User Panel
[#1]
Originally Posted By Eight_Ring: Huge protests, but they are angry at the goverment for not negotiating? https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/drone-aerials-show-huge-tel-aviv-protest-after-deaths-of-israeli-hostages-in-gaza/vi-AA1pOlp1 How the fuck is Netanyahu supposed to accomplish "an immediate hostage deal"? https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-817299 View Quote It's run by the Israeli deep state. Prior to Oct 7 their deep state actors claimed that they had 10k IDF many in key positions ready to go on strike. Hamas et al no doubt were well aware of this and their decision to attack was made knowing the Israeli deep state was causing problems for Israeli defense and unity. |
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[Last Edit: DonS]
[#2]
Originally Posted By michigan66: Agree, and Netanyahu does too. Some in the IDF seem to be content with "virtual control" using drones, sensors, etc. You'd think they would have learned their lesson, but I guess not. View Quote Many in high levels of IDF and Israeli intel are anti-Netanyahu deep state actors with close ties to similar people in the Biden administration and in the US State Dept, etc. Caroline Glick has covered this well. The "virtual" approach is to push an agenda of the type Biden would push, with the main goal of removing direct Israeli personnel. Direct Israeli involvement would upset the Islamists and their supporters in Biden's base. He's catering to them, while pretending to be Israeli's friend. |
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[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#3]
Institute for Study of War Backgrounder 3 September Key Takeaways Gaza A humanitarian pause in fighting continued for a third day in the central Gaza Strip on September 3 to enable humanitarian aid groups to administer polio vaccines. Officials said that health workers have vaccinated over 161,000 children in the central Gaza Strip. Local sources reported that the IDF continued limited military operations outside of the vaccination ceasefire zones in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces recently found and destroyed a kilometer-long underground “offensive tunnel” used by Hamas in Beit Lahiya. The IDF Gaza Division, Northern Brigade and Yahalom combat engineers used prior intelligence to locate the tunnel, which stopped about 200 meters from the Israel-Gaza Strip border near Zikim. Israeli forces searched the tunnel, finding weapons, electronic infrastructure, and rail transport tracks likely used to transport weapons and tunnel excavation materials. The IDF Air Force struck a Hamas command-and-control site located in a former school in Gaza City. Palestinian militias conducted a mortar attack on Israeli forces near the Netzarim Corridor, south of Gaza City. The IDF Air Force struck a Hamas compound and killed a Hamas Nukhba special operations forces (SOF) company commander and seven other Hamas Daraj-Tuffah Battalion fighters in central Gaza City. The airstrike was conducted outside of al Ahli Hospital and that the IDF took steps to reduce civilian harm. Palestinian militias mortared Israeli forces near Salah ad Din Gate, east of Rafah City, on September 3. West Bank Israeli forces engaged Palestinian fighters in eight locations in the West Bank. Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, and the Mujahidin Brigades fired small arms and detonated improvised explosive devices (IED) at Israeli forces in three areas in Tulkarm. Lebanon and the Golan Heights Iranian-backed militias, including Lebanese Hezbollah, have conducted at least ten attacks into northern Israel since CTP-ISW's last data cutoff on September 2. An outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) published a report examining the possible scenarios for fighting between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah. According to the report, the most likely course of action in the coming months is a continuation of limited fighting around the Israel-Lebanon border. The report concluded that Israel is unlikely to launch a major military offensive into southern Lebanon due to: --Israeli forces being already stretched by militia activity in the Gaza Strip and West Bank; --The threat of an Iranian attack on Israel in retaliation for Israel killing Ismail Haniyeh; --Internal divisions within the Israeli government; and --The United States opposing an all-out war ahead of its presidential election. Iran and Axis of Resistance A source confirmed reports that Iranian-backed Iraqi militias are intentionally obfuscating responsibility for their attacks to prevent US retaliatory strikes. The Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee is the coordinating body for the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and other Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. The unspecified Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee source confirmed Syrian reports that Iranian-backed Iraqi militias attacked US forces at Conoco Mission Support Site, Deir ez Zor Province, on August 29. The Iranian-backed Iraqi militias are foregoing claiming attacks targeting US forces as part of a new approach to avoid US retaliatory strikes. (Fine, let CENTCOM draw straws and bomb the militia who draws the short one. Better yet, go straight to the source and put a Tomahawk through Esmail Qaani's window at 0-dark-30. Qaani was able to stop the attacks in February and he can do it again if motivated. Won't happen, as Gen Charley Brown and Lloyd are just dumb enough to let Iran and friends get away with this.). CENTCOM destroyed two Houthi missiles in Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen on September 2. CENTCOM also confirmed that the Houthis launched two ballistic missiles and a one-way attack drone targeting Panamanian-flagged, Greek-operated Blue Lagoon I and the Saudi-flagged, owned, and operated Amjad on September 2, striking both vessels. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed responsibility for the ballistic missile attack on the Blue Lagoon I on September 2, but Sarea did not comment on the drone attack on Amjad. Amjad’s owner, Saudi-state shipping company Bahri, similarly denied allegations that the Amjad was targeted by the Houthis‘ one-way attack drone and claimed that the drone had hit a nearby tanker instead. Some of the missiles that Iran fired in its large-scale attack on Israel in April 2024 were much less accurate than previously believed, according to a report by the Associated Press. The report cited experts from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. The report found that some of the Emad medium-range ballistic missiles that Iran used had a circular error probable of around 1.2 kilometers. The circular error probable is a measurement of the median error radius of a weapon system. Tehran previously advertised that the Emad missile has a circular error probable of 50 meters. 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 |
[#4]
Israeli troops have killed more than 200 terror operatives during operations led by the 162nd Division in the Tel Sultan neighborhood of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip in recent weeks, the IDF says. The military says dozens of weapons hidden inside homes in the neighborhood have also been located. In one incident, troops searching a building battled a gunman. In the basement, the IDF says the soldiers located a cache of weapons and supplies used by the terror operatives. More than 10 long-range rocket launchers were also located in the Tel Sultan area, the military adds. View Quote Attached File Attached File Attached File
Israeli fighter jets struck Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon Kounine and Qabrikha, which were used in previous attacks on Israel, the IDF says. The military releases footage of the strikes. Meanwhile, the IDF says that one projectile launched from Lebanon at the border community of Shtula an hour ago struck an open area. No injuries were caused in the attack. View Quote
Some 65 rockets were fired from Lebanon at the Galilee Panhandle in the past hour, according to the IDF. Several rockets impacted the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, causing damage to at least one home, local authorities say. The IDF says some rockets were also intercepted and others hit open areas. Hezbollah takes responsibility for the barrage, claiming to have targeted Israeli military positions. View Quote
Overnight, a drone heading toward Israel from the eastern direction was shot down by air defenses, the IDF says. The military says the drone did not enter Israeli airspace. The Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for launching a drone at Haifa. Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon's Zibqin, used in a previous attack on Israel, the IDF says. Buildings used by Hezbollah in Khiam and Ayta ash-Shab were also struck, the military adds. View Quote
I've always called this the "Barzini reveal" aspect of the Oct. 7 war. In the Godfather film there is a scene where the Don realizes that Barzini was behind everything from the beginning, not justSollozzo and Tattaglia. The fact is that Doha has been holding some of the strings and playing this from the start, for its own benefit and for the Hamas leaders it has hosted and backed. This led to the hostage talks being prolonged, it led to pressure on Israel not to go into Rafah, it is one reason for the war being extended and the suffering continuing. Without Doha in the middle trying to slow down the talks and benefit and advising Hamas, many things would have been different. Hamas felt empowered by its foreign backers and the cover it felt it has from Doha and Ankara. It's obvious that western pressure on the "ally" in Doha might have secured the release of many more. In the first days after the Hamas attack, Hamas released two American women and two elderly women, Hamas was ready to be flexible, it realized it wasn't a good "look" for Hamas to be holding elderly people and women and children. A little more pressure in October could have got so many more people out. Instead Doha wanted endless talks...to "slow down" things in Gaza and keep the IDF out of Rafah and keep things moving slowly...and the hostage releases stopped after December. If we ever get to pull back the curtain and see what happened, it will be very depressing. 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 |
[#5]
Elimination of armed terrorists in Jenin:
A terrorist throwing an explosive from the roof of a mosque: Troops in Jenin: Strikes on Hezbollah: Watch the documentation of the explosion of the gas cylinder found today in Binyamin: Maximum pressure should be put on Hamas. |
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[#6]
After more than 100 rockets and missiles were launched by Hezbollah at northern Israel today, Lebanese media report a series of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon. According to the reports, at least 14 strikes were carried out in several areas across southern Lebanon. 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 |
[#7]
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says the military is "mowing the lawn" during an ongoing major operation against terror groups in the West Bank, but will need eventually to "pull out the roots." "The rise of terror in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) is an issue that we need to be focused on at every moment. The process is an attack to prevent terror. We are mowing the lawn, [but] the moment will also come when we will pull out the roots, that must be done," he says following an assessment in the West Bank with senior IDF officers. "The rise [in terror] that comes in the form of car bombs and shooting everywhere, these are things that need to be put to an end," Gallant says. "These terror organizations that call themselves by all kinds of names, in Nur Shams, or in Tulkarm, or in Far'a, or in Jenin, they (the terror groups) should be wiped out. Every such terrorist should be eliminated, [or] if they surrender, arrest them," he adds. View Quote
The IDF releases footage of it demolishing a bomb-making lab in the West Bank city of Tulkarem amid an ongoing operation there. Another clip released by the military shows an explosive device planted under a road in Tulkarem being neutralized by troops. The IDF says it also located a bomb hidden in a baby carriage in the area. View Quote
Attached File HR McMaster on the book sale circuit talking about situation in Gaza. He is 100% right.
Qatar runs a hostage diplomacy scam. Been doing it for years. Because of this, the US Hostage Affairs team has become dependent on Qatar and actually believes Qatar is helpful. No one ever questions how or why Qatar always shows up after hostages get taken somewhere. Like a hostage ambulance chaser, Doha just shows up at our doorstep and the US government signs them up for the case. And it happens in other western countries, too. But it's more sophisticated than that. Qatar then throws money around at NGOs who have hostage diplomacy "experts" who can advise hostage families in moments of crisis. The Richardson Center is a good, confirmed example, though there are others yet to be confirmed. Now the people who are running mediation for the hostage talks have a way to influence the hostage families as well. No one seems to care about this scam for a while. It's weird that Qatar runs this corrupt cottage industry, but there is no apparent conflict of interest for Doha, right? Just the new Swiss bankers of the world, ready to help everyone. Until hostages are taken by Qatar's client, Hamas. Whose officials live in Qatar. Whose funds are held in Qatar. Whose ideology is supported by Qatar. And now suddenly we have a massive problem that needs to be addressed. And Qatar needs to be treated as the sponsor of Hamas that it is, not some neutral intermediary to Hamas. Only we never do that. We pretend it's fine. The US Government tells hostage families to trust in the Qataris. The Qatari-funded NGOs tell the families to trust in the Qataris, never blast them publicly because "it won't be productive." American Jewish leaders are told the same by these Qatari-aligned actors, so they stand down on public criticism and advise families to do the same. The Qataris even hire a former White House Jewish liaison to help prepare the families for meetings. How have so many people of good nature and intention been so complicit in scamming the hostage families for nearly 11 months? When will it ever end? Please Lord Almighty give people the strength to see what is right in front of them and use their influence and power to pressure the sponsors of this great evil. Before it's completely too late. View Quote Palestinian and sympathizer posts. Video of attacks on IDF from militants' Telegram channels.
Resistance hits Israeli troops with complex ambushes in southern Gaza, with Jon Elmer
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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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#8]
Institute for Study of War Backgrounder 4 September Key Takeaways Gaza The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the three-day polio vaccine campaign in the central Gaza Strip concluded on September 3. Israel and Palestinian militias observed a limited humanitarian pause in fighting in select areas during the vaccine drive. Palestinian militias conducted a rocket attack targeting an IDF site around the Netzarim Corridor on September 4. The IDF published a summary of the 401st Brigade’s operations in Tal al Sultan, western Rafah, on September 4. The 401st Brigade has killed over 200 Palestinian fighter, located dozens of weapons in civilian homes, seized ten long-range rockets and explosively formed penetrators. Palestinian militias have continued firing mortars and rockets at IDF positions in Rafah but have only claimed one close-range engagement with Israeli forces in Rafah since August 24. West Bank Israeli forces have engaged Palestinian fighters in 15 locations in the West Bank. The al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Mujahidin Brigades fired small arms and detonated improvised explosive devices (IED) at Israeli forces in Jenin, Nablus, and Tulkarm. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on September 4 that Israel must eventually destroy Palestinian militias in the West Bank, adding that current Israeli operations there are simply “mowing the grass.” Gallant singled out Jenin, Tubas, and Tulkarm as hubs of Palestinian militia activity. Lebanon Hezbollah conducted nine attacks into northern Israel since CTP-ISW's last data cutoff on September 3. Hezbollah said that it targeted the Neot Mordechai settlement for the first time on September 4. Several Israeli commanders held a training exercise to increase readiness for a potential conflict in northern Israel. Northern Command Commander Major General Uri Gordin and Northern Guard Commander Major General Saar Zur participated. Iran and Axis of Resistance The Islamic Resistance in Iraq—a coalition of Iranian-backed Iraqi militias—claimed they launched a drone attack targeting Haifa Port on September 3. CENTCOM destroyed a Houthi missile in Houthi-controlled Yemen. Senior Iranian military officials continued to signal that Iran will attack Israel directly in response to Israel killing several senior Axis of Resistance leaders. Armed Forces General Staff Coordination Deputy Brigadier General Ali Abdollahi Ali Abadi claimed on September 4 that Israel “must bury [its] dream that Iran will not respond” to Haniyeh's death. Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Operations Deputy Brigadier General Mohsen Chizari separately warned that Iran will “definitely” give a “crushing response” to Israel. Chizari stated that Iran seeks to “surprise” Israel. Referring to Hezbollah’s recent drone and rocket attack on Israel, Chizari claimed that Iran’s response to Israel will be “different.” 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 |
[#9]
The tunnel route that was destroyed was located and investigated over the past few weeks. The troops identified weapons, electrical infrastructure, and a transportation rail within the tunnel route.
The Combat Engineering Officer of the Northern Gaza Brigade: After the IDF operation in Tel al-Hawa, this is the scene this morning—devastation in the wake of the explosion. Israel takes action to defend its people. The IAF swiftly struck the structure from which the Hezbollah terrorist operated. Moreover, the IAF struck a rocket launcher in the area of Zabqin in Southern Lebanon that had been used to carry out launches toward Israel. Additionally, the IAF struck Hezbollah military structures in the areas of Southern Lebanon. |
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[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#10]
The IDF confirms killing the son of notorious terrorist Zakaria Zubeidi and other gunmen in a drone strike early this morning in the West Bank city of Tubas, amid renewed operations there. The IDF has been carrying out a major operation in the northern West Bank since August 28. The operation — internally dubbed “Summer Camps” by the army — began with simultaneous raids on Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas. The military says it began a new raid overnight in Tubas and the nearby Far'a camp, as well as a separate operation in Jericho. In Tubas, a drone targeted a cell of gunmen, the IDF says. Among the dead was Mohammed Zubeidi, 21, the son Zakaria Zubeidi, who in September 2021 escaped from Gilboa Prison along with five other high-security prisoners, leading Israeli security forces on a two-week manhunt before being caught. The IDF says that the younger Zubeidi was a "prominent terrorist from the Jenin area" who participated in shooting attacks against Israeli towns close to the West Bank security barrier, as well as other attacks on troops. The other four gunmen -- identified by the Palestinian Authority health ministry as Ahmed Abu Dawas, 24, Mohammed Abu Juma, 30, Qusay Abd al-Razeq, 26, and Mohammed Abu Zagha, 23 -- were also involved in shooting attacks, the IDF adds. Meanwhile, in the Far'a camp, the IDF says a drone targeted a group of armed Palestinians that were hurling explosive devices at troops, and separately, members of the Israel Prison Service’s elite Metzada Unit killed a gunman who was holding a bomb. View Quote
Two suspected drones launched from Lebanon were shot down by air defenses a short while ago, the IDF says. The two targets were intercepted over Lebanese airspace, and did not cross into Israeli territory, the military adds. Separately, the IDF says it struck a Hezbollah site in southern Lebanon's Qana. View Quote
The Hezbollah terror group announces the death of a member killed "on the road to Jerusalem," its term for operatives slain in Israeli strikes. He is named as Abbas Anis Ayoub. His death brings the terror group's toll since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip to at least 433. The announcement comes following reports of an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon's Kafra this morning. View Quote
August was the month with the most rockets fired from Lebanon amid the ongoing war, according to new data published by the Shin Bet security agency. The latest Shin Bet report says that 1,307 rockets were fired at Israel from the northern front, meaning Lebanon and Syria, amounting to just over 40 a day on average. July saw 1,091 rockets from Lebanon, June saw 855, May saw 1,000, April saw 744, March saw 746, February saw 534, and January saw 334, according to the Shin Bet. In the past month, only 116 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza, the latest report says. View Quote
Overnight, Israeli attack helicopters carried out an airstrike on Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror operatives at a command center embedded within the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in central Gaza, the IDF says. The strike took place in the Deir al-Balah area, reportedly near the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Palestinian media outlets report at least five dead in the strike. The military says that the "precise" strike was carried out to remove "an immediate threat." View Quote
Overnight, the IDF says it carried out three drone strikes against Palestinian gunmen who were shooting at troops during a raid in the Tubas area of the northern West Bank. The Palestinian Authority health ministry reports that five men were killed in the strikes. 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 |
[#11]
The 401st Brigade in the Tel al-Sultan area:
Attached is a video of the dismantling of explosives planted under roads in Tulkarm: The Chief of the General Staff: “We must not give up on any of the war goals” The IDF continues to finish Hamas in Gaza. What Does it Mean to Fight on All Fronts? The Chief of the Defence Staff of Italy, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, arrived this week (Tuesday) for a visit to Israel as the official guest of the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi. |
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[Last Edit: neshomamench]
[#12]
I was less than 1 mile from Gaza today. Things are not quite as tight as they were several months ago in that area.
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[#13]
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SYSTEM: Let's not rehash a locked&nuked thread
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[#14]
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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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#15]
Hamas released a video of one of the hostages murdered last week.
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 |
[#16]
The shaft leading to the tunnel in which the bodies of the hostages Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alex Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and MSG Ori Danino were recovered from was located next to stuffed animals and wall art of cartoon characters in a children’s play area.
Attached is a video announcement of a soldier from the Yahalom Unit: A short while ago, the IAF struck over ten Hezbollah launchers and military infrastructure sites that posed a threat to the citizens of Israel in the areas of Jibbain, Zawtar El Charqiyeh, and Ramia The IDF eliminated terrorists from Tubas and Far'a during a counterterrorism operation in the Jordan Valley: |
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[#17]
The IDF releases footage of a drone strike on a group of Palestinians hurling explosive devices at troops during an ongoing raid in the West Bank city of Jenin. According to the military, more than 20 Palestinian gunmen have been killed in airstrikes amid the operation which began late last month. View Quote
So far amid the IDF's major operation in the northern West Bank, troops have killed 36 gunmen and detained 46 wanted Palestinians, according to the military. Additionally, the IDF says some two dozen weapons have been confiscated, three bomb-making labs have been destroyed, and dozens of explosive devices have been neutralized. The IDF has been carrying out the major operation — internally dubbed “Summer Camps” — since August 28. It began with simultaneous raids on Jenin, Tulkarem and the Far’a camp near Tubas, with the goal of dismantling Iran-backed Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror networks in the three areas of the northern West Bank. 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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#18]
Institute for Study of War Backgrounder 5 September Key Takeaways Gaza Hamas used an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) to attack an Israeli Merkava tank in Zaytoun, southern Gaza City, on September 4. The al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades—the self-proclaimed militant wing of Fatah—has conducted two rocket attacks on Israeli forces on the Netzarim Corridor. The Air Force struck a Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) command and control center located in the Deir al Balah area in the humanitarian zone on September 5. US officials reported that the Biden administration is considering applying pressure and implementing unspecified accountability measures against Hamas instead of pushing Israel to agree to a ceasefire-hostage deal that would give the group additional concessions. Hamas is using its execution of the six hostages to conduct a series of information operations that are designed to degrade Israeli will and force Israel to end the war on terms favorable to Hamas, which would ultimately lead to an Israeli defeat. Hamas released a fourth video September 4 depicting two of the six recently killed hostages. This video—like the others—featured scripted statements calling for a ceasefire-hostage agreement. The two hostages in the September 4 video, who were under duress, accused the Israeli government of failing to rescue the hostages from the Gaza Strip and failing to reach a ceasefire-hostage proposal that would bring hostages home alive. West Bank Israeli forces have engaged Palestinian fighters in 12 locations in the West Bank since CTP-ISW's last data cutoff on September 4. The al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) attacked Israeli forces in several locations in Tulkarm and Jenin using small armes and IEDs. The IDF conducted three drone strikes on a vehicle carrying a militia cell in Tubas, killing at least five PIJ fighters. One of those killed was Mohammed Zakaria Zubeidi, described as a “significant terrorist” in Jenin. Lebanon and Syria Hezbollah conducted 12 attacks into northern Israel since CTP-ISW's last data cutoff on September 4. Shin Bet released a report on September 5 that documents a steady increase in Hezbollah rocket attacks into northern Israel since January 2024. Shin Bet data show that Hezbollah more than tripled the number of rockets that it launched into Israel over the past nine months, from approximately 334 total rockets in January 2024 to 1,307 rockets in August 2024. Israel conducted a drone strike targeting an Iranian-backed militia vehicle in Deir ez Zor Province, Syria, on September 5. Syrian opposition media reported that the airstrike destroyed a truck transporting weapons in Sukariyah, Albu Kamal District. The truck had entered Syria from Iraqi territory through an Iranian-backed militia-controlled crossing. Yemen Houthi supreme leader Abdulmalik al Houthi vowed to continue attacks targeting the United States, Israel, and the United Kingdom in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Abdulmalik criticized unspecified Arab nations for failing to “take a stand” and denounced countries that “appease” or “offer concessions” to Israel. Abdulmalik lamented that the use of “martyrdom” and “suicide bombers,” to confront Israel has “vanished.” United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported there is an entity in the Red Sea claiming to be from the UKMTO and requesting vessels turn on their automatic identification system (AIS) and provide position updates. The AIS and position updates could enable the Houthis to target these vessels. 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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#19]
Israeli fighter jets struck a building in southern Lebanon's Matmoura, where a group of Hezbollah operatives were spotted, the IDF says. Meanwhile, several missiles were launched from Lebanon at the Upper Galilee in the past hour. A building in Metula was struck in one of the attacks, claimed by Hezbollah. The IDF says firefighters are working to extinguish a blaze at the home that was hit and other impact sites in the area. There were no injuries in the attacks. View Quote
Despite Palestinian media reporting that Israeli forces have withdrawn from Jenin, the IDF says that "troops are continuing with the operation until its objectives are achieved." So far, the IDF says that in the past 10 days it has killed 14 Palestinian gunmen in Jenin, among them the commander of Hamas in the city, and detained more than 30 wanted Palestinians. Four drone strikes have been carried out in Jenin amid the operation, and the IDF says over 30 explosive devices planted under roads in the city were also neutralized. View Quote
Overnight, a Hezbollah weapons depot in southern Lebanon's Blida was struck by Israel fighter jets, the IDF says. Buildings used by the terror group in Ayta ash-Shab and Yarine were also struck, the military adds. View Quote Link to X post-- Hamas publicly executed a Palestinian Link might not work if you don't have X/Twitter. Attached File Attached File Story about Bedouin taken hostage on 7 Oct who was rescued last week in Gaza.
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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 |
[#20]
Interception of a suspiciuos aerial target:
Additional documents from the explosion scene in Ramla. |
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[#21]
Turkey condemns 'murder committed by the Netanyahu Government' of Turkish-U.S. citizen in West Bank Link
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said it had learned that a Turkish citizen was killed by Israeli soldiers in Nablus in the West Bank. "We have learned with deep regret that our citizen Aysenur Ezgi Eygi has been killed by the Israeli occupation forces," the statement said. "We condemn this murder committed by the Netanyahu Government. Israel is trying to intimidate all those who come to the aid of the Palestinian people and who fight peacefully against the genocide. This policy of violence will not work." Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was a dual Turkish-American citizen. 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 |
[#22]
Footage from the activity of the Israeli Navy:
UAV interception by missile ships in the Red Sea arena: The naval defense systems installed on the missile ships also serve as a significant force multiplier for troops in the field. Attached are radio communications from the moments of a UAV interception, by the Israeli Air Force and the Israeli Navy: The IDF releases footage of a drone strike on a group of Palestinians hurling explosive devices at troops during an ongoing raid in Jenin. Overnight, the IAF struck a Hezbollah weapons storage facility IDF counterterrorism activity in Jenin: War drill in Northern Israel |
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[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#23]
The Israeli military says it is investigating the killing of an American woman in the West Bank earlier today. According to the IDF, during operations near the town of Beita close to Nablus, troops opened fire at a "main instigator" who was hurling stones at the forces and had "posed a threat." "A claim that a foreign citizen was killed by gunfire in the area is being investigated. The details of the incident and the circumstances of her being hit are under investigation," the IDF adds. The slain woman was named as Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, an American originally from Turkey. She was reportedly an activist with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). View Quote
Hezbollah hit another chicken coop.
Daily Update, September 5, 2024 - 14:30 - Northern Arena 1.Over the past 24 hours, #Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for seven attacks against #Israel using high-trajectory fire, including Grad rockets and anti-tank missiles. 2.Additionally, yesterday (September 4), an anti-tank missile was launched toward Kiryat Shmona and a single launch was reported in the Shtula area. This morning (September 5), two UAVs that approached Israel from Lebanon were intercepted. No responsibility was claimed for these incidents. 3.Yesterday (September 4), Hezbollah fired approximately five artillery shells toward the Zar'it community. According to Hezbollah, the target was a military base, but in practice the shells hit the community, causing damage to property and to a chicken coop. 4.Yesterday, Hezbollah launched about 30 Grad rockets to the Neot Mordechai area, causing fires and damage. One of the sites that was hit in the attack was the Kfar Blum cemetery, where severe damage was caused. Hezbollah claimed that the attack was a response to IDF strikes in southern Lebanon that caused civilian casualties. 5.This morning (September 5), two Hezbollah UAVs infiltrated Israeli territory; one exploded around Yaara while another was intercepted near Dovev. Additionally, approximately five projectiles were launched to Ramot Naftali. 6.In the past 24 hours, the IDF has attacked Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including buildings, infrastructure, and rocket launchers in the areas of Kounine, Qabrikha, Houla, Jibbain, Zawtar El Charqiyeh, Ramia, and Qana. View Quote Interesting, I hope it's true, but would like more confirmation. Probably not possible.
In a meeting between senior Hamas official, Ahmed, and Akram Al-Ajouri, the Head of the Military Wing of the Islamic Jihad, the two argued regarding failed launches of Islamic Jihad rockets that landed on civilian homes in Gaza, in which al-Ajouri said that such incidents are 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝗿, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗳 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵. Despite the argument and the behind-closed-doors tensions, Hamas consistently hides its own failed launches and those of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza, lying to Gazan civilians and the world by claiming that these are Israeli strikes. 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 |
[#24]
Exercise of the 11th Reserve Brigade in the Northern Arena:
More than 15 rocket launchers and sites belonging to Hezbollah were targeted in a series of airstrikes: The IDF attacked a military building where terrorists from the terrorist organization Hezbollah were operating: Over the past few hours, the IAF struck Hezbollah military structures in the area of Aitaroun in southern Lebanon, as well as Hezbollah military infrastructure in the area of Beit Lif. |
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[#25]
Report: Document found on Sinwar's computer details Hamas strategy for hostage talks, war with Israel Link
According to the German newspaper Bild, a document was reportedly found on a computer belonging to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar which detailed Hamas' strategy in the negotiations and the war as a whole. The document, which reportedly dates to the spring of 2024, shows that Hamas has been weakened militarily, but that its main goal is to weaken Israel internationally and leverage the hostages against the Israeli government internally, through pressure on the hostages' families and the Israeli public. In addition, the report states that Hamas will try to prematurely place blame for any failures in negotiations on Israel, framing the failures as Israel's rejection of terms that the U.S. presented and that Hamas agreed to, no matter the true cause of the failed talks. The document also reportedly details Hamas plans to propose that an Arab force be stationed in Gaza as a "buffer" between Israel and Hamas, which would prevent Israel from reentering Gaza after the cease-fire. 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 |
[#26]
More Houthi BS. Link to UKMTO.
Advisory UKMTO #121 6 September 2024 141900N, 0420500E UKMTO received a time late report from the CSO that a vessel was approached from the east by a small blue and white skiff, 60 NMs southwest of the port of Al Hudaydah. The skiff had 3 personnel onboard, one was navigating and the other two was looking through binoculars. The skiff got to 400 metres of the vessel and changed direction when the armed security team displayed their weapons. Authorities are investigating. View Quote Advisory UKMTO #120 4 September 2024 180708N, 0401236E UKMTO has been made aware of an entity declaring itself to be from the UKMTO and requesting vessels to switch on their AIS and provide present position update. UKMTO recommends Masters verify any calls from UKMTO.. 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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#27]
IDF: A short while ago, with the direction of IDF and ISA intelligence, the IAF conducted a precise strike on terrorists who were operating inside a Hamas command and control center. The command and control center was embedded inside a compound that previously served as the “Halima al-Sa'diyya” School in the northern Gaza Strip. Hamas terrorists used the command and control center to plan and execute terror attacks against IDF troops and the State of Israel. Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance and additional intelligence. The Hamas terrorist organization systematically violates international law and operates from within civilian infrastructure and shelters in the Gaza Strip, brutally exploiting the Gazan civilian population for its terrorist activities. The IDF will continue to operate against the Hamas terrorist organization in defense of the State of Israel. View Quote Link to FDD analysis on Iran and the Bomb. Very long article.
More than 15 rocket launchers and sites belonging to Hezbollah were targeted in a series of airstrikes in southern Lebanon this evening, the IDF says. According to the military, some of the launchers were primed for attacks on Israel. The IDF says that immediately following the strikes, rockets were seen flying out of some of the targeted launchers, which landed in Lebanese territory. View Quote Traffic through the Suez Canal has decreased 66 percent since companies began diverting ships...this has led to service reconfigurations and volume shifts, straining infrastructure and resulting in port congestion, delays, and shortages in capacity and equipment. MAERSK REPORTS HOUTHI ATTACKS CAUSE 66 PERCENT DROP IN SUEZ CANAL TRAFFIC Link Latest Developments Danish shipping giant A.P Moller-Maersk (Maersk) announced on September 5 that traffic through the Suez Canal has decreased 66 percent since companies began diverting ships away from the Red Sea to avoid attacks launched by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Maersk said that the “disruptions have led to service reconfigurations and volume shifts, straining infrastructure and resulting in port congestion, delays, and shortages in capacity and equipment,” adding that “the timeline for easing these disruptions and returning to ‘normal’ remains uncertain.” Maersk’s update follows a July notice warning that rerouting ships around Africa would impact its entire global network. Maersk said that “the cascading impact” of diverting traffic away from the Red Sea “extends beyond the primary affected routes, causing congestion at alternative routes and transshipment hubs essential for trade with Far East Asia, West Central Asia, and Europe.” Expert Analysis “Effective policy requires decision-makers to objectively assess whether the current policy is working. Well, the jury is in, and the administration’s current approach toward the Houthis and their Iranian benefactors is not working. Despite notable efforts by the United States and others, the worst assault on maritime trade and freedom of navigation in decades continues. If the White House’s policy is not examined and revised, expect the economic, environmental, and security consequences to grow.” — Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power “Both Egypt and Jordan, which benefit from the Red Sea’s economic advantages in shipping, have been severely impacted by continuous attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis. These attacks have worsened the already serious economic challenges facing both countries. The Houthis’ control of the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait will further amplify the economic repercussions for nations overlooking the Red Sea. The United States, along with all members of Operation Prosperity Guardian, must take a more aggressive role in deterring the Houthis and restoring maritime shipping in the region.” — Ahmad Sharawi, FDD Research Analyst Houthis Disrupt Commercial Shipping, Threaten Environmental Disaster Since November 2023, the Houthis, acting in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, have launched dozens of attacks against commercial vessels in and around the Red Sea, disrupting global trade. On September 2, the Iran-backed rebels attacked two oil tankers transiting through the Red Sea, increasing the likelihood of an environmental catastrophe in the region. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that both vessels were laden with crude oil, confirming that one — the Saudi Arabian-flagged MV Amjad — was carrying approximately 2 million barrels of oil at the time of the attack. The attacks came as fires continued to burn on another ship that the Houthis attacked on August 21, the Greek-flagged MV Delta Sounion. The Sounion was transporting 1 million barrels of oil when it was attacked and consequently rendered inoperable. The ship was left anchored between Yemen and Eritrea, where it could potentially spill its cargo and cause an ecological disaster. The destruction of either the Delta Sounion or the Amjad would threaten one of the worst oil spills in history. On August 24, the U.S. State Department expressed concern that the Houthi attack on the Delta Sounion could lead to a spill “four times the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster” — referring to the 1989 disaster that resulted in 11 million gallons of oil spilling into Alaska’s Prince William Sound. Red Sea Trade Hub Roughly 12 percent of all global trade, amounting to approximately $1 trillion of goods per year, passes through the Suez Canal at the northwestern edge of the Red Sea. Following weeks of Houthi harassment of commercial ships, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian on December 18. The initiative seeks to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In January, the White House said that Houthi attacks on shipping had affected more than 50 countries. In April, the Defense Intelligence Agency released a report on the economic impacts of the Houthi’s attack campaign, including an approximately 90 percent decline in container shipping through the Red Sea, financial strains on shipping companies forced to divert around Africa, and “compounding ongoing stress to global maritime shipping caused by interruptions at the Panama Canal due to drought.” 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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#28]
Institute for Study of War Backgrounder 6 September Key Takeways Gaza Israel and Palestinian militias continued to observe limited humanitarian pauses in select areas of the southern Gaza Strip to enable the vaccination of Palestinian children for polio The IDF has continued limited military operations outside the vaccination ceasefire zones in Gaza over the past week. Israeli forces have attacked and destroyed over 40 militia infrastructure targets across the Gaza Strip, including command-and-control sites located in schools, colleges, and humanitarian areas. Palestinian residents told Reuters that Israeli tanks have been operating in Zaytoun in southern Gaza City for over a week. Two Palestinian militias conducted mortar attacks targeting Israeli forces east of Rafah. The rate of Palestinian militia rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel has decreased significantly in recent weeks. Israeli media reported that this decrease is due to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) beginning to immediately evacuate Gazan residents from areas where rockets are fired and then demolishing buildings in the area. Gazan residents have reportedly pressured Hamas to refrain from firing rockets from certain neighborhoods in response to this new Israeli approach. Clashes have erupted between Hamas members and residents in some cases. In one incident, a Gazan clan attacked Palestinian fighters with clubs as the fighters tried to fire a rocket. Hamas continued to conduct an information operation to decrease Israeli willingness to continue fighting in the Gaza Strip and to pressure Israel to end the war on terms favorable to Hamas. Hamas released two propaganda videos on September 5 and 6 in which two recently murdered hostages call for a ceasefire. These videos are meant to drive the Israeli public to pressure the Israeli government to accept an immediate ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas. West Bank Israeli forces withdrew from Jenin on September 6 but will reportedly return “soon” to continue the large-scale counterterrorism operation. The IDF has operated for ten consecutive days in Jenin since the launch of Operation Summer Camp on August 27. The IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police have killed 14 fighters, detained 30 suspects, destroyed 30 IEDs planted under roads, and conducted four airstrikes over the past 10 days in Jenin. The IDF also announced on September 6 that it had killed Hamas’ Jenin commander, Wassem Hazem. Israeli forces engaged Palestinian fighters in seven locations in the West Bank since CTP-ISW's last data cutoff on September 5. PIJ detonated two IEDs targeting an Israeli military vehicle south of Jenin; PIJ claims the attack caused Israeli casualties. The IDF is investigating the death of Turkey-born US citizen Aysenur Eygi who was killed near Nablus on September 6 during a protest against Israeli settlements in the West Bank. An initial Israeli investigation found Israeli soldiers fired small arms at “a main instigator” who “posed a threat” and that one protester was hit. Lebanon Hezbollah conducted at least seven attacks on northern Israel since CTP-ISW's last data cutoff on September 5. Yemen and Iraq The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a small vessel tried to approach a merchant ship 60 nautical miles southwest of al Hudaydah, Yemen, on September 6. A small craft with three individuals onboard approached within 400 meters of the merchant ship. When the security team on the merchant ship displayed their weapons the small craft retreated. 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 |
[#29]
Facing Dire Domestic Woes, Gaza and Lebanon Fighting Have Become an Increasing Burden for Iran Link.
Iran fears that the 'response equation' policy it devised with its proxies against Israel may backfire, drawing it into a regional conflict that could worsen its already severe economic challenges and hinder the new government's efforts to pursue rehabilitation. Entire article in quote box Facing domestic woes, the Gaza and Lebanon conflicts have become a growing burden for Iran At the first meeting between Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and the government formed by new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Khamenei listed two top national priorities – lowering inflation and reducing prices. Pezeshkian explained what these orders mean in practice in his first media interview, in which he said he hoped to boost economic growth to eight percent and lower inflation by 30 percent. To achieve this goal, he said, Iran needs $200 billion in investments. Half of that could come from local investors and businessmen, he continued. But the other half, around $100 billion, would have to come from outside. In other words, without an end to the sanctions on Iran, it won't be able to meet this goal. Unlike other senior Iranian officials, including Khamenei himself, Pezeshkian doesn't hide the enormous damage the sanctions have caused and are still causing the Iranian economy, or the fact that the "resistance economy" – the term coined by Khamenei to justify strangling belt-tightening to withstand the sanctions – is boomeranging on the government, because it is harming the poorest Iranians. And the results of this policy aren't felt only on the macro level. Shortly before the start of the school year, Iran's Education Ministry released worrying data showing that 167,000 elementary school students had dropped out of school. And the true number is apparently much higher. According to estimates released by the Iranian parliament's research center, about a million students dropped out of the school system at every level in 2023. Moreover, the Education Ministry said, the schools are short 176,000 teachers. It is therefore trying at the last minute to hire retired teachers or student teachers who haven't yet finished their education degrees. Other data released by the parliament's Education Committee shows that some 14 million students come from families with trouble providing for their basic needs, meaning that many of them are forced to go to work instead of going to school. The Health Ministry also had no good news to share. Since August 2, nurses have been on strike in most Iranian cities to demand better wages and working conditions. They want their salaries adjusted for inflation, which is currently over 40 percent. They also want more nurses to be hired, payments for overtime and reimbursement for travel expenses. According to the Supreme Council of the Nursing System, between 150 and 200 nurses emigrate from Iran every month, and about 20 percent of nursing school students say they intend to leave the country. The above are just two prime examples of how this crisis not only affects the quality of life of Iranian workers today, but also the next generation. Nurses, teachers and other professionals aren't interested in major policy issues or plans for retaliation against Israel for its assassination of former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. It's true that the strikes and school dropouts aren't bringing masses of people into the streets like the murder of Mahsa Amini by the Morality Police did two years ago. They do, however, undermine the narrative that the Islamic Revolution and the regime it established are vastly preferable to the shah's government. Pezeshkian, who was elected thanks to the votes of the reformists, is very familiar with this political minefield. He entered it with open eyes and is walking through it with great care, and for now, this has earned him Khamenei's support. Granted, it's not clear how much his urging of Khamenei to exercise "restraint" in retaliating for Haniyeh's assassination was worth. But the fact that Khamenei gave prior approval to all 19 members of Pezeshkian's new cabinet (according to the president himself) shows that there's coordination and understanding between Iran's two top leaders. No less important is Khamenei's statement, referring to the West in general and America in particular, that "we must suspect the enemy, but there's no obstacle to conducting negotiations with him," assuming that negotiations serve the country's interests. This statement was interpreted as a green light for Pezeshkian and his government to take steps that could yield sanctions relief or even a full removal of the sanctions. And indeed, in the brief time since he took office, Pezeshkian has already sent hints that he intends to negotiate with Western countries, and even with the United States. This would naturally require Iran to present a new outline for its nuclear program that would be acceptable to the West in general, and the countries that signed the original nuclear deal with Iran (America, France, Britain, Russia and China) in particular. What options is Iran considering, and will it agree to resume negotiations on a new nuclear deal? Tehran has been scattering hints, but it's hard to infer any practical steps from them. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said recently that resuming nuclear talks is no longer a goal and that the idea has become irrelevant. And yet, he added that Iran plans to unveil a new "military and diplomatic" strategy in order to reach a new kind of deal that would allow for the removal of the sanctions. He didn't explain what he meant, but the very fact that he was appointed foreign minister, with Khamenei's approval, is an important signal in its own right. That's because Araghchi, a fluent English speaker who had close ties with American negotiators back when he was running the talks on a nuclear deal, is suspected by Iranian conservatives of "working against the principles of the revolution" – that is, of being someone willing to capitulate to America. And not only is Araghchi now serving in a very senior post, but Mohammad Javad Zarif – the former foreign minister who presided over the original nuclear deal and was originally appointed by Pezeshkian as vice president for strategic affairs, only to resign in protest over the composition of Pezeshkian's cabinet – returned to his vice presidential office last week. Thus, if Khamenei decides to change Iran's policy, the Zarif-Araghchi duo will likely breathe new life into dialogue with the West about the nuclear deal. Perhaps Pezeshkian will be clearer on this issue at the UN General Assembly, which will take place in New York in two weeks. At the same time, Iran remains concerned and wary of developments in the Middle East, pursuing a cautious policy aimed, at least publicly, at avoiding a full-scale war, which would likely be centered around Lebanon. Tehran sees that the "ring of fire" it created to defend itself may well backfire and hurt not only Lebanon – its most important regional asset – but also itself, particularly without the backing of a superpower like Israel has in the United States. China remains Iran's most important trading partner, but it isn't a military ally, and Iran's confidence in Russia's support is also far from absolute. Discussions between Tehran and Moscow on a new strategic cooperation deal to replace the one signed more than 20 years ago are being delayed, and recently, Russia has already infuriated Iran by announcing its support for establishing the Zangezur corridor between Azerbaijan and the enclave of Nakhchivan in Armenia. This transportation corridor would run along the length of the border between Armenia and Iran, and allow free movement, with no border control checkpoints, between Azerbaijan and Turkey. Under the Russian-mediated peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the corridor will be overseen by Russia and Azerbaijan, rather than by Armenia, as Iran had demanded. Iran fears that this corridor would effectively block its access to Armenia, and from there to Europe. It therefore views it much like Israel views the Philadelphi corridor that runs along the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt. Yet precisely on an issue of such strategic importance, Russia wasn't on its side. To demonstrate its displeasure with Russia's conduct, Iran sent a warm congratulatory message to Ukraine in honor of its Independence Day in August, a gesture that clutched Russia's stomach. Although Russia buys Iranian missiles and drones, the Iranians consider it a country that threatens its interests in the Caucasus, allows Israel to strike Syria, and tends to support the United Arab Emirates in the issue of control of the Lesser Tunb and Abu Mussa islands in the Straits of Hormuz, which Iran claims. This week, former Iranian MP Ali Motahhari posted on X a letter to President Pezeshkian, stating, "Russia has never considered Iran's interests. Especially now, when it is entangled in a war with Ukraine." With a perforated "security belt" and a dire economic situation pushing it towards dialogue with European countries, the Gulf states, and possibly the United States, the war in Gaza and Lebanon has increasingly become a burden on Iran, threatening its own strategic and economic interests. At the moment, Tehran has no exit strategy from the "response equation" it jointly devised with Hezbollah and its other proxies. 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 |
[#30]
A barrage of rockets was fired from Lebanon at the Western Galilee a short while ago. According to the IDF, some of the rockets were intercepted by air defenses. Some of the projectiles struck the community of Shlomi, reportedly causing damage to a home, and others struck open areas near Liman, sparking a fire. View Quote
IDF: Following the sirens that sounded between 6:04 and 6:05 in the area of Mattat, approximately 30 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanese territory. No injuries were reported. Furthermore, following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in the Western Galilee area regarding a hostile aircraft infiltration, it was determined to be a false identification. In addition, following the strikes on the Hezbollah launchers last night (Friday), the IAF struck an additional Hezbollah launcher in the area of Yater in southern Lebanon overnight. View Quote
Palestinian/sympathizer posts. Telegram videos of attacks on IDF
West Bank fighters confront destructive military raids, with Jon Elmer |
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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 |
[#31]
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The person who complains most, and is the most critical of others has the most to hide.
All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. |
[#32]
The IDF says it struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon's Aynata this evening, used in an attack earlier today on Safed. Separately, several drones were launched from Lebanon this evening at the Upper Galilee. The IDF says they impacted in northern Israel, causing no injuries. View Quote
The IDF releases footage from a recent engagement with gunmen in the Tel Sultan neighborhood of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Troops of the Nahal Brigade's 932nd Battalion raided a building where a group of terror operatives were holed up. Amid the raid, the gunmen hurled a grenade at the troops, wounding at least one of the soldiers. The IDF says the troops returned fire, killing the gunmen. On their bodies, the soldiers found weapons and documents, the military adds. In recent days, the IDF says troops with the 162nd Division have killed dozens of gunmen in Tel Sultan. View Quote Attached File Attached File
Two Palestinian Islamic Jihad battalion commanders were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, the IDF and Shin Bet announce. The strike targeted a command room embedded within the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah, according to the military. Several terror operatives were killed in the strike, including Abdullah Khattab, the commander of PIJ's South Deir al-Balah Battalion, and Hatem Abu al-Jidyan, the commander of PIJ's East Deir al-Balah Battalion, the IDF and Shin Bet say. The IDF says Khattab had oversaw his battalion during the October 7 onslaught, and was involved in numerous attacks on Israel and troops, including rocket fire and anti-tank fire. Abu al-Jidyan also advanced numerous attacks against troops amid the ongoing fighting. View Quote Attached File
Egypt's insistence on not cooperating with Israel in securing the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing on both sides will severely harm Egypt, open Sinai to terrorism, and expose Egypt's national security to great danger. What happened in 2012-2015 is a lesson for us. The official Egyptian position, biased against Israel and supportive of Hamas terrorism, is a major sin for which we will pay a very high price. I am surprised that the Egyptian state does not understand that our economic and military security and stability are linked to Israel’s security and stability, and that Hamas is a terrorist organization that has betrayed the Egyptians more than once and cannot be trusted. View Quote Link might not work if you're not signed into X/Twitter Link to X video of Hamas kneecapping a "thief". Masked Hamas terrorist shot Gazan in the leg for alleged theft. Without trial or investigation, without evidence, just shooting at the legs in front of passers-by… View Quote Attached File Attached File Attached File
Full article "Targeting in an Urban Environment" inside spoiler Click To View Spoiler TARGETING IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT: WHY WEAPONEERING AND TACTICS MATTER
by Kevin S. Coble, Alexander Hernandez, Gavin Logan Sep 6, 2024 Targeting Israel’s ongoing urban operations in Gaza have drawn extensive international scrutiny. Critics have focused on the number of reported civilian casualties, with many attributing Israel’s use of large, high-explosive free-fall bombs in an urban environment as the cause of extensive collateral damage. For example, in May, President Joe Biden referred to Israel’s bombing campaign as “indiscriminate” and withheld a U.S. transfer of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel because “civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs.” More recently, the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) released a Thematic Report, which analyzed six Israeli strikes and documented the OHCHR’s “concerns regarding Israel’s use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in densely populated areas.” The report concluded that the “large and heavy munitions used” in such areas “would have in all likelihood resulted in an indiscriminate attack,” because “[e]xplosive weapons with such wide-area effects cannot be directed at a specific military object in densely populated areas of Gaza, and the effects cannot be limited, resulting in military objects, civilians and civilian objects being struck without distinction” (p. 11). Israel pushed back on the Thematic Report, stating that wide area effects weapons are often the only weapon capable of accomplishing a military objective, and that the Thematic Report lacked the “operational expertise and the facts on the ground” to make a proper assessment. The use of explosive weapons in the urban environment, especially those having so-called “wide area effects,” has long been a topic of controversy (see e.g., here and here). While some have advocated for limiting or banning the use of these weapons in urban environments, under the law of armed conflict (LOAC), the lawfulness of using a particular weapon is primarily determined by its foreseeable effects in the specific environment in which it is employed. Those effects depend on the weapon’s capabilities, the nature of the target and surrounding area, and how the weapon was used. Therefore, the assessment of whether a weapon was used lawfully is almost always a contextual determination. In this post, we discuss several weapons in the United States’ inventory that are also being used in urban warfare in Gaza and Ukraine. Our goal is not to draw conclusions about the lawfulness of their use, but rather to describe them so readers can better inform their own assessments. To do this, we start by briefly describing the challenge of urban operations. Next, we highlight the applicable law of targeting. We then turn to the weapons themselves, explaining their means of guidance, their relative effects, and other key characteristics. A discussion of the tactics by which they are employed to neutralize a target and avoid collateral damage follows. The Urban Battlefield What makes urban warfare unique is its environment. The urban environment is characterized by an increased presence of man-made physical terrain, large population and population densities, and infrastructure. Like other environments (e.g., jungle or forest), urban battlefields offer defenders areas to hide, frustrating an attacker’s ability to find and strike targets. However, in an urban environment, the robust infrastructure allows defenders to hide well above ground (e.g., in high-rise buildings), at street level, or even below ground (e.g., in tunnels and sewers), creating a unique set of challenges for an attacker. In addition to concealment, the man-made physical terrain of urban areas provides the defender cover (i.e., protection from a weapon’s effects), impacting the effectiveness of an attacker’s weapons. Complicating urban operations further is the proximity—and often interconnectedness—between military objectives and civilians and civilian objects. Given these characteristics, conducting operations in such an environment is inherently complex. In particular, it challenges an armed force’s ability to navigate physical (e.g., terrain) and policy (e.g.,rules of engagement) constraints (see Spencer). The paradigmatic example of such complexity is the conflict between Hamas (and other organized armed groups) and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza Strip. With roughly the same landmass as Seattle, Washington, it is home to three times the inhabitants; about 21,000 people per square mile, 78 percent of whom live in urban population centers. Hamas exploits Gaza’s physical and human density by dressing like civilians and basing its fighters and equipment in, and operating from, civilian structures, including those that are specially protected. Thus, distinguishing and then precisely targeting military objectives while minimizing collateral damage becomes exceedingly difficult. In addition to explaining why targeting in an urban environment is challenging, these characteristics also provide context for assessing the lawfulness of the operations. Although the law of targeting is the same regardless of the environment, context can affect its application. Therefore, it is important to understand both the law and the context before assessing whether a particular strike was lawful, or the use of a specific weapon system was permissible. The Law of Targeting Professor Michael Schmitt and Brigadier General Eric Widmar have observed that “The law of targeting lies at the heart of international humanitarian law (IHL). As such, it is the fulcrum around which discussion of combat operations revolves.” Most of the treaty law governing targeting appears in the 1977 Additional Protocol I (AP I) to the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Although it only binds parties to the instrument (Israel and the United States are not), some of the rules it sets forth on targeting are generally considered to reflect customary law binding on all States in both international and non-international armed conflicts. While the law of targeting—and all its nuance—deserves extensive reflection, here we highlight three critical components: distinction, feasible precautions in attack, and proportionality. The principle of distinction is the cornerstone of the law of targeting. It provides that parties to a conflict must always “distinguish between the civilian population and combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives” (AP I, art. 48; Department of Defense (DoD), Law of War Manual, § 5.5). Only military objectives, which include both people (i.e., combatants, members of an organized armed group, and civilians who take a direct part in hostilities) and objects, may be attacked (AP I, art. 51 and art. 52(2); DoD Law of War Manual, § 5.6.2 and § 5.6.3). In the discussion that follows, we assume that the attack in question is directed at a “military objective,” as LOAC defines the term. If an attack is directed at a civilian object or is indiscriminate (e.g., blindly firing unguided munitions into an area in which civilians and military objectives are co-mingled), it is unlawful (AP I, art. 51(2),(4)). Article 51(5)(a) of AP I is of particular importance in the urban warfare context, as is deems indiscriminate “an attack by bombardment by any methods or means which treats as a single military objective a number of clearly separated and distinct military objectives located in a city, town, village or other area containing a similar concentration of civilians or civilian objects … .” Put differently, area targeting is not permitted if civilians or civilian objects are collocated with multiple military objectives in the area, and it is feasible to target the military objectives individually. Once an attacker identifies the military objective, they must, inter alia, take “feasible precautions in the choice of means and methods of attack” to avoid or minimize civilian harm (AP I, art. 57(2)(a)(ii)). Accordingly, feasible precautions include assessing the risk of collateral damage, selecting the appropriate weapon, and adjusting tactics to minimize civilian harm (DoD, Law of War Manual, § 5.11). Importantly, an attacker is not required by the rule to elect an option that sacrifices an expected military advantage. For instance, the attacker need not select a different weapon if that weapon will lower the probability of mission success. Even if an attacker has taken all feasible precautions, the attack still must comply with the rule of proportionality. Codifying this rule, Article 51 of AP I prohibits “an attack which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated” (see also DoD, Law of War Manual, § 5.10). As Professor Schmitt and Brigadier General Widmar noted, proportionality “is assessed based upon the information reasonably available to the attacker at the time the attack was planned, approved, or executed. It is not determined by the collateral damage or military advantage that actually resulted; the assessment is ex ante rather than post factum.” Therefore, extensive civilian casualties alone, while informative, cannot establish a violation of the rule without considering the information reasonably available to the attacker at the time of the attack. Complicating after-the-fact external assessments, an attacker may not be able to disclose the anticipated military advantage and expected civilian harm associated with a particular attack. For instance, a strike upon an enemy’s vital command and control node may rely on highly classified intelligence that cannot be revealed lest the enemy could then preclude the source’s future use. Furthermore, it is generally understood that “direct harms foreseeably resulting from the attack” factor into the proportionality calculation (DoD, Law of War Manual, § 5.12.1.3). While universal consensus is lacking on whether indirect harms are included, ultimately, the more remote or unforeseeable the effect, “the less likely they will be seen as necessary to include in the proportionality calculation” (Schmitt, Situations, p. 16). The text of the rules requiring feasible precautions and mandating proportionality makes it clear that civilian harm only includes “incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects.” Thus, for instance, under the rule of proportionality, an attacker is not required to consider the potential economic harm to the civilian population (e.g., the loss of jobs and wages) caused by an attack on an enemy’s weapons manufacturing facility (DoD, Law of War Manual, § 5.12.1.3). Finally, the application of both rules is affected by uncertainty (explored in depth by Professor Schmitt and Lieutenant Colonel Michael Schauss here). During combat, an attacker’s assessments as to compliance must often be based on imperfect information, especially in the urban environment. For example, in an urban environment with high concentrations of civilians, there is always the possibility that a transient civilian will wander into a target area during the short window of time between a weapon’s release and its impact. To adequately apply the law of targeting, especially in the urban environment where minimizing collateral damage can often be highly challenging, combatants must understand the weapons (the means) and tactics (the methods) used, as both dictate the weapons’ ultimate effects. We turn first to the weapons. The Weapons In modern combat, many weapons are precision-guided. We therefore begin by explaining precision-guided munitions (PGMs) generally, and then turn to two types that have been heavily used in the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine: the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and the Small Diameter Bomb. A PGM is defined—rather simply—as “a guided weapon intended to destroy a point on a target and minimize collateral damage.” It is a broad category that includes weapons, discussed below, launched by air (e.g., JDAM, Hellfire, and Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM)), ground (e.g., Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS)), and ship (e.g., Tomahawk). PGMs leverage guidance systems including global positioning system (GPS), laser guidance, and inertial navigation systems (INS). While many are familiar with GPS, which uses radio signals and satellites to navigate, laser guidance relies on a high-intensity laser beam to designate a target, a laser seeker (attached to the weapon) to recognize this designation, and a control system to steer the weapon accordingly. INS guidance uses gyroscopes and accelerators to adjust the weapon’s position in relation to a known starting point. A guided bomb unit (GBU) is a type of air-delivered PGM. While there are different types of GBUs, the most common ones use unguided, free-fall bombs (i.e., dumb bombs) as the warhead to which a guidance system and control surfaces are attached. For example, the widely-used JDAM is a “guidance tail kit” that attaches to various sizes of free-fall bombs. This tail kit leverages both INS and GPS to significantly improve the accuracy of the previously unguided bombs. Once the JDAM tail kit is installed onto the “dumb” warhead, the weapon is designated a GBU. Each type of GBU is identified by a numerical designator (e.g., GBU-31, GBU-32, etc.). For the purposes of the JDAM, the GBU numerical designator changes based upon the size of the unguided bomb to which the tail kit is attached. For instance, when a JDAM is paired with a 2,000-pound Bomb Live Unit (BLU)-117/Mark (Mk)84 unguided bomb it becomes a GBU-31. Likewise, the GBU-32 uses a 1,000-pound BLU-110/Mk 83 unguided bomb and GBU-38 uses a 500-pound BLU-111/MK 82. In addition, each GBU has subvariants within each class based on the specific type of unguided bomb used. For example, the GBU-31 may use either the BLU-117/Mk 84 general-purpose unguided bomb or the BLU-109, which has a hardened shell designed to penetrate structures prior to detonating, earning it the nickname “bunker buster.” Another type of GBU that has been used heavily in both Gaza and Ukraine is the GBU-39, also known as the Small Diameter Bomb. The GBU-39, which is an entirely new weapon and not just a tail kit, is an air-delivered, GPS-guided, 250-pound class munition. Significantly smaller than the GBU-31 and 32, the GBU-39 is specifically “designed to limit collateral damage.” The weapon shares the precision characteristics of the GBU-31 and 32 in a smaller configuration and offers additional variants, such as a carbon composite bomb body to minimize fragmentation and limit collateral damage in an urban environment. It is also important to note that the munition’s net explosive quantity (i.e., the amount of explosive material inside the warhead) differs from its overall weight. For example, the 2,000-pound BLU-109 contains about 550 pounds of explosives, while the 250-pound GBU-39 only contains 50 pounds of explosives. The rest of the munition’s weight primarily consists of the metal casing surrounding the explosive and the guidance system. In addition, the net explosive quantity can vary between the subvariants of each munition. Therefore, broadly referencing a weapon’s overall weight ignores its actual explosive quantity and overall capability. Unlike the air-delivered PGMs discussed above, the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) is an example of one of the ground-launched weapons found on today’s urban battlefield. The GLSDB adds a “rocket booster motor from a 227mm-caliber M26 artillery rocket” to the GBU-39, allowing it to be fired from a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) or M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). The United States recently provided Ukraine with the GLSDB, allowing Ukraine to take advantage of the GBU-39’s precision and low collateral damage in situations in which they cannot use aircraft (e.g., denied air space). A PGM’s ability “to minimize collateral damage” makes it a critical tool for combatants in an urban environment—like Gaza and many parts of Ukraine—where military objectives are in close proximity to civilians and civilian objects. As the UN OHCHR’s Thematic Report notes, PGMs “can be precisely programmed, or guided, directly onto the target with a very high degree of accuracy.” Notably, as Professor Schmitt explains in detail here, accuracy and precision are not synonymous. Precision refers to “the ability to locate and identify a target, strike it accurately in a timely fashion, and determine whether desired effects have been achieved or restrike is needed,” whereas accuracy “refers to a weapon’s capacity to strike a specific aimpoint” (see Precision Air Warfare and LOAC, p. 670). Accuracy is “measured in terms of circular error probable (CEP), the radius of a circle within which one-half of the weapons will fall” (Precision Attack and IHL, p. 446). Relevant here, the JDAM system reportedly has a CEP of less than sixmeters, or about 20 feet, whereas the GBU-39 has a CEP between five and eight meters, or about 16–26 feet. Although different characteristics affect a weapon’s CEP (e.g., whether the JDAM is leveraging laser guidance in addition to GPS), these statistics demonstrate the tremendous accuracy of the modern PGM. Still, recent urban warfare demonstrates that the use of modern PGMs does not negate the potential for extensive, or even potentially excessive, collateral damage. However, weight class alone (e.g., use of a 2,000-pound bomb) is insufficient to assess the expected effect of a weapon on a particular target and any nearby collateral concerns. Instead, assessing expected collateral damage requires an understanding of the weapon’s characteristics, including method of delivery (e.g., air vs. ground launched), guidance system(s), and variants (e.g., BLU-109 vs. BLU-117), as well as those of the target against which it is employed. These distinct weapon characteristics assist commanders in tailoring a weapon’s effects to neutralize a military objective while minimizing collateral damage. However, a weapon’s effects are also largely dependent on the method of employment (i.e., the tactics). The Tactics As a general example of how tactics impact weapon effects, during combat operations against ISIS in Iraq, U.S. military forces began using 2,000-pound BLU-109 GBU-31s against “less traditional hardened target sets,” including tunnel networks and above-ground buildings. Despite using a large weight class bomb, this tactic leveraged the BLU-109’s delayed fuze (which we discuss in greater depth below) and its hardened shell to delay the primary blast until the bomb buried itself deep within the desired point of impact, thereby minimizing collateral damage to adjacent structures and their occupants. Moreover, achieving the intended effect on the target after burying the blast depended on the use of a larger weight class. Such usage demonstrates that the size of the warhead alone does not directly correlate to the expected civilian harm. Consequently, under U.S. doctrine, both weapon selection and method of employment are methodically determined through a process known as the joint targeting cycle. Targeting experts, or targeteers, use their knowledge and training on the various weapons available to develop—along with other staff members (e.g., intelligence and legal)—recommended targeting solutions to a commander who has the authority to engage the target (known as the target engagement authority). This joint targeting cycle consists of six phases: (1) determining the end state and commander’s objective; (2) target development and prioritization; (3) capabilities analysis; (4) commander’s decision and force assignment; (5) mission planning and force execution; and (6) assessment. Targeteers consider various employment options primarily during the “capabilities analysis” phase. The primary purpose of the capabilities analysis phase is to determine the amount of force needed “to create the desired effects while minimizing collateral damage and waste of resources.” The analysis produces estimates—typically multiple estimates per target—of the physical damage from a planned attack against a desired point of impact. During this process, targeteers conduct two distinct analyses: weaponeering; and collateral damage estimates (CDE). Per joint doctrine, weaponeering is “the process of determining the specific means required to create a desired effect on a given target.” On the other hand, CDE “is intended to characterize the level and extent of collateral damage risk for a commander” (Joint Publication (JP) 3-60, p. II-15). When presented together, weaponeering results and CDE inform a commander’s proportionality assessment. Based on the CDE, a commander may impose target restrictions that require further weaponeering. As the DoD Law of War Manual states, Depending on the circumstances, the process of “weaponeering” in a strike against a target can be used to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and civilian objects … . For example, it may be advantageous to employ incendiary weapons in attacking an adversary’s repository of biological weapons so as to prevent the biological agents from adversely affecting the civilian population (§ 5.11.6). To be sure, the United States does not only use weaponeering to match the requisite munition necessary to neutralize a target (if it did, commanders would nearly always employ the warhead with the greatest effects). Instead, weaponeering is a method of tailoring an attack to provide the commander with an acceptable targeting solution; that is, one that will neutralize a target while also addressing “concerns about inflicting unintended casualties among noncombatants and civilians” under LOAC (JP 3-60, p. II-15). The U.S. military’s Collateral Damage Methodology (CDM) explicitly incorporates the obligation to take feasible precautions by requiring commanders to consider whether they can “mitigate damage to those collateral concerns by striking the target with a different weapon or with a different method of engagement, yet still accomplish the mission.” Moreover, the CDM offers five collateral mitigation techniques: delay fuze/warhead burial; variable time/proximity fuze; delivery heading restrictions; shielding; and aimpoint offset. Delay fuzing (for warhead burial) allows the attacker to delay the blast effect until the bomb is in the ground or inside the targeted structure, resulting in an effective tactic for “mitigating warhead fragmentation” and thus reducing the risk of collateral damage in certain circumstances. Therefore, like the “bunker busters” used by U.S. forces in Iraq, delay fuzing is sometimes an effective option for reducing “the risk of serious or lethal injury to unprotected civilians and noncombatants in the vicinity of the target.” Although seemingly counterintuitive, a larger bomb may minimize the risk of collateral damage if it is effectively weaponeered. However, before employing this tactic, targeting teams must consider that delay fuzing risks producing “secondary debris hazards … from the resulting crater.” The opposite of delay fuzing is variable timing or proximity fuzing. Variable timing allows the attacker to detonate the warhead in the air before contacting a structure or the ground. Detonating prior to contact disperses the primary blast in the air and, therefore, minimizes the effect on structures. While it may decrease the risk to collateral structures, the increased fragmentation pattern increases the risk to civilians in the open. Consequently, this tactic is ideal for minimizing harm to civilians sheltered in structures during the attack. In addition to the detonation timing, an attacker can mitigate collateral damage by adjusting the delivery heading. Delivery heading restrictions allow targeting teams to dictate the direction of a particular weapon’s release (e.g., require the aircraft to fly in a specific direction so that the munition, when released, moves away from civilians and civilian objects). An attacker might employ this method to direct the munition’s blast and fragmentation away from the collateral concerns or minimize the chance of collateral damage in the event of a delivery error. However, such restrictions may not be practical considering enemy threats or other conditions in the area. Shielding refers to using “intervening structures, significant vegetation, and, in some very rare cases, terrain [to] shield collateral concerns from weapon effects … [by] mitigating warhead fragmentation, blast, and debris.” For example, a commander could delay striking a moving vehicle until the vehicle is next to a concrete wall, shielding nearby civilian houses from the munition’s blast and fragmentation. However, while this tactic can be highly effective, it depends heavily on the “target’s presentation in the physical environment.” Finally, aimpoint offset, refers to altering the desired point of impact. Commanders can use this tactic to target a specific part of a military objective while moving the blast effects further away from collateral concerns. However, like shielding, this tactic depends on the target’s presentation in the physical environment and risks decreasing the desired effects on the target. As illustrated above, a commander can use a variety of tactics to employ a particular weapon in a manner that effectively neutralizes or destroys a military objective while minimizing collateral damage. Accordingly, although the “blast and fragmentation radius” of a weapon—a criterion for “wide area effect” weapons—plays a role in assessing expected collateral damage, it must be paired with consideration of the method of employment to effectively analyze the lawfulness of the weapon’s usage. Conclusion In an urban environment, where military objectives and the civilian population are often in proximity, striking a balance between military necessity and humanitarian considerations can be very challenging. While the use of high-explosive munitions in an urban environment undeniably raises significant concerns of civilian harm, the lawfulness of a strike requires consideration of more than just the generic class or overall weight of the munition used. As illustrated above, the situation, environment, weapon characteristics, and method of employment, when combined, determine the direct and indirect effects of the weapon and, ultimately, the lawfulness of the strike. *** Major Kevin S. Coble is an active-duty Army judge advocate and a military professor in the Stockton Center for International Law in Newport, Rhode Island. Major Alex Hernandez is an active-duty Army judge advocate and a military professor assigned to the Stockton Center for International Law in Newport, Rhode Island. Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Logan is currently assigned to the Stockton Center for International Law in Newport, Rhode Island. |
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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 |
[#33]
Institute for Study of War Backgrounder 7 September Gaza The IDF Air Force (IAF) conducted three airstrikes on Hamas command and control centers in Gaza City and Deir al Balah. The airstrike on Deir al Balah killed two PIJ battalion commanders. The al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades—the self-proclaimed militant wing of Fatah—claimed one rocket and mortar attack targeting Israeli forces around the Netzarim Corridor on September 7. West Bank For the first time since June 17th, the CTP-ISW did not observe any clashes in the West Bank. Lebanon Hezbollah conducted 13 attacks on northern Israel since CTP-ISW's last data cutoff on September 6. Lebanese Hezbollah claimed a drone attack on the IDF’s 91st Division headquarters in Ayelet HaShahar on September 7. Israel Army Radio confirmed that 2 to 3 drones “exploded” in the Ayelet HaShahar area on September 7 but did not cause any casualties. Yemen CENTCOM destroyed one Houthi drone and one Houthi “support vehicle". 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 |
[#34]
Looks like the White House is giving up on Biden’s peace plan for Gaza. Hamas made even more demands that even the White House knows is a no go.
With no peace in Gaza, Hezbollah won’t quit and Israel will have no choice but to invade Lebanon and push Hezbollah away from the border so Israel’s 100,000 displaced citizens can return home. With Erdogan’s statements today calling for a Islamic resistance to Israel it looks like there won’t be peace in the Middle East for some time. |
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A lot like GD. Obsessed with the latest shiny weapon but never budgets enough for the ammo... jwnc 5/9/2024
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[#35]
Originally Posted By GoldenMead: Looks like the White House is giving up on Biden’s peace plan for Gaza. Hamas made even more demands that even the White House knows is a no go. With no peace in Gaza, Hezbollah won’t quit and Israel will have no choice but to invade Lebanon and push Hezbollah away from the border so Israel’s 100,000 displaced citizens can return home. With Erdogan’s statements today calling for a Islamic resistance to Israel it looks like there won’t be peace in the Middle East for some time. View Quote Erdogan will do nothing--he couldn't even get ships for his promised aid flotilla last spring; on another note he is in a dispute with Haniyeh's family over Hamas bank accounts said tobe worth $3bn. Anyone, Islamic or not, who would risk life and limb to resist Israel is doing it now. |
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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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#36]
The wounded toll of the shooting attack at the Allenby Bridge crossing in the Jordan Valley rises to three, medics say. According to initial reports, the assailant was a truck driver who arrived from Jordan. He opened fire at Israeli workers at the crossing between the West Bank and Jordan. The three are listed in critical condition, and the assailant was "neutralized." View Quote
Attached File
A senior Hamas rocket commander was killed in an Israeli drone strike in the Gaza Strip last week, the military announces. According to the IDF, the strike on Tuesday killed Raaif Abu Shab, the head of the rocket unit in Hamas's East Khan Younis Battalion. The IDF says he was responsible for rocket barrages from the Khan Younis area at southern and central Israel amid the war. Meanwhile, over the past day, Israeli fighter jets and drones struck more than 25 Hamas targets across Gaza, including buildings used by the terror group and cells of operatives, the IDF says. The strikes come as the IDF's 162nd Division continues to operate in southern Gaza's Rafah, and the 252nd battles Hamas in the Netzarim Corridor in the Strip's center. 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 |
[#37]
Herzi Halevi:
More strikes on Hezbollah: Encounter of Troops of the 401st Brigade in the Tel Al-Sultan Area Radio communications from the encounter: IDF soldiers are checking for additional Jordanian drivers at the Allenby crossing. IDF strikes in the Gaza Strip: IDF operational activity in the Gaza Strip: |
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[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#38]
The IDF has launched an internal investigation after documents recovered from the Gaza Strip were recently leaked to foreign press in an attempt to influence public opinion on the hostage negotiations. Over the weekend, a report by German newspaper Bild claimed that a Hamas document found on the computer of leader Yahya Sinwar showed the terror group's tactics to pressure Israel and stall the hostage talks. The document's alleged contents, which claimed that Hamas is seeking to sow division in the Israeli public and that the terror group is not seeking to reach a deal quickly, were nearly identical to points made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent interviews and press conferences. The IDF says that the document cited by Bild was found in Gaza some five months ago, and was not written by Sinwar himself, but rather it was a recommendation paper drawn up by a mid-level Hamas officer. "The information in the document joins other identical documents that we had in the past, it did not constitute new information," the IDF says. The military says that the leak "constitutes a serious offense and will be investigated." Separately, supposed documents found in Gaza cited by British newspaper the Jewish Chronicle claimed that Sinwar was planning to smuggle himself and other leaders from the terror group, along with some of the remaining Israeli hostages kidnapped on October 7, out of Gaza via the Philadelphi Corridor and thence to Iran. This claim too was also similar to Netanyahu's recent talking points regarding the hostage deal and the premier's insistence on the IDF remaining in the Philadelphi Corridor. Though unlike the document cited by Bild, in the case of the Jewish Chronicle, the IDF is unaware of a ny such document actually existing. View Quote
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vows that Israel will kill the Sinwar brothers, Yahya and Muhammad, during a visit to the Netzarim Corridor in the central Gaza Strip today. "We will reach Muhammad Sinwar and also Yahya Sinwar. Anyone who thinks otherwise should look at Marwan Issa [and] Muhammad Deif, they also thought they were immune, they are not with us today, they made their mistake. [Sinwar] will also make his mistake, [and] we will carry out our mission," Gallant says. Yahya Sinwar is the leader of Hamas in Gaza, and was recently appointed as the head of the terror group following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. Muhammad is a senior commander in Hamas's military wing. View Quote
Dead members of the Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade--the brigade is loosely affiliated with Fatah Attached File Dead Palestinian Islamic Jihad members Attached File
Weekend Update, September 6-8, 2024 - 14:30 - Northern Arena 1.In the past 72 hours, Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for 29 attacks against Israel using various weapons: high trajectory fire (including Grad and Falaq rockets), anti-tank missiles, suicide UAVs, and surface-to-air missiles. 2.Additionally, on Thursday (September 5), a rocket was launched to the Elkosh and Fassuta communities in the Western Galilee, which are not evacuated. Additionally, yesterday (September 7), around 10 rockets were launched toward Shlomi in the Western Galilee. No organization claimed responsibility for these incidents. 3.Yesterday (September 7), the Lebanese Resistance Brigades, a Hezbollah proxy, claimed responsibility for attacking an IDF base in the Har Dov region. 4.On Friday (September 6), Hezbollah launched anti-tank missiles toward Manara and Metula communities, causing fires and damage to buildings. Additionally, Hezbollah launched suicide UAVs toward Abirim, a non-evacuated community, which caused a fire. Hezbollah claimed that the attacks on Manara and Metula were in response to IDF strikes on civilian areas in Lebanon, and that the attack on Abirim targeted an IDF position in response to the killing of a Hezbollah military operative in the Kfara village on September 5. 5.On Friday night, the IDF Air Force conducted a series of attacks targeting more than 15 rocket launchers and Hezbollah military infrastructure in southern Lebanon. The rocket launchers were ready for immediate launch to Israeli territory. As a result of the strike several rockets misfired and fell within Lebanese territory. 6.In response to the IDF strikes, on Saturday (September 7), Hezbollah launched around 30 Grad rockets to the Miron area and about 5 additional Grad rockets to the Safed area. Both attacks targeted non-evacuated communities. 7.On Saturday evening, the IDF attacked a building in the village of Faroun, killing two Amal organization terrorists as well as a Hezbollah Civil Defense terrorist. 8.In retaliation, Hezbollah launched approximately 50 Grad and Falaq rockets during the night (September 8) toward the city of Kiryat Shmona and Kibbutz Shamir, a non-evacuated community. Several rockets hit in Kiryat Shmona, causing severe damage to property. 9.In the past 72 hours, the IDF attacked Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, to include buildings, terrorist infrastructure, rocket launchers and a weapon storage facility in the areas of Blida, Ayta ash Shab, Yarine, Matmoura, Aitaroun, Beit Lif, Kfarchouba, Kfarhamam, Yater, Qabrikha, Aynata, Odaisseh, Naqoura, Abou Chach, Tayr Harfa, Maroun, and Yaroun. View Quote CENTCOM will end the Houthi menace sometime in the next 70 years at this pace. If Lloyd can't or won't take serious steps to end the Houthi problem ASAP, we need to close up shop and leave. Quit wasting $$$, munitions, and flight hours. Maybe we ought to do it anyway, wish the Saudis luck and stay out of their way when the Houthis eventually decide to end the truce in Yemen's Civil War.
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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 |
[#39]
Part of an analysis article by Amos Harel published earlier this week talking about the situation to Israel's east: the West Bank and Jordan.
What we're currently seeing in the West Bank..is an almost full-scale third intifada. [There has been] a revival of terrorist networks in Hebron after the southern West Bank had remained largely quiet since the start of the Gaza war. In the past week..two car bombs were detonated...near Bethlehem and..a third car [that was rigged as a car bomb] caught fire next to the settlement of Ateret. Two terrorists were wounded in a "work accident" while rigging a car with explosives..north of Hebron. In Tel Aviv, a terrorist was killed when an explosive device he was carrying blew up...after he snuck in from the Nablus area in the West Bank. The attacks represent a trend..greater use of explosive devices. It comes [after] a massive effort by Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas to smuggle explosives...from Jordan to the West Bank. The results of their efforts will not be confined to the West Bank. The attack in Tel Aviv is the first concerning indicator. There is a major change on the Jordanian border. The kingdom is suffering from economic difficulties, instability and increased Iranian subversion. The IDF is now admitting what it wouldn't acknowledge in the past: Israel's long eastern border is porous, and Iran's networks are managing to move large quantities of weapons across it. The General Staff is currently considering the creation of a new divisional command, which will concentrate the tasks along the Jordan border; in recent years, only the territorial brigades (in charge of regional defense) have operated there. View Quote Complete section of longer article dealing with situation in the West Bank and Jordan. Link to entire analysis piece. Entire article also in spoiler below. Third intifada For quite some time, the West Bank has been described as a powder keg that threatens to explode. Those warnings were partially realized in the past week when two explosives-laden cars were detonated in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc near Bethlehem and when a third car caught fire next to the settlement of Ateret, west of Ramallah. The attacks caused only light wounds, caused by just one of the incidents. The two terrorists in the Gush Etzion attacks, both from Hebron, were killed by security forces. Last month, two terrorists were wounded in a "work accident" while rigging a car with explosives in the town of Halhul, north of Hebron. In Tel Aviv, a terrorist was killed when an explosive device he was carrying blew up (whether it was a suicide attack or an accident is unclear) after he snuck in from the Nablus area in the West Bank. The attacks and attempted attacks represent the culmination of a trend that has continued for several months: greater use of explosive devices. It comes in the wake of a massive effort by Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas to smuggle explosives, some of it standard issue, from Jordan to the West Bank. The reasonable assumption is that these efforts will not remain within the West Bank. The attack in Tel Aviv is the first concerning indicator. Hamas has already called on residents of the West Bank to renew suicide attacks, which effectively came to an end at the conclusion of the second intifada. There has also been something of a revival of terrorist networks in Hebron after the southern West Bank had remained largely quiet since the start of the Gaza war last October. Local Hamas networks are behind a substantial part of the efforts. The more the fighting expands, the more the influence of the established, veteran terrorist organizations rises – after years in which most such activity was by local groups without a clear-cut organizational or ideological affiliation. In addition to the aforementioned attacks, a deadly shooting took place in Tarqumiya, west of Hebron, on Sunday morning. Three police officers were killed on their way to work. The terrorist, who worked in the Palestinian security forces a decade ago, was shot and killed by the military the following day. What we're currently seeing in the West Bank – where more than 600 Palestinians have been killed since last October – is an almost full-scale third intifada but not designated as such because, in Israelis' perception, an intifada still involves a violent mob taking to the streets. At the moment, however, the Palestinian groups don't need the masses – just an adequate number of young people who are willing to take up arms. There is no shortage of them, particularly in the refugee camps in the northern part of the West Bank. That's also where most of the fighting is still concentrated: the cities of Jenin and Tul Karm, the refugee camps around them and the villages of the northern Jordan Valley. If every time the military enters the refugee camps and medina quarters, there are dozens of Palestinians who are prepared to go into battle, we can infer that the ranks are refilled despite the losses. It's something of a chicken-and-egg question: the military is employing large forces and extensive firepower, including targeted killings with drones, against the armed groups. For the West Bank, the destruction and killing are on a vast scale, even if not to the level of the Gaza Strip. All this is spurring a desire to fight among young people in the refugee camps – and spurring the groups' organizing. The other major change is on the Jordan border. The kingdom is suffering from economic difficulties, instability and increased Iranian subversion. The military is now admitting what it wouldn't acknowledge in the past: Israel's long eastern border is porous, and Iran's networks are managing to move large quantities of weapons across it. Unsurprisingly, Netanyahu didn't devote a word to this in his speech this week, in which he was at pains to describe smuggling into Gaza as an existential threat to Israel. Behind the smuggling is a guiding hand channeling explosive devices and pistols into the area. The General Staff is currently considering the creation of a new divisional command, which will concentrate the tasks along the Jordan border; in recent years, only the territorial brigades (in charge of regional defense) have operated there, under the loose supervision of the Central Command and the Southern Command, which are dealing with other issues. The military still views the Palestinian Authority as a restraining influence and says the situation in the West Bank would be immeasurably worse were it not for coordination with the PA's security forces and their continuing arrest of Hamas operatives. President Mahmoud Abbas' instruction to ground-level officers continues to reject terrorism and violent confrontations with Israel. The General Staff says that the PA's rule in the cities of the West Bank and its survival were and remain an important interest for Israel. What's necessary is easing some of the economic pressure, despite the terrorism and the risks this entails. "We have plenty of sticks; it's the carrots that we're not managing to provide," says an Israeli security source with a degree of frustration. The PA is crying out for an improvement in the economic situation following the ban on Palestinian workers entering Israel, the deductions from the taxes Israel collects on its behalf and pay cuts in the Palestinian civil service. View Quote Click To View Spoiler Netanyahu's message is aimed squarely at Hamas leader Sinwar: 'Don't bother'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a speech to the foreign press, Wednesday. Less than 24 hours were needed for the cat to be let out of the bag this week. On Monday evening Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation and buried – permanently, it appears at the moment – the prospects for a hostage deal with Hamas. He made it clear that he has no intention of leaving the Philadelphi route, along the Egypt-Gaza border – not in a temporary agreement and not in a permanent agreement. The risk, he claimed, is too great. The next day, Haaretz reported that Mossad director David Barnea had stated, in a meeting in Qatar, that Israel was in fact willing to withdraw from the sacred road, but that this could only happen in the second phase of a deal. Netanyahu's office did not deny the report. The flagrant and immediate contradiction brought to mind minister Ariel Sharon's saying, referring to Netanyahu, that he didn't know which Bibi to believe, his right hand or his left hand. It's unlikely Netanyahu would have cared. The narrative that he has constructed for the public, aimed primarily at his avowed supporters (and trumpeted enthusiastically by his shills), maintains that everything revolves around the Philadelphi route. Suddenly, after 30 years of dealing with the Gaza issue, he grasped that Hamas' "oxygen" passes through the tunnels beneath the Egyptian border. Accordingly, even though he backed most of the stages in the process of approving the 2005 disengagement plan under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and even though he passed up the opportunity to capture the corridor in the rounds of fighting since then, and from October to May in the present war, now Israel must not withdraw from it under any circumstances. The arguments against – most of the smuggling is through the Rafah crossing, with Egypt turning a blind eye; the vast majority of the tunnels were sealed on the Egyptian side a few years ago; Israel is almost indifferent to the Iranian arms smuggling into the West Bank across the Jordanian border – barely merited a reasoned response from the prime minister. Practically speaking, there is almost no contradiction between the message to the Israeli public and the message to the Qataris, because the bottom line – contrary to Netanyahu's arguments – is that he appears to have no intention of reaching an agreement at this time. There's no choice but to say it over and over: His major consideration is his political survival. As long as his partners in the far right threaten to bolt from the governing coalition if he strikes a deal that will include a massive release of Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors, he has no government. All the rest is secondary – including the lives of the remaining hostages. More and more of them will continue to die in the atrocious conditions of the Gaza Strip, just as dozens of hostages have already died, whether in Israeli airstrikes or by being murdered in cold blood by Hamas, in the past 11 months. The two declarations are complementary, and are aimed less at the Qataris or the Americans than at the person who really matters: Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Netanyahu's tactics occasionally change, but not his strategy. Time after time he makes a point of making it clear to Sinwar that there will be no deal. He will bring about its collapse, at the very latest after the completion of the first phase, in which the hostages designated for humanitarian release will be freed (a group that apparently was meant to have included five of the six hostages who were murdered by Hamas in Rafah last week). It will happen without a full IDF withdrawal from the Strip, and afterward the army will return quickly to the places it held before. In other words: Don't bother, Yahya, it's not worth the effort. For now it looks as though Sinwar understands the message well and is persisting in his refusal. This is an almost ideal situation for Netanyahu, because the Biden administration can no longer pin the lion's share of responsibility for the failure on him. In any event, when Hamas murders helpless hostages, and this time even admits it publicly, there's no empathy in Washington for anything Sinwar has to say. Protesters calling for a deal to release the hostages, Tel Aviv, Wednesday.Credit: Hadas Parush Netanyahu's complementary move includes removing Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzl Halevi and the head of the IDF's Missing and Captive Soldiers Division, Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, from the centers of decision-making regarding the continuation of the war and the future of the negotiations. Although passions ran high this week, and Israelis returned to the streets in great numbers in the wake of the horrific news from Rafah, in the long run it's unlikely Netanyahu feels especially threatened. The coalition looks quite stable, an alliance of vested interests among cynics who are plundering the public coffers; the protest movement hasn't yet found a way to jolt the political arena; the coalition ministers and lawmakers are hopping between family celebrations of members of the Likud Central Committee and the Biden administration can't figure out how to force a deal on Netanyahu. On Tuesday, the leaders of the National Unity Party, MKs Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, held a counter-news conference. There was less articulateness, sophistication and charisma than what Netanyahu projected, but words of truth were in evidence. The two former chiefs of staff asserted that Philadelphi, in the context of protecting a narrow corridor between hostile territory (Gaza) and unfriendly territory (Egypt's Sinai) will very soon become a particularly blood-drenched version of the former security zone in southern Lebanon. With good reason, the two didn't buy Netanyahu's claim that Israel must not withdraw from the corridor, not even for the 42 days of the hostage deal's first phase, because afterward it will be impossible to return to it. Ranking IDF officers told Haaretz pretty much the same thing. "We will have no difficulty returning after six weeks," one said. "Certainly if it will enable us to rescue from captivity 20 to 30 of our people and maybe to settle matters in the north, at least temporarily. Hezbollah wants very much to climb down from the tree of the prolonged war. They need the excuse of a cease-fire in the south." Military sources also admit that Netanyahu's insistence on continuing the forever war in Gaza is leaving the forces without a lot of clear missions. Much of the activity in the Gaza-based divisions is focused now on self-defense, or in local search forays aimed at increasing the estimated number of bodies of terrorists who were killed. It's difficult to talk about more operations to free hostages just now, especially ones underground, after it has become clear that Hamas' instruction to its personnel is to murder the hostages in every case in which the IDF approaches. A former senior figure in the intelligence community told Haaretz that Netanyahu's moves concerning the Philadelphi route remind him of his approach to the issue of the Iranian nuclear project. "Bibi takes a real problem and blows it up to gargantuan proportions in order to torpedo a political threat to him. It's not that there wasn't a nuclear problem, but the 'compressor' inflated it at the time beyond its true dimensions and thus deferred the American and international pressure to deal with the Palestinian question, as long as the nuclear issue remained open. He knows that total victory in Gaza won't happen and that Philadelphi isn't so important. But inflating the corridor issue will give him an excuse and will ensure the coalition's stability for years." Philadelphi, adds Eli Bahar, a lawyer who is a former legal adviser to the Shin Bet security service, is code for remaining in Gaza as an occupying power indefinitely and for averting any sort of regularization with the Palestinians in the West Bank. That, after all, is the supreme goal, because of which Hamas continues to be an asset for Netanyahu, even now. The price is "criminal indifference to the death of the hostages and the disintegration of the Israeli ethos of mutual responsibility, without which there is really no point to the State of Israel; the continued abandonment of the north, to the point of a possible outbreak of war on that front soon; a significant degradation of our strategic assets, notably Israel's relations with the United States and Egypt; and soldiers who will continue to die in the Strip, without any point or purpose." Great protector or great presenter Seventeen years ago, on September 6, 2007, Israel bombed a nuclear facility that North Korea had built in the Deir al-Zour region of eastern Syria. That was a little over a year after the end of the 2006 Second Lebanon War, which concluded in a dismaying stalemate and generated deep concern among the Israel public. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was still clinging to power, but his popularity rating was at a nadir. The demands for his ouster derived from a combination of the feeling that the war had resulted in an Israeli military failure and the suspicions of criminal wrongdoing that continued to hover above him and that sealed his political fate. (Olmert was indeed convicted a few years later and served time in prison.) As clouds of corruption began to gather on the horizon, Olmert received information about the presence of the facility and acted accordingly. Israel informed the United States, and after Washington declined to join in, attacked alone in Syria and destroyed the facility. Afterward, Israel maintained an ambiguity that enabled the regime of Hafez Assad to pretend that nothing had happened. The danger of a hostile neighboring state, led by a murderous tyrant – whose evil would be fully revealed in the civil war in Syria four years later – acquiring nuclear weapons was thwarted. Netanyahu, who faces circumstances which in part are more difficult, is not behaving like Olmert. He sustained an incalculably greater military failure on his watch, and he is in the midst of a criminal trial about three different matters, which guides all his actions and considerations. In the meantime, a clear danger has emerged, if not an immediate one. Hamas' action, though its timing was apparently not coordinated in advance with its Iranian patrons, marked the way for the entire radical axis. The Tehran regime expanded its efforts to vanquish Israel in everything related to what Israel refers to as the destruction project. In the background, the nuclear danger is rising again. After the United States withdrew from the nuclear agreement, in 2018, and more so under the cover of the regional chaos over the past year, Iran has been advancing its project, and after two decades has also returned to a weapons development channel (whose final goal is the manufacture of a nuclear warhead that will be mounted on a ballistic missile). This is being accompanied by the accumulation of quantities of uranium enriched to a high level, which are required to manufacture a bomb. The timetable for this goal also appears to be shrinking. But as Eisenkot noted correctly this week, Netanyahu of all people, for whom the Iranian nuclear program was the principal threat he warned against, and rode politically for three decades, is not taking the necessary steps. Although frequent consultations are held about Iran, as has been the case since the period of the war cabinet, of which Gantz and Eisenkot were members, it's hard to see how this is influencing Israeli policy. After all, if the major issue is the formation of a practical plan by Iran to vanquish Israel and perhaps even a concrete intention to annihilate it, Gaza becomes a secondary story by comparison. It would be better to cut losses in Gaza, strike a deal and divert the efforts to preparing for a possible broad confrontation with Iran and Hezbollah. Netanyahu said a few years ago that he wants to be remembered as the "great protector" of Israel's citizens. His new conference consciously ignored the overall picture, especially the danger from the Iranian axis. In the end, Netanyahu is more of a presenter than a true protector. For an unpersuaded audience, his performance this week was about as persuasive as that of a movie actor making ads for a bank. Iran does not control everything that Hamas does, and the Houthis in Yemen also behave largely as free agents. But Tehran wields a great deal of influence on the actions of the axis that operates with its funding and under its aegis across the Middle East: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, the Palestinians. The regime in Tehran discerns an opportunity in the gradual withdrawal of the United States from the region and is trying to accumulate greater regional clout and influence. Hence its economic partnership with China, alongside a considerable tightening of its military moves with Russia. In the past two years, Iran has sold thousands of attack drones to Russia, for the latter's war in Ukraine. It charged exorbitant prices for some of them, but they made a serious contribution to the war effort. Contrary to the general tendency – a gradual exit from the Middle East in favor of focusing efforts in the Chinese arena and in Eastern Europe – the activity of the United States in the past year has been an anomaly. It reached its peak at the end of August, when the United States deployed 40,000 troops, 10 times the number in normal times, to assist Israel to repel a possible Iranian attack. That had its effect: Iran hasn't yet tried to take revenge for the killing of Hamas senior figure Ismail Haniyeh on its soil, via a direct operation against Israel. The fact that the soldiers are still here in their masses, along with two aircraft carriers, a nuclear-powered submarine and hundreds of warplanes, suggests that the United States isn't yet convinced that the danger of regional escalation has passed completely. Third intifada For quite some time, the West Bank has been described as a powder keg that threatens to explode. Those warnings were partially realized in the past week when two explosives-laden cars were detonated in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc near Bethlehem and when a third car caught fire next to the settlement of Ateret, west of Ramallah. The attacks caused only light wounds, caused by just one of the incidents. The two terrorists in the Gush Etzion attacks, both from Hebron, were killed by security forces. Last month, two terrorists were wounded in a "work accident" while rigging a car with explosives in the town of Halhul, north of Hebron. In Tel Aviv, a terrorist was killed when an explosive device he was carrying blew up (whether it was a suicide attack or an accident is unclear) after he snuck in from the Nablus area in the West Bank. The attacks and attempted attacks represent the culmination of a trend that has continued for several months: greater use of explosive devices. It comes in the wake of a massive effort by Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas to smuggle explosives, some of it standard issue, from Jordan to the West Bank. The reasonable assumption is that these efforts will not remain within the West Bank. The attack in Tel Aviv is the first concerning indicator. Hamas has already called on residents of the West Bank to renew suicide attacks, which effectively came to an end at the conclusion of the second intifada. There has also been something of a revival of terrorist networks in Hebron after the southern West Bank had remained largely quiet since the start of the Gaza war last October. Local Hamas networks are behind a substantial part of the efforts. The more the fighting expands, the more the influence of the established, veteran terrorist organizations rises – after years in which most such activity was by local groups without a clear-cut organizational or ideological affiliation. In addition to the aforementioned attacks, a deadly shooting took place in Tarqumiya, west of Hebron, on Sunday morning. Three police officers were killed on their way to work. The terrorist, who worked in the Palestinian security forces a decade ago, was shot and killed by the military the following day. What we're currently seeing in the West Bank – where more than 600 Palestinians have been killed since last October – is an almost full-scale third intifada but not designated as such because, in Israelis' perception, an intifada still involves a violent mob taking to the streets. At the moment, however, the Palestinian groups don't need the masses – just an adequate number of young people who are willing to take up arms. There is no shortage of them, particularly in the refugee camps in the northern part of the West Bank. That's also where most of the fighting is still concentrated: the cities of Jenin and Tul Karm, the refugee camps around them and the villages of the northern Jordan Valley. If every time the military enters the refugee camps and medina quarters, there are dozens of Palestinians who are prepared to go into battle, we can infer that the ranks are refilled despite the losses. It's something of a chicken-and-egg question: the military is employing large forces and extensive firepower, including targeted killings with drones, against the armed groups. For the West Bank, the destruction and killing are on a vast scale, even if not to the level of the Gaza Strip. All this is spurring a desire to fight among young people in the refugee camps – and spurring the groups' organizing. The other major change is on the Jordan border. The kingdom is suffering from economic difficulties, instability and increased Iranian subversion. The military is now admitting what it wouldn't acknowledge in the past: Israel's long eastern border is porous, and Iran's networks are managing to move large quantities of weapons across it. Unsurprisingly, Netanyahu didn't devote a word to this in his speech this week, in which he was at pains to describe smuggling into Gaza as an existential threat to Israel. Behind the smuggling is a guiding hand channeling explosive devices and pistols into the area. The General Staff is currently considering the creation of a new divisional command, which will concentrate the tasks along the Jordan border; in recent years, only the territorial brigades (in charge of regional defense) have operated there, under the loose supervision of the Central Command and the Southern Command, which are dealing with other issues. The military still views the Palestinian Authority as a restraining influence and says the situation in the West Bank would be immeasurably worse were it not for coordination with the PA's security forces and their continuing arrest of Hamas operatives. President Mahmoud Abbas' instruction to ground-level officers continues to reject terrorism and violent confrontations with Israel. The General Staff says that the PA's rule in the cities of the West Bank and its survival were and remain an important interest for Israel. What's necessary is easing some of the economic pressure, despite the terrorism and the risks this entails. "We have plenty of sticks; it's the carrots that we're not managing to provide," says an Israeli security source with a degree of frustration. The PA is crying out for an improvement in the economic situation following the ban on Palestinian workers entering Israel, the deductions from the taxes Israel collects on its behalf and pay cuts in the Palestinian civil service. The source says it's understood in the West Bank that there is no way to return to the pre-October 7 situation, when more than 150,000 workers were allowed into Israel. But contrary to what the right wing claims, the Green Line is far from being closed to West Bank workers now – and settlers continue to employ Palestinians from the West Bank, even while they preach to others. No fewer than 12,000 Palestinians work in industrial zones in the settlements; another 8,000 are employed in vital jobs (such as in the health system and in food factories) within the Green Line. It's estimated that nearly 40,000 "illegally present" Palestinians without a valid permit are working in Israel. About half of them had a permit before October 7. Perhaps the correct move now would be to "launder" this state of affairs; in other words, to give legal validation to supervised work at recognized sites where orderly oversight could be maintained. The fact that so many Palestinians are working in Israel illegally, with the authorities turning a blind eye, indicates that apparently, Israel needs them. Orderly employment will give the PA air to breathe during an economic crisis and a fraught security situation. But change is unlikely as long as the far right dictates the tone of the government. |
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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 |
[#40]
According to Syria's Sham FM radio, the alleged Israeli airstrikes tonight targeted the Masyaf area, west of Hama. The area around Masyaf, which is thought to be used as a base for Iranian forces and pro-Iranian militias, has been repeatedly targeted in recent years in attacks widely attributed to Israel. 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 |
[#41]
Institute for Study of War Backgrounder 8 September Gaza The Air Force killed Hamas’ eastern Khan Younis Battalion rocket commander on September 3. The IAF separately struck 25 targets throughout the Gaza Strip on September 7 and 8, including Palestinian fighter cells and buildings. 252nd Division continued operations along the Netzarim Corridor on September 8. 162nd Division continued clearing operations in Rafah on September 8. 401st Brigade has killed destroyed militia infrastructure in the Tal al Sultan “Casbah” sector over the past few days. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLFP) said on September 8 that its fighters targeted Israeli forces with rockets in eastern Rafah. West Bank Israeli forces engaged Palestinian fighters in six locations across the West Bank. A Jordanian truck driver killed three Israeli civilians who were working at the Allenby Bridge border crossing between Jordan and the West Bank on September 8. Lebanon Hezbollah, have conducted at least seven attacks into northern Israel. The IDF Northern Command is pursuing a new pre-emptive strike strategy against Hezbollah launch sites in response to Hezbollah's targeting of Israeli population centers. Iran and Axis of Resistance The Houthis claimed they shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone. This is the eighth US MQ-9 Reaper drone they have claimed to have shot down. Senior Iranian military officials continue to signal that Iran will attack Israel directly in response to Israel killing several senior Axis of Resistance leaders. Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Coordination Deputy Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naghdi claimed on September 7 that Iran will “certainly” conduct a “second True Promise Operation,” in reference to the April 2024 Iranian drone and missile attack targeting Israel. The chief of the British MI6, Richard Moore, said on he still expects Iran to retaliate against Israel. Moore stated that “we won’t be able to let our guard down for the type of activity that the Iranians might try and prosecute in that direction.” 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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#42]
Following rocket fire from the northern Gaza Strip at the southern coastal city of Ashkelon last night, the military is calling on Palestinians in the Atatra area to evacuate. Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF's Arabic-language spokesman, publishes a map of the zones that need to be evacuated. He says that "the specified area has been warned many times in the past" and it is "considered a dangerous combat zone," following repeated rocket attacks on Israel. Two rockets were launched at Ashkelon in the attack, with one being intercepted and the other impacting the sea. The IDF in recent months has repeatedly issued evacuation orders for areas from which terrorists launched rockets at Israel. View Quote
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Syria's state-run SANA news agency cites medical officials as saying that the overnight alleged Israeli strikes in the Masyaf area killed 14 people and wounded 43 others. Military sources cited by SANA say that the strikes hit several military sites in the area, causing material losses. The strikes were reported to have targeted the Scientific Studies and Research Center, known as CERS or SSRC, which according to Israel, is used by Iranian forces to manufacture precision surface-to-surface missiles. The area around Masyaf, which is thought to be used as a base for Iranian forces and pro-Iranian militias, has been repeatedly targeted in recent years in attacks widely attributed to Israel. 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 |
[#43]
Originally Posted By GoldenMead: Looks like the White House is giving up on Biden’s peace plan for Gaza. Hamas made even more demands that even the White House knows is a no go. With no peace in Gaza, Hezbollah won’t quit and Israel will have no choice but to invade Lebanon and push Hezbollah away from the border so Israel’s 100,000 displaced citizens can return home. With Erdogan’s statements today calling for a Islamic resistance to Israel it looks like there won’t be peace in the Middle East for some time. View Quote You mean his ironclad "Don't" doctrine? How could this have failed? |
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[#44]
IDF forces continue fighting in the south of the Gaza Strip:
The IDF continues attacking Hezbollah targets: Michael Erik Kurilla, landed in Israel yesterday (Sunday), and met with Herzi Halevi for a situational assessment. Video of a Hezbollah suicide drone flying in the skies of Nahariya: Zeitoun Area: |
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[#45]
Police say they foiled an attempt to smuggle some 74 handguns into Israel from Jordan yesterday via the Rabin Crossing. The incident occurred on the same day as a deadly attack at the Allenby Bridge Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan. Customs inspectors at the Rabin terminal, near Eilat, found 74 Glock pistols and 61 magazines inside a Mitsubishi vehicle that was trying to cross into Israel from Jordan, police say. The driver of the car and a passenger, residents of the Bedouin town of Bir Hadaj and and another Bedouin community near Yeruham, were detained. View Quote Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Mixed messages. He got droned, other than that who lnows.
Lebanese media outlets report that the intended target of the alleged Israeli drone strike near the coastal city of Sidon was a Hamas official. The reports name him as Nidal Hlehill. According to the Annahar outlet, two missiles struck Hlehill's car as he left his house and headed to his vehicle. The report says he was seriously injured in the strike. View Quote
Hezbollah takes responsibility for this morning's drone attack on a residential building in Nahariya, though it claims to have targeted an Israeli military base. In a statement, the terror group says it targeted the IDF's Shraga Camp, located some 3 kilometers south of Nahariya, with several explosive-laden drones. It says the attack was a response to recent IDF strikes in southern Lebanon. According to the IDF, two drones were launched from Lebanon in the attack, including one that struck an apartment building in Nahariya, causing damage but no injuries. Hezbollah also takes responsibility for a barrage of some rockets at the Western Galilee, again claiming to have targeted a military base. The rockets struck open areas. The terror group also claims to have launched a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli fighter jet over southern Lebanon, forcing it to retreat. View Quote
Yesterday night an airstrike was carried out in northwestern Syria, targeting several sites belonging to the CERS near the city of Masyaf. The CERS, which is controlled by Iran, plays a significant platform in Iranian weapons research and production and has an important role in shortening the Iranian land corridor as weapon production on Syrian soil saves logistical efforts and reduces the risk of shipment interception. This is not the first attack on CERS facilities in recent years. In May 2024 we recommended a wide-scale strike on all CERS sites in Syria to destroy them, This would be a strategic blow to the Iranian efforts in Syria and severely impact the development, production and shipment of weapons to Hezbollah. View Quote Attached File
Daily Update, September 9, 2024 - 14:00 - Northern Arena 1. In the past 24 hours, Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for six attacks against #Israel using high-trajectory fire and suicide UAVs. 2.This morning (September 9), suicide UAVs were launched to the city of Nahariya in the western Galilee, which is not evacuated. One UAV directly hit a residential building. Attached are videos from social media documenting the UAV hit the building (Credit: Unknown). No responsibility was claimed for the attack so far. 3.Yesterday (September 8), an airstrike targeted the facilities of CERS Institute 4000 Center in the Masyaf area in northwestern Syria. Institute 4000 focuses primarily on development and production of rockets and missiles, with a particular emphasis on the precision project for Hezbollah. A full report on the attack published separately. 4.In the past 24 hours, the IDF attacked Hezbollah targets in southern #Lebanon, including infrastructure, buildings, and rocket launchers in the areas of Rihan, Kfarkela, Taybeh, Hanine and Yarine. 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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#46]
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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 |
[#47]
Institute for Study of War Backgrounder 9 July Gaza 252nd Division continued operations around the Netzarim Corridor; the 16th Jerusalem Brigade (Res.) continued to operate in Zaytoun, in southern Gaza City north of the Netzarim Corridor. Palestinian sources reported that Israeli forces also continued to operate south of the Netzarim Corridor on September 9th. CTP-ISW has not observed any Palestinian militia attacks on Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip since its last data cutoff on September 8. The IDF issued evacuation orders for the northern Gaza Strip on September 9 following rocket fire from the area. PIJ launched two rockets at Ashkelon, the IDF intercepted one rocket and the other landed off the coast. West Bank Israeli security forces disrupted a Palestinian militia attack plot on September 9. Israeli police forces intercepted a vehicle carrying 13 Palestinians on Route 6 in central Israel and detained one Palestinian passenger who had entered Israel illegally. The Israeli security forces reported that the detainee was planning an attack inside Israel alongside two other Palestinians who were detained by the IDF in Hebron. The IDF acted on intelligence from the interrogation of the first detainee to detain the two additional cell members. The Israeli security forces conducted overnight raids in five locations in the West Bank on September 8 and 9, detaining one wanted person and capting small arms (including an M16 rifle), ammunition, and other military equipment in raids in two towns near Ramallah. The IDF separately conducted raids in Deir Abu Mashal, Baqa, and Hebron, detaining three wanted persons and confiscating an unspecified amount of ammunition. The IDF thwarted a car ramming attack targeting Kharsa, near Hebron, on September 8. Israeli forces engaged Palestinian fighters in two locations across the West Bank since CTP-ISW's last data cutoff on September 8. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fired small arms and detonated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) targeting Israeli forces in Tulkarm refugee camp, while the al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades engaged Israeli forces in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus. Lebanon Hezbollah conducted at nine attacks on northern orthern Israel. A Hezbollah drone struck a residential building in Nahariya. IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said that the attack on Nahariya is a “serious incident“ and that the IDF is “ready for any mission required." Jamaa al Islamiya, a Sunni Muslim Brotherhood-linked group in southern Lebanon, claimed a rocket attack targeting Israeli forces in a barracks near Kiryat Shmona on September 9. US CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla met with IDF commanders on September 8 to discuss the threats from Iran and Lebanon against northern Israel. A veteran Israeli war correspondent said Israeli deliberations over an offensive in southern Lebanon are “mainly in relation to [the] scope” of the operation, though the “political and security echelon” has not decided to conduct an operation. Iran and Axis of Resistance Multiple Iranian-backed Iraqi militias reiterated their willingness to target US forces in Iraq and Syria despite the US and Iraqi governments reportedly agreeing to a plan for all US-led coalition troops to withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2026. Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi held a phone call with new Houthi Foreign Affairs Minister Jamal Amer to discuss regional tensions and cooperation between Iran and the Houthis. Amer stressed the Houthis’ continued support for Palestine and Araghchi praised the Houthis for their actions “defending” Palestine. CENTCOM destroyed three Houthi drones and two Houthi missile launchers in Yemen on September 8. 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 |
[#48]
Israeli children sprinting to the nearest bomb shelter, screaming as they fear for their lives while sirens alarm of rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah.
Strikes on Hezbollah: Israeli undercover unit nabs suspected terrorist on Route 1 near Jerusalem after a dramatic vehicle interception. Hamas in Judea and Samaria: |
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[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#49]
The IDF says the targets of the overnight airstrike in the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza were three senior Hamas operatives. They are named by the military as Samer Ismail Khader Abu Daqqa, the head of Hamas's aerial forces; Osama Tabash, the head of surveillance and targets in Hamas's intelligence division; and Ayman Mabhouh, another senior Hamas officer. All three were "directly involved in the October 7 massacre" and other attacks on troops in Gaza and against Israel in recent months. The military says it took steps to mitigate harm to civilians in the strike, including "lengthy intelligence gathering" and continuous aerial surveillance in the hours before the attack, "in a way that verified the presence [of the targets] in the area alongside other terrorists." Hamas authorities claimed that 40 people were killed and 60 were injured in the attack. The IDF deputes the claim, saying that "in general, and according to a preliminary review, the numbers published by the Hamas-run Government Information Office in Gaza, which has consistently broadcast lies and false information throughout the war, do not align with the information held by the IDF, the precise munitions used, and the accuracy of the strike." "Despite the extensive measures taken by the IDF to enable the Gazan population to move away from combat zones, including by designating a humanitarian area, the Hamas terrorist organization continues to embed its operatives and military infrastructure in the humanitarian area and systematically use Gazan civilians as a human shield for its terrorist activities," the military adds. View Quote Video of scene
Overnight, the IDF says it struck prominent Hamas operatives at a command room embedded within the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza's Khan Younis. The military says it took steps to mitigate harm to civilians in the strike. Palestinian media report dozens of casualties in the attack, and say that the strikes hit a tent camp for displaced Gazans. View Quote
The IDF overnight operated in the West Bank city of Nablus to measure the home of a Hamas suicide bomber ahead of its potential demolition. Jaafar Mona was killed by the explosive device he was carrying in Tel Aviv last month, before he managed to carry out the intended attack. One passerby was also wounded by the blast. Hamas took responsibility for the attack. As a matter of policy, Israel demolishes the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out deadly terror attacks. The plans to demolish Mona's home is unusual, as no victims of the attack were killed. Still, it would not be the first time that a home is razed by Israeli authorities for an attack that left only injured victims. View Quote
Lebanese media report one dead and one wounded in an alleged Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in Lebanon. The strike reportedly took place on a road between the villages of Saghbine and Bab Mareaa, in the Western Beqaa District, some 40 kilometers (24 miles) from the Israeli border. View Quote Attached File A Hezbollah commander was killed in an IDF drone strike deep in Lebanon earlier today. The terror group announces the death of Muhammad Qassem al-Shaer who was killed in the strike in the Western Beqaa District, but does not detail his role. Al-Shaer was reportedly a commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan force. His death brings the terror group's death toll in IDF strikes since October to at least 434. The IDF has not yet commented on the strike. View Quote
As Iran continues to threaten retaliation for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, we will soon release new images of an already familiar Iranian ballistic missile base. Photos taken on the ground of this IRGC site will appear near the end of a brief video analysis detailing the operations taking place inside the facility. Stand by... 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 |
[Last Edit: michigan66]
[#50]
The IDF says it carried out an airstrike against several Hamas operatives at command rooms embedded within a mosque and a nearby building in central Gaza's Bureij a short while ago. The command rooms at the al-Farouk mosque and an adjacent structure were used by the Hamas operatives to plan and carry out attacks against Israel and troops in Gaza, the IDF says. The military says it took steps to mitigate harm to civilians in the strike. View Quote
The Israeli military says that it has completed an initial probe into the killing of an American woman in the West Bank on Friday, and has found that she was likely mistakenly hit by troops' gunfire. The probe, carried out by commanders, found that Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was "with high probability" killed as a result of "indirect and unintended IDF fire, which was aimed at a main instigator" during a riot. "The incident occurred during a violent gathering of dozens of Palestinian suspects, who burned tires and threw stones at forces at the Beita Junction," the IDF says. Eygi, an American originally from Turkey, was an activist with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). A Military Police investigation has also been launched into the deadly incident, the findings of which will be submitted to the Military Advocate General for review. The IDF says Israeli officials have submitted a request to carry out an autopsy. "The IDF expresses its deepest regret over the death of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi," the military adds. View Quote
The IDF confirms killing a commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan force in a drone strike deep in Lebanon earlier today. According to the IDF, Muhammad Qassem al-Shaer was involved in advancing many attacks on Israel. The military says his killing "is another blow to the ability of the Hezbollah terror organization to advance and carry out terror attacks from southern Lebanon against the Israeli home front on the northern border." Al-Shaer was targeted on a road near Lake Qaraoun in the Beqaa Valley, some 40 kilometers (24 miles) from the Israeli border. Hezbollah announced his death, but did not detail his role. View Quote
Attached File
What concerns me is that in most military structures if you eliminated so many commanders the military unit would fall apart. With Hamas though you don’t see this collapse, there’s no clear evidence of the collapse at least. This is the main problem with Hamas. It’s has weathered the storm in the past of losing commanders and fighters. If it doesn’t collapse then the chances that it will return to power is high. Defeating an organizations “capabilities” is a complex challenge. If the capability is mostly rooted in controlling a population, and not in manpower or commanders, then it’s difficult. 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 |
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