View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By texashomeserver: Originally Posted By GoldenMead: British oil tanker "on fire" after getting hit by Houthi missile strike off Yemen. Wonder what would happen to the Houthi's if they caused a huge environmental disaster by sinking a oil tanker?
Originally Posted By michigan66: Houthis fire anti-ship ballistic missile toward USS Carney (DDG 64) On Jan. 26, at approximately 1:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward Arleigh-Burke class destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) in the Gulf of Aden. The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney. There were no injuries or damage reported. These assholes are overdue for an epic smackdown. |
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Send lawyers, guns, and money.
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Originally Posted By michigan66: The Three Stooges--Biden, Blinken and Loyd--together with Shemp--Gen Charlie Brown think that will only cause Mayhem. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By michigan66: Originally Posted By absael: These assholes are overdue for an epic smackdown. The Three Stooges--Biden, Blinken and Loyd--together with Shemp--Gen Charlie Brown think that will only cause Mayhem. It's a bit as if it is purposely mishandled. |
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Originally Posted By michigan66: The Three Stooges--Biden, Blinken and Loyd--together with Shemp--Gen Charlie Brown think that will only cause Mayhem. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By michigan66: Originally Posted By absael: These assholes are overdue for an epic smackdown. The Three Stooges--Biden, Blinken and Loyd--together with Shemp--Gen Charlie Brown think that will only cause Mayhem. |
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Send lawyers, guns, and money.
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WSJ: Houthis Attack U.S. Warship as China Urges Iran to Rein In Rebels (Article behind paywall, but full article is inside spoiler box below).
Highpoints: In conversations in Tehran and Beijing, Chinese officials asked their Iranian counterparts to rein in their Yemeni ally, an Iranian official and an Iranian government adviser said. Iran officials told the Chinese that they weren’t in control of the group and that turmoil in the region would end if Israel agreed to a cease-fire, the Iranians said. China is Iran’s largest oil buyer, giving it leverage on the heavily-sanctioned Islamic Republic. China hasn’t commented directly on its talks with Iran, but a spokesman for its foreign ministry in Beijing said Friday the country had “actively deescalated the situation, called for an end to the disturbance to civilian ships, and urged relevant parties to avoid fueling the tensions.” Administration officials have asked Beijing to convey messages to Iran about avoiding a broader conflict in the region. The U.S. is trying to stop the attacks by the Iranian-backed group without escalating tensions in an already volatile region. The Houthis have said their campaign will continue until Israel halts the fighting in Gaza and humanitarian aid is let in. The Houthis may be targeting U.S. Navy ships shortly after major strikes to demonstrate they haven’t been stopped, U.S. officials said. Though eager to protect global shipping, the Biden administration has been reluctant to respond too forcefully to the Houthis lest it trigger a war in the region, in part because of the group’s backing from Tehran, Houthi fighters overthrew the Yemeni government in 2014, leading Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations to mount a military campaign against the rebels. Months of talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have produced a road map that the U.S. hopes could lead to resolution of the conflict. But those talks have since stalled. View Quote Full article in spoiler: Click To View Spoiler Houthis Attack U.S. Warship as China Urges Iran to Rein In Rebels
A Yemeni rebel group launched missiles at a U.S. destroyer and a British tanker, as China pressed Iran to lean on the Houthis to halt their attacks in the Red Sea that have sent global shipping costs surging. The Marlin Luanda, a fuel tanker sailing on behalf of trading giant Trafigura Group, was struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden, in one of the most significant attacks yet by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on an oil-carrying vessel. “Firefighting equipment on board is being deployed to suppress and control the fire caused in one cargo tank on the starboard side,” a Trafigura spokesperson said in a statement. “We remain in contact with the vessel and are monitoring the situation carefully.” In conversations in Tehran and Beijing, Chinese officials asked their Iranian counterparts to rein in their Yemeni ally, an Iranian official and an Iranian government adviser said. Iran officials told the Chinese that they weren’t in control of the group and that turmoil in the region would end if Israel agreed to a cease-fire, the Iranians said. China hasn’t commented directly on its talks with Iran, but a spokesman for its foreign ministry in Beijing said Friday the country had “actively deescalated the situation, called for an end to the disturbance to civilian ships, and urged relevant parties to avoid fueling the tensions.” A spokesman for the Iranian delegation at the United Nations didn’t respond to a request for comment. Administration officials have asked Beijing to convey messages to Iran about avoiding a broader conflict in the region, since the Oct. 7 start of Israel’s war in Gaza. The U.S. says Iran supplies the Houthis with weapons, funding and other support. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan met in Thailand Thursday with Beijing’s top foreign-policy official, Wang Yi, to discuss the matter. On Friday, a U.S. destroyer, the USS Carney, shot down a ballistic missile fired toward it from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, the Pentagon said, marking the second time the U.S. has announced that the group has targeted one of its military vessels. In each instance, the rebels have targeted Navy destroyers within days of coalition attacks aimed at Houthi sites. The strikes by the U.S. and U.K. are intended to weaken the group and secure ships passing through the Gulf of Aden and Rea Sea. The exchange of fire caused no damages or casualties, U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for U.S. military operations in the Middle East, said in a tweet. Yahya Saree, a Houthi spokesman, in a statement confirmed the group had fired on the Marlin Luanda “in support of the injustice against the Palestinian people and as a response to the American-British aggression on our country.” The ship’s managing company, Oceonix Services in London, couldn’t be reached for comment. The U.S. is trying to stop the attacks by the Iranian-backed group without escalating tensions in an already volatile region. The Houthis have said their campaign will continue until Israel halts the fighting in Gaza and humanitarian aid is let in. The Houthis may be targeting U.S. Navy ships shortly after major strikes to demonstrate they haven’t been stopped, U.S. officials said. China is Iran’s largest oil buyer, giving it leverage on the heavily-sanctioned Islamic Republic. Last year, Beijing also brokered a deal to normalize relations between Tehran and Saudi Arabia after years of tensions. The Houthis began attacking ships traveling through the Red Sea and on the Gulf of Aden at the end of November in what they said was a response to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, rattling global markets and upending international shipping routes. Though eager to protect global shipping, the Biden administration has been reluctant to respond too forcefully to the Houthis lest it trigger a war in the region, in part because of the group’s backing from Tehran, Western security officials and advisers have said. The U.S. led a coalition that has launched two major assaults on Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, including one last week, while the U.S. alone has launched at least six other limited strikes. Targets included rocket launchers, missile depots, an underground weapons storage facility, warehouses, drones used by the Houthis and radar, missile and air surveillance sites, some of them near the capital San’a, U.S., British and Houthi officials have said. Days after the first major coalition assault, which targeted more than a dozen sites, the USS Laboon, another American destroyer, shot down an antiship cruise missile launched by the Houthis, Central Command said. There were no reports of damages on the Laboon or casualties, the Pentagon said then. The U.S. has so far refused to say the impact of the coalition assaults on the Houthis except to say they have had “good effects,” destroying roughly 30% of Houthi capabilities. Despite that, the Houthis have continued launching attacks on commercial ships passing, more than 30 in all. And the Houthis have been defiant after each strike, saying that they would keep attacking ships. Houthi fighters overthrew the Yemeni government in 2014, leading Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations to mount a military campaign against the rebels. Months of talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have produced a road map that the U.S. hopes could lead to resolution of the conflict. But those talks have since stalled. Privately, U.S. defense officials have said that strikes alone are unlikely to deter the Houthis, who both have survived a decade of war and, since their attacks on nearby waters, enjoyed an elevated status in a region angered by Israel’s war in Gaza. Biden administration officials have said that Beijing is pressing the Iranians, but they don’t know the exact substance of those conversations. The U.S. says Iran supplies the Houthis with weapons, funding and other support. The Carney has come under Houthi attacks in the past, but in those instances, the U.S. has stopped short of saying its military ships were the targets. And some of those strikes have come as the destroyer responded to distress calls from nearby commercial ships also under Houthi attack. In December, the Carney struck a drone that was headed toward the destroyer, “although its specific target is not clear,” the Pentagon said at the time. Shortly after that shootdown, the M/V Unity Explorer, a Bahamas-flagged bulk cargo ship, came under ballistic-missile attack and sent a distress call, leading the Carney to move toward the ship in response, Central Command said. As the Carney was assessing the damage on the commercial ship, it spotted a second drone operating nearby and shot it down, Central Command said. |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Originally Posted By Fantomas: https://www-bild-de.translate.goog/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/israel-waren-un-mitarbeiter-am-hamas-terror-beteiligt-86923486.bild.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_hist=true “Shocking allegations” Were UN employees involved in Hamas terror? Almost four months after the terrible attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, a new, terrible suspicion arises: Were United Nations employees involved in the massacre that left more than 1,200 dead? The UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA says it wants to examine the possible involvement of several of its employees. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, 60, said on Friday: “I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these employees and launch an investigation to immediately find out the truth.” 12 employees under suspicion According to a statement, Israel had provided the aid organization with information about the alleged involvement of several employees. Lazzarini spoke of “shocking allegations” and said: “Any UNRWA staff involved in terrorist attacks will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.” As the “ Jewish Insider ” portal reports, there are twelve employees who are suspected of being involved in the cruel attack. The allegations also prompted the USA to suspend payments to the aid organization until the facts were clarified. UN Secretary General Guterres horrified UN Secretary-General António Guterres (74) was also horrified by the news that several UNRWA employees could be involved in the terrorist attacks in Israel. He also threatened those affected with immediate dismissal and criminal consequences if the investigation revealed their involvement in the attacks. UNRWA chief Lazzarini explains: “Anyone who betrays the core values of the United Nations also betrays those we serve in Gaza, throughout the region and elsewhere in the world.” There have been more than two million people in the Gaza Strip since the war began in need of assistence. Lazzarini did not provide details about how employees may have been involved in the terrorist attack on Israel or how many people were involved. According to Lazzarini, the UN aid agency strongly condemns the “heinous attacks of October 7th” and calls for the release of all hostages kidnapped from Israel. According to Israeli figures, well over 100 people are still in the hands of the terrorists. Just a month after the attack, there were serious accusations against journalists who reported on the atrocities first hand when the terror began. The accusation: They knew in advance about Hamas' cruel plans and accompanied the attacks more or less directly. Among the defendants' clients: The US news giants “New York Times” and CNN, but also news agencies such as AP and Reuters. The revelations caused anger and indignation in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (74) declared at the time: “These journalists were accomplices in crimes against humanity; their actions violated professional ethics.” View Quote Lol. "Shocking." |
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Times of Israel: Hamas publishes new propaganda clip showing 3 young female hostages in Gaza
The Hamas terror group published a new propaganda video Friday showing signs of life from three young female hostages held in the Gaza Strip. In edited-together clips, the five-minute-long video showed Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev and Doron Steinbrecher, who identified themselves and asked the Israeli government to return them home. Hamas said the video was filmed earlier this week, although it provided no evidence to support the claim. CIA director William Burns and Mossad chief David Barnea will meet with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani to discuss the release of the remaining hostages taken on October 7, and a pause in fighting in the war-torn Palestinian enclave that is now in its fourth month. Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel will also participate in the meeting, said one source. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar will also be there. L-R: Hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, and Doron Steinbrecher are seen in a Hamas propaganda clip published January 26, 2024. Full article.in quote box: Hamas publishes new propaganda clip showing 3 young female hostages in Gaza The Hamas terror group published a new propaganda video Friday showing signs of life from three young female hostages held in the Gaza Strip. In edited-together clips, the five-minute-long video showed Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev and Doron Steinbrecher, who identified themselves and asked the Israeli government to return them home. Hamas said the video was filmed earlier this week, although it provided no evidence to support the claim. Gilboa, 19, was in touch with her family on the morning of the attack and sent her boyfriend videos that morning. When Hamas videos appeared later that day, showing three of Gilboa’s friends being taken hostage to Gaza, Gilboa’s family was able to identify her as well. The parents of Ariev, 19, described speaking to her at 7 a.m. that morning, as she cried, describing a barrage of rockets and gunfire. “She screamed and said she loves us very much,” Karina’s mother said in a past interview. “She told us to continue our lives.” Later they found a Hamas video publicized on Telegram, in which three young women are laying down in a jeep, surrounded by men speaking in Arabic. Their daughter, Karina, was one of the three, her face wounded and bleeding. Steinbrecher, 30, was in her Kibbutz Kfar Aza apartment when Hamas terrorists invaded the kibbutz, killing and kidnapping dozens of residents. The veterinary nurse was in her apartment in the kibbutz housing for younger, single residents, but in touch with her sister and their parents, all of whom also live on the kibbutz. At 10:30 a.m., Doron told her parents that she was scared and that the terrorists had arrived at her building. She then sent a voice message to her friends in which she said, “They’ve arrived, they have me.” Hamas has previously issued similar videos of hostages it is holding, in what Israel says is psychological warfare. Most Israeli media outlets do not carry the video clips themselves. Hamas is holding 132 hostages of the 253 it abducted during its murderous October 7 attack on Israel, not all of them alive. It has intermittently released videos of hostages pleading for release in a bid to pressure Israeli into ending the war and making significant concessions for their relea The previous such video was issued on January 15, and showed hostages Itay Svirsky, Noa Argamani and Yossi Sharabi. Israel announced a day later that Svirsky and Sharabi had been killed in Hamas captivity. Hamas claimed that the military had targeted a building where three Israeli hostages were being held, killing two of them. Israel said this was a lie. “The building where they were held was not a target and was not attacked by our forces,” Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said then. The directors of the Mossad and the CIA were expected to meet Qatar’s prime minister in Europe in the next few days to discuss a temporary ceasefire in the Strip and a release of hostages, two officials briefed on the meeting said Thursday. CIA director William Burns and Mossad chief David Barnea will meet with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani to discuss the release of the remaining hostages taken on October 7, and a pause in fighting in the war-torn Palestinian enclave that is now in its fourth month. Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel will also participate in the meeting, said one source. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar will also be there. White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters traveling with US President Joe Biden aboard Air Force One on Thursday that Burns “has been… involved in helping us with the hostage deal that was in place and trying to help us pursue another one,” referring specific questions to the CIA. Israel’s war cabinet met Thursday night at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss the hostage talks. IDF hostage envoy Nitzan Alon and Prime Minister’s Office hostage coordinator Gal Hirsch were also in attendance. Burns and Barnea previously met with Qatari and Egyptian officials to help broker a short-lived, weeklong truce in late November that saw 105 hostages freed. Efforts to secure another agreement to release the remaining hostages, among them children and women, have since faltered. Hamas has insisted that it will release all the Israeli hostages in Gaza if Israel releases all Palestinian prisoners, and has demanded a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The Iran-backed terror group has also been seeking guarantees that Israel will not restart the fighting after the truce, in a bid to stay in power. Israel has rejected such demands outright. Israel is said to have recently proposed a two-month ceasefire in exchange for a staged release of the hostages, an offer that Hamas rejected, according to Egyptian officials, but talks appear to have continued and a one-month pause was also floated this week. Under the proposal, Yahya Sinwar and other top Hamas leaders in Gaza would be allowed to relocate to other countries. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in Gaza and leaders have routinely said fighting will not stop until that goal is achieved. The government has faced increasing pressure in recent weeks to clinch an immediate deal for the hostages with protesters staging rallies, blocking roads, attempting to blockade aid entry into Gaza, and promising to intensify measures to disrupt public order to secure the return of their loved ones. Channel 12 on Thursday evening cited a senior Israeli official who described the upcoming meeting in Europe as “critical” to the goal of exerting pressure on Hamas and bridging the gaps preventing a deal for the release of all the hostages. A central, massive gap remains between Israel and Hamas, however, given that Israel is refusing to agree to a permanent ceasefire, while Hamas won’t agree to release the remaining hostages in exchange for anything less. Channel 12 reported that Hamas’s conditions include a 10-14 day pause before it begins releasing hostages; 100 security prisoners released for every “humanitarian” hostage in the first stage of the release; hundreds of security prisoners released for every hostage in subsequent phases; and a withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the Strip as part of the deal. View Quote Daniella Giboa pre-7 Oct Karina Ariev Doron Steinbreicher |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Institute for Study of War backgrounder 26 January Key Takeaways: Iraq The Islamic Resistance in Iraq released a statement rejecting the US and Iraqi decision to begin negotiations over the status of US-led coalition forces in Iraq and vowed to continue attacking US forces. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq will likely continue to attack US forces in Iraq and Syria to pressure the Mohammad Shia al Sudani administration to order the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq. The United States and the Iraqi federal government announced on January 25 that they will soon begin negotiations on Iraq's current security arrangement with US-led coalition forces. US-led coalition forces are currently deployed in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to fight ISIS. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has conducted over 150 attacks targeting US forces in Iraq and Syria since the Israel-Hamas war began. Yemen The Houthis conducted multiple attacks on a US Navy warship and two commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM reported that the Houthis fired one anti-ship ballistic missile targeting the USS Carney. two missiles exploded within a few hundred meters of the Panama-flagged commercial tanker Achilles around the same time as the attack on the USS Carney. Northern Gaza Strip The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) destroyed military infrastructure and clashed with Palestinian fighters in the northern Gaza Strip. Hamas and other Palestinian fighters have contested Israeli raids in certain areas of the northern Gaza Strip throughout January 2024. Hamas and other Palestinian fighters have contested Israeli raids in certain areas of the northern Gaza Strip throughout January 2024. Hamas’ military wing clashed with the IDF in the Sheikh Ijlin neighborhood, Gaza City. Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s (PIJ) military wing claimed that it shot down an Israeli drone conducting intelligence activities near Shujaiya in the northern Gaza Strip. Al Jazeera reported that the Israeli military believes that Hamas has returned to providing services in areas where the IDF has reduced its presence. An Israeli Army Radio journalist similarly reported on January 16 that Hamas is trying to restore its control over the civilian population in the northern Gaza Strip, Central Gaza Strip Hamas’ military wing detonated explosives in a tunnel entrance targeting Israeli infantrymen near the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.The group also fired Yasin-105 anti-tank rockets and detonated an explosively-formed penetrator (EFP) targeting Israeli Merkava tanks in the same area. Southern Gaza Strip Palestinian militias conducted seven indirect fire attacks from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel. The IDF 636th Reconnaissance Unit is using drones to target and track Palestinian fighters in Khan Younis. The unit has located about 200 tunnel shafts and destroyed 10 rocket launchers and other Palestinian militia-affiliated infrastructure. Palestinian militias conducted seven indirect fire attacks from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel on January 26. West Bank Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian fighters in three locations across the West Bank. The al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, the self-proclaimed militant wing of Fatah, and the Tubas Battalion of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad military wing claimed that they targeted Israeli forces with explosives and small arms fire in Tubas. Southern Lebanon and Golan Heights Iranian-backed fighters, including Lebanese Hezbollah, conducted six attacks from southern Lebanon into northern Israel on January 26. Hezbollah conducted three attacks targeting Israeli forces using rockets and other unspecified munitions. Hezbollah conducted three attacks targeting Israeli forces using rockets and other unspecified munitions. Hezbollah targeted Israeli forces at the Gonen barracks using an Iranian-made Falaq-1 rocket system, this was the first attack in which it used the Falaq-1 during this war. Iran The Iranian regime denied a recent Wall Street Journal report that the United States secretly warned Iran that the Islamic State was preparing to conduct the January 3 terrorist attack in Kerman. The Balochi militant group Ansar al Furqan claimed that it fired small arms targeting a police station in Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchistan Province on January 25. This incident is part of a rise in terrorist activity and insecurity in southeastern Iran since December 2023. Jaish al Adl—a Balochi Salafi-Jihadist group that operates along the Iranian border with Pakistan—conducted a two-stage attack targeting a police station in Rask, Sistan, and Baluchistan Province, in December 2023. Eleven police officers died in the attack. The Iranian ambassador to Pakistan and the Pakistani ambassador to Iran returned to their posts following the exchange of strikes between Iran and Pakistan between January 16-18. View Quote |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
The IDF releases drone footage showing a group of RPG-wielding Hamas operatives being spotted in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, before being struck by another aircraft.
The three-man Hamas cell was identified by soldiers of the Border Defense Corps' 636th Combat Intelligence Collection unit, who also called in the strike. Fighting continues deep within Khan Younis, with ground forces of the 98th Division killing dozens of Hamas gunmen and the Air Force carrying out a wave of strikes. The IDF says that as troops have advanced in the area, the commandos have encountered many Hamas cells, which were "eliminated with sniper fire, guided missiles, and tank shelling." The tunnel, found by reservists of the 646th Brigade and combat engineers of the elite Yahalom unit, connects north and southern Gaza, according to the IDF. The IDF says the tunnel is one kilometer long, 20 meters deep, and was built around 1.5 kilometers from the border. It was later destroyed by combat engineers. The Givati Brigade in recent days had carried out an offensive with other units of the 98th Division in southern Gaza, encircling Khan Younis. |
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Originally Posted By GoldenMead: The Iranian ship that’s now in the gulf of Aden coordinating the attacks the Houthi’s are doing was in the Red Sea when the Houthis were firing at ships there. With out Irans ship giving guidance to these missiles the attacks would be far less effective. The United States Government knows this and is allowing that ship to be afloat. Now the question is why haven’t we sunk it yet and put a stop to this bullshit. Edit: here is a article from the wall street journal from a month ago explaining how Irans “spy” ship helps the Houthi’s target vessels. https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iranian-spy-ship-helps-houthis-direct-attacks-on-red-sea-vessels-d6f7fd40 link pass the paywall. https://archive.ph/H0SWp View Quote Seems like if we don't have the stomach to sink or board that ship, we could park something overhead that would jam all electronic emissions in and out from it and render it pretty much useless. |
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Haaretz | News Israel-Hamas War Day 113 | Three Countries Join U.S. in Suspending Funds to UNRWA Jan 27, 2024
RECAP: U.S. and U.K. strike Houthi targets in Yemen; UNRWA funding suspended by multiple countries Here's what you need to know 113 days into the war: ■ Canada, Italy and Australia have followed the U.S. and announced the suspension of funds to the UNRWA amid investigations into some of its employees who are suspected of being involved in the October 7 attacks. ■ Hezbollah fired rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel throughout Saturday morning. Reports from Lebanon say the area of Naqoura was attacked by an Israeli drone. ■ Egypt considered recalling its ambassador to Israel following allegations made by the Israeli defense team at the ICJ about Egypt's failure to bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, according to the Wall Street Journal. ■ Torrential rains in the Gaza Strip area have worsened the humanitarian situation, sources in the Gaza Strip reported. Videos have been circulated on social media showing flooding in the displaced persons camps in the south of the Gaza Strip. ■ The head of the World Health Organization has warned of a collapse of the Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, where fighting between the IDF and Hamas is taking place. The hospital is the largest health facility in Gaza which was still functioning. ■ U.S. military says it struck a Houthi anti-ship missile which was prepared to launch. The Houthi's Al-Masira television said that the U.S. and the U.K. launched two airstrikes that targeted the port of Ras Issa in Yemen's Hodeidah province View Quote |
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
Originally Posted By bigstick61: An irony if the main isolationist movement on the Right today is that it is basically derived from Leftist ideas and that it uses Iraq and Afghanistan as examples when those campaigns ended as they did because of the impact of the anti-war and isolationist types on domestic politics. The people opposed from the start or later on set the stage for failure and then used the failure they helped create as a basis for opposing conflicy and embracing isolationism. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By bigstick61: Originally Posted By Shadyman: Originally Posted By PolarBear416: People who think Iran / Russia and China aren't actually out to get us... Iran / Russia are seeking to deny us resources though military violence, controlling shipping lanes and controlling resources in places like Africa, with a long term goal of strangling us. China is pursuing a similar strategy except more based on diplomacy and economic influence than actual military intervention, so far... Both groups are actively using espionage to steal our technology (especially China) and disrupt our political and economic system (especially Russia). A lot of folks are complacent thinking whatever happens overseas will have no effect on them / how bad can it get. We have enjoyed a great standard of living for a long time, and there is no reason that shouldn't continue. But it's not guaranteed to continue. If we fail to protect our interests things like fuel shortages, sky high food prices, hunger, etc, can eventually happen to us. Pretty much this. Isolationism of the USA always leads to war, the draft and social upheaval. Think about that when you vote. But mom’s basement dwellers and GD millionaires follow the orange God. An irony if the main isolationist movement on the Right today is that it is basically derived from Leftist ideas and that it uses Iraq and Afghanistan as examples when those campaigns ended as they did because of the impact of the anti-war and isolationist types on domestic politics. The people opposed from the start or later on set the stage for failure and then used the failure they helped create as a basis for opposing conflicy and embracing isolationism. I oppose most overseas Mil involvement because 1. we end up paying for most of it and do most of the ''work'' to boot, and 2. because we don't do war like it should be, which is, crush all opposition BAMN and 3. because we always spend billions or trillions rebuilding what we destroyed or what they say we destroyed, and 4. Because politicians will politician instead of letting Soldiers Soldier. |
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Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the other have all been destroyed... |
LOL.
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Originally Posted By BM1455:
View Quote This was bound to happen. Israel is going to make a big buffer around its self. |
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Fighter jets hit Hezbollah infrastructure in Blida, Marwahin, and Ayta ash-Shab:
The IDF says troops of the Commando Brigade's Egoz unit spotted the operatives preparing to fire RPGs at the forces, and opened fire toward them. The gunmen then fled into a building, which was struck by an aircraft. Secondary explosions seen in the video indicate that the building stored explosives. Another strike was carried out against additional members of the cell that tried to flee. 98th Division advances in the area, killing numerous Hamas operatives. Amid the offensive, the division's Commando Brigade directed an airstrike against three Hamas operatives who were attempting to plant explosives devices near the troops. Footage from recent "intensive" training exercises carried out by the 226th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade. |
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Incredible Footage of IDF Operations in Gaza:
Pro-terrorist protests Leader ARRESTED at Heavy Clashes Mass Arrests at Pro-Palestine Rally at AIPAC Headquarters: More protests in Newport, Wales, UK: |
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NVM
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"A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot."
Robert A. Heinlein, Friday |
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Originally Posted By BM1455: LOL.
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"We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared so we may always be free." Ronald Reagan 1984
"Mitch the democrat bitch" "democrat voter fraud works and it makes Republicans look stupid" |
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