One of several reasons why so many writers in recent years have gone the self-publish route — including a number of Rantburgers — via Amazon and others. Long and full of liberals mugged by reality, so I give you the opening and closing, dear Reader.
[IsraelTimes] As the war in Gaza goes on, authors say that when they don’t face outright hostility for being Jews, they are marginalized as publishers claim their voices aren’t marketable.
All this leaves Howard Lovy, a Jewish writer and editor, feeling pessimistic.
“I don’t see this getting better anytime soon. There’s not only prejudice against Jewish and Israeli authors — even those who don’t even write about Israel at all — but there’s a perception among literary agents and publishers that there’s no market for Jewish voices right now. They believe readers just don’t want to hear from Jews at all,” Lovy said. “Whether this is true among the reading public, I don’t know, but it’s enough that the literary community believes it. That perception alone is leading to lost opportunities for Jewish writers, projects canceled and phone calls not being returned.”
However, Lovy implored Jewish and Israeli members of the literary community to carry on.
“Now, more than ever, it’s time to make our voices heard. In fact, I’ve spoken to Jewish authors who decided that they will write about Jewish issues more now than they would have otherwise. The answer to the silencing of Jewish voices is to make our voices louder,” he said.
#1
The bad truth is that so far neither the perpetrators of 10/7 nor of 9/11 can be said to have made a mistake.
Both attacks weakened the West and strengthened the enemies of Western civilization precisely because, and not in spite of their atrocious nature and scale.
The result of both attacks so far has been that Islam is now relevant in the West as it has never been before while we are on the defensive and our deterrence is gone.
#4
I am to feel sorry for the people who voted for this blacklist for generations all of a sudden why?
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/14/2024 8:58 Comments ||
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#5
Yeah, yeah. This is where those who supported the haters all this time walk away, which gives actual or tacit support to those who were previously driven out. Most consumers are not terribly political, so they accepted what the system sold. But now that their usual fare will have to be found elsewhere…it’ll be like the newspapers all over again, which seems very fair.
[Garowe] The Communist government of Cuba is in touch with the US over two medical doctors who were kidnapped by al-Shabaab and whose fate still remain unclear, with the al-Qaeda network in Africa maintaining that they were killed in a US Africa Command airstrike.
Cuba's Foreign Affairs ministry maintained that "will not cease in hope or effort until it learns the truth." The militants issued a statement a few months ago on the fate of the two doctors where it indicated they had been killed by a drone in Jilib town.
Since such reports emanated, the US has remained mum about the fate of the doctors, failing to respond to the matter. The Federal Government of Somalia is also yet to establish the fate of the medics, neither has Kenya, which recruited them for services.
"We await an official response to the inquiries that Cuba has respectfully presented, with elements that the civil and military agencies of the United States that operate in Somalia and in that region of the world can provide," the MINREX noted.
It reiterated Cuba’s gratitude to the governments of Kenya, Somalia and other countries for their efforts. The two doctors were kidnapped by al-Shabaab from Mandera and their driver has since been convicted of planning for their abduction.
The statement recalled that five years are marked on Friday since the doctors were kidnapped in Kenya, where they were serving as part of an intergovernmental cooperation agreement in which they participated voluntarily.
The MINREX stressed that since the news about "the vile and absurd kidnapping" became known, the governments of Kenya, Somalia and Cuba made countless and huge efforts to rescue the two physicians and return them home.
It noted that this unprecedented event in Cuba’s long history of International Medical Cooperation has been guided by the leader of the Revolution, Raúl Castro, and permanently monitored by the Communist Party of Cuba, the State and the Government, headed by President Miguel Díaz-Canel, and other authorities.
The MINREX indicated that on February 17, news was received about the alleged deaths of Assel Herrera Correa and Landy Rodríguez Hernández, victims of an air raid by US military forces operating in Somalia on February 15.
It stressed that despite the multiple efforts made by the Cuban Government, no information or evidence has been obtained that would allow us to reach definitive conclusions and clarify whether the doctors are still alive or confirm their deaths..
"Given the nature of the conflict in Somalia and the impossibility of getting confirmation, in recent weeks Cuba has repeatedly requested, through direct communications and diplomatic notes to the US Government, precise information about the events that occurred," the statement said.
The United States did confirm the said airstrike but maintained it only targeted Al-shabaab militants within the vicinity of Jilib. Sources say the doctors had been offering services to injured members of the group until their alleged demise.
#2
AN interesting outreach, given the Cubans might hope our strike assessments can help determine if they were killed in the strike. Hardly likely we would give detailed analysis since it gives up TTPs, but also interesting since many Cuban Doctors are also likely active intelligence assets worldwide.
[SUDANTRIBUNE] Sudanese military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared on Friday that significant progress has been made in restoring the country’s defence industries, air force, and artillery and aviation systems.
Speaking to soldiers and officers in Omdurman, al-Burhan expressed confidence, stating, “The armed forces have successfully restored a major portion of our defence capabilities. The battle will soon be resolved in the people’s favour.”
He said the Sudanese people’s patience and strong will to end the insurgency are the key factors behind the army’s recent victories.
“The mobile combat units established by the leadership are well-equipped to neutralize and suppress the insurgency. The army, backed by the people, will not be vanquished. To those who dream of disbanding the armed forces, we say: this is an impossible dream,” he stressed.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/14/2024 00:00 ||
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[111 views]
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#1
April 14: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Sunday will announce an additional $100 million in aid to respond to the conflict in Sudan, according to a statement seen by Reuters, as Washington seeks to spur international response ahead of Monday's anniversary of the war. (Yes, but who is funding the ephemeral Government's military?)
…or possibly not Jews, and perhaps not even of distant Jewish descent. When talking about forced conversions for some over a century ago, among other issues, the question of who they really are and what they are or are not owed by Israel becomes complex.
[FoxNews] A Jewish humanitarian organization has completed an airlift of medical materials to enclaves of Ethiopian Jews as the ongoing Israeli conflict with Hamas has complicated established aid in the region.
Struggle to Save Ethiopian Jewry (SSEJ), a volunteer-staffed organization in the United States dedicated to the assistance of the Ethiopian Jewish community, airlifted the medical supplies over the course of weeks.
The aerial transport from the U.S. to the city of Gondar began on Mar. 9 and finished on Apr. 5, delivering 10 pallets of supplies to the community for use at the SSEJ medical clinic.
SSEJ President Jeremy Feit spoke to Fox News Digital about the unique struggles facing Ethiopian Jewry and how they are hoping to help.
"Much of the support that the Jews in Ethiopia receive comes from remittance from relatives in Israel," Feit explained. "When the war started, large sections of the Israeli economy shut down. As a result, the Israeli relatives of the Jews in Ethiopia are not in the financial position to send funds."
SSEJ partnered with the Afya Foundation, an organization in New York that facilitates the redistribution of surplus medical supplies to care centers around the world in need of materials. The air transportation was provided by international humanitarian organization Airlink.
Feit told Fox News Digital that their SSEJ clinics are intended to cater specifically to the Jewish enclaves, but that the majority of materials delivered there will then be redistributed by the Jewish clinic to other, secular care facilities in the region.
"Some of [the medical supplies] will remain at SSEJ's medical clinics and assist the Jews, but much of it will go towards other local health clinics which are in dire need," Feit told Fox News Digital. "We're talking clinics where electricity goes down frequently in this region, and they don't tend to have backup generators. The conditions are in vast need of improvement."
"Supplies are hard to get. Funding is hard to come by," he continued. "We cannot ignore the suffering of others around there — non-Jews, Christians, Muslims, others."
The majority of Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel via a series of covert evacuations undertaken by Israeli forces in cooperation with United States intelligence agencies.
The most prominent of these evacuations were Operation Moses in 1984 and Operation Solomon in 1991.
The enduring Jewish community in Ethiopia consists of approximately 13,500 people largely concentrated around the cities of Gondar and Addis Ababa, where the Israeli consulate and embassy are respectively located.
"The Jews in Gondar and Addis Ababa almost all originated in small, little villages," Feit said. "They left the villages to go to Gondar and Addis Ababa because that's where the Israeli consulates […] are located."
Ethiopian Jewry is further subdivided into demographics based on current geography and religious practices. "Beta Israel" is the name given to the ethnic group that made up the majority of those airlifted into Israel in the 20th century.
"Falash Mura" refers to a cross-section of these same communities that converted — willingly and unwillingly — to Christianity in the 18th and 19th centuries. The nature and cascading ramifications of this mass conversion has complicated their right to Israeli immigration.
"The question is — are these people Jewish? Because any Jew anywhere on earth is eligible for Israeli citizenship and absorption," explained Bonnie Glick, former deputy administrator for the United States Agency for International Development. "But if they're not actually Jewish, and they're economic refugees or asylum seekers, then technically under the Jewish law of return, they would not be eligible."
Glick worked for the State Department during Operation Solomon in May 1991 and told Fox News Digital about the unprecedented nature of past evacuations.
"In 1991, a lot of the people who were airlifted out, very much like Operation Moses, had never been on an airplane before. They had never been in a city before, and they were airlifted throughout the 40-hour period." Glick told Fox News Digital. "So they're sitting on tarmacs in their traditional garb in the middle of the night. Everyone has a fluorescent sticker on their forehead to show that they're eligible for transport. It was crazy."
Beta Israel currently makes up just under 2% of the Israeli population, while those who remain in Africa are typically of the Falash Mura demographic.
Political and religious debate over who among those left in Africa has a legitimate claim to Jewish identity and Israeli emigration continues to decision-making on the issue.
While continued fighting between Israel and Hamas does not directly affect Ethiopian Jewry stuck in Gondar and Addis Ababa, the war has brought Israeli aid and political attention to a halt.
"While the war rages, it is hard for the government of Israel to focus on other issues," said Feit. "As a result — while they appointed people to examine how many more Jews should be brought in and when — little progress has been made and, in the meantime, the Jews in Ethiopia suffer living in mud huts without running water, kitchens, bathrooms or electricity."
However, Ethiopian Jews are not only concerned about themselves, but also their relatives who have gone to Israel ahead of them.
"Thousands of Jews in Ethiopia have relatives in Israel and the safety of their loved ones amidst massacres by terrorists and constant rocket fire from Hezbollah and Hamas is causing constant distress, Feit told Fox News Digital.
He added, "Praying towards Jerusalem as they have for thousands of years, the Jews in Ethiopia now include in their daily prayers special prayers on behalf of the State of Israel and the IDF."
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] Refugees from Palestine stationed in the village of Avtury reported that they organized the holiday mainly for children and did not organize large celebrations, as before in their homeland.
As the "Caucasian Knot" has reported, the Chechen authorities regularly report providing various assistance to refugees from Palestine located on the territory of the republic. Thus, on April 7, it became known that Kadyrov’s foundation distributed money and food to refugees from Palestine in Chechnya in honor of the approaching Eid al-Fitr holiday. The Chechen authorities previously promised to build a residential complex with 35 apartments for the Palestinians. As of January 29, the republic accepted 206 refugees from Palestine.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, a month of fasting, spiritual and moral purification, as well as strengthening faith and will. During Ramadan, Muslims must abstain from food and drink during daylight hours. The month of fasting ends with the holiday of breaking the fast of Eid al-Fitr.
Palestinian refugees who are in a temporary residence center celebrated Eid al-Adha. “Children decorated the rooms with balloons, drawings and other decorations. And in one of the buildings of the Gorny Klyuch camp in the village of Avtury in the Chechen Republic, women organized an improvised kitchen for preparing the traditional sweet kataif,” wrote the head of the Ministry of Press of Chechnya, Akhmed Dudayev, in his Telegram channel.
As follows from the video of the Vainakh television company attached to the publication, the women prepared the table. One of the women said that the holiday was organized “for the sake of the children.” Another displaced person said that they still decided to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the children decorated the houses, but the celebration is not carried out as widely as usual, since there is a war in Palestine. “We celebrate here as always. In Palestine we celebrate every year. Well, we’ll celebrate it somehow. We have a war going on there. We also suffered, our parents, our people. Honestly, we won’t celebrate it like always,” he said he's on videotape.
The video, filmed in the evening, shows a table with fruits and sweets, at which eight men are sitting, women standing at another table. Fireworks were also set off to mark the occasion.
Let us recall that Ramzan Kadyrov suggested that officials, on the occasion of the end of Ramadan, pay for low-income residents of Chechnya who buy goods on credit in small shops. On April 6, the authorities reported that more than 100 million rubles were spent from Kadyrov’s fund to pay off the debts of low-income Grozny residents to grocery stores. At the same time, Ramzan Kadyrov stated that the action to pay off debts is not connected with the large number of poor people in Chechnya.
Let us remind you that there is no official information about the sources of financing of the Kadyrov Foundation. According to the head of Chechnya, money is given to the republic by Allah, as well as by “good people.” At the same time, public sector employees in the republic are obliged to transfer about 10% of their income to charity every month, according to the Caucasian Knot certificate “ Kadyrov Foundation: how they spend “money from Allah”.
Earlier, the head of the Ministry of Press of Chechnya, Akhmed Dudayev, at a meeting with refugees, said that they should maintain cleanliness and be more organized, and they should not rush the authorities of the republic to solve their problems. Dudayev’s reproaches to the guests contradict the Chechen traditions of hospitality, Caucasus experts and human rights activists noted.
[Daily Mail, Where America Gets Its News] A pro-Paleostine protester told Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party,politicians she"d murder them at a council meeting - then sobbed like a baby after being arrested and hauled before a court.
Riddhi Patel, 28, was all tough-talk at the Bakersfield meeting Wednesday, as including Mayor Karen Goh discussed calls back a motion calling on Israel to declare a ceasefire. They later rejected the motion.
Standing at a microphone during public comments, Patel said: "I hope one day somebody brings the guillotine and kills all of you mother******.
"You guys want to criminalize us with metal detectors, we’ll see you at your house, we’ll murder you."
But the bloodthirsty activist"s snarling bravado vanished in court two days later, when she was seen sobbing uncontrollably after being charged over her threats.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/14/2024 00:00 ||
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#4
While in jail awaiting trial, she is going to get the kind of education money can't buy. She's also going to find out why people always say don't use a public defender if you can avoid it.
[Jpost] The Los Angeles Police Department is also monitoring the developments between Iran and Israel, according to a post on X.
The New York Police Department said it's continuing to monitor "recent events in Israel.
"While there are no credible threats to New York City at this time, NYPD said it will continue to deploy resources to houses of worship and sensitive locations throughout the city.
New York City "unequivocally stands with the State of Israel" in the face of this direct attack and escalation by Iran, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement on Saturday night.
Adams said he's been briefed on the unfolding situation.
NO DIRECT THREAT TO NEW YORK CITY AT THE MOMENT
Adams reiterated there is no direct or imminent threat to New York City at this time.
“As mayor of the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, the significance of this attack for Jewish New Yorkers — many of whom have family in Israel right now — is not lost on me, especially less than 10 days before Passover begins," Adams said.
“Our intelligence and counterterrorism teams will continue to closely monitor the situation," he said.
The Los Angeles Police Department is also monitoring the developments between Iran and Israel, according to a post on X.
"While there are no credible threats to Los Angeles at this time, we are committed to ensuring safeguards to houses of worship and sensitive areas throughout all communities in Los Angeles," LAPD said.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
04/14/2024 04:46 ||
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[86 views]
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[Jpost] Pro-Palestinian activists clapped and resolved to prevent the United States from helping Israel after it was announced at a conference in Chicago on Saturday that Iran had launched drones at Israel.
US Palestinian Community Network National Coordinating Committee member Hatem Abudayyeh made a special announcement during the March on the Democratic National Convention 2024 conference to tell the audience, “So it begins.”
“Twelve days ago, Israel brazenly hit an Iranian embassy compound in Syria, violating international law again,” said Abudayyeh, referencing the alleged Israeli April 1 strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds force commander Mohammed Reza Zahedi and six other officers. “Iran has just responded around thirty minutes ago.”
Conference participants cheered and clapped when the announcement was made and renewed celebration when it was reported that Yemeni and Iraqi factions may have also joined in the attack.
“They’ve sent drones and missiles against specific targets in occupied Palestine,” said Abudayyeh. “In addition, there are reports of drones being fired from Yemen and Iraq.”
Abudayyeh said that it was the activists’ duty to prepare protests in response “because the United States is going to ‘defend’ the criminal Israeli state.”
“Shame!” Shouted the crowd.
PROTESTORS CHANT 'HANDS OFF IRAN'
After Abudayyeh finished speaking, protesters began to spontaneously chant “hands off Iran” and what appeared to be a call of “glory to the martyrs.”
After they finished chanting, a conference organizer led them in a chant in Arabic, “From the water to the water, Palestine is Arab.”
She hesitantly translated the slogan into English and explained that it demanded the liberation of the colonized Arab land.
The coalition of far-left activist groups is planning to protest the DNC on August 19, chiefly to demand an end to US aid to Israel.
Other demands include diverting military funding to education, housing, and healthcare, legalizing 12 million illegal immigrants living in the US, and “community control” of law enforcement.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
04/14/2024 04:44 ||
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[134 views]
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[NYPOST] President Joe Biden is interrupting his beach weekend to return to the White House as Israel and US forces in the Middle East brace for a possible impending attack by Iran.
Biden had been in Rehoboth Beach, Del., and was originally expected to return on Sunday, CNN reported.
The president is expected to be back at the White House Saturday to “consult with his national security team about events in the Middle East,” his administration confirmed.
Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris previously raised eyebrows by jetting out of DC as tensions between Israel and Iran reached a boiling point. Well, Yeah!
Didn't want to be at Ground Zero?
Posted by: Fred ||
04/14/2024 00:00 ||
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Very strongly, indeed, though at least they admit that Hamas dunnit. Like with Russia-Ukraine, sometimes we should check out what the other side is saying.
#4
I understand why Israel released virtually none of the 10/7 footage and other documentation.
There are good arguments to be made for that decision.
But in balance, looking at the developments since 10/7 I think it was a grave mistake not to release all the material to the world public, uncut, unblurred and uncensored.
#6
Plenty of footage was put on the internet by Hamas, et al. And there quickly was a good deal of exploration into why the official Israeli reaction was so slow. See here for what we saw at Rantburg on 10/7.
Reasons like it was a major Jewish holiday and everyone not necessary was on leave, that in their arrogance officers ignored the observations of those watching the border, and that Hamas had encouraged everyone to think that they were being seduced toward responsible governance because previous outbursts had led Israel to bounce rubble. Then there was — what is the term Grom uses? — something about exposure training to accustom the IDF to ignore Hamas preparations as looking threatening but leading nowhere… All last summer the jihadi boys massed in their Hamas-paid mobs, rushing the security fence and setting off fire balloons, but never actually trying to get through.
It must be remembered, though, that while Hamas did not expect Israel to be as unguarded as it was, they also did not expect such a quick and deadly response from the disorganized militia of the citizenry with whatever weapons and IDF troops happened to be about. That one ad hoc patrol of girl soldiers that had essentially cleared one of the kibbutzes, ambushing the invaders one by one before the official defenders arrived.
As for the atrocity stories — to say that Hamas et al did not commit massive and systemic atrocities is to ignore the evidence, of Hamas videos posted on the internet, of community security footage from 10/7 and days following posted on the internet, of eyewitnesses as shared at that time and later, and finally the reports from pathologists released later about the bodies of Israelis, foreigners, and Gazans found at the scene. Perhaps some were indeed exaggerated, but there was enough that a clear pattern is visible.
[IsraelTimes] My simple question to the O'Biden Regimes demand.
Would you trust the DC Swamp not to leak it to IRAN, given the openly HAMAS/IRAN supporters now in the White House & US Congress?
Posted by: NN2N1 ||
04/14/2024 07:12 ||
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[216 views]
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US Congressional sources say the amphibious war ship Bataan is leading a US naval task force in the Eastern Mediterranean
The Bataan has two support ships and together they have about 2,500 Marines onboard, with guided missile destroyers already in the area
The decision comes after Iran unleashed a drone attack on Israel in response to a drone strike that left 12 Iranians dead earlier this month
The US also has several guided missile destroyers including the Carney in the area.
US bases in Iraq have been placed on full alert and will also attempt to shoot down missiles and drones aimed at Israel.
In addition, the US has two destroyers and a Cruiser in the Red Sea that are fully armed with anti-missile weapons and they too are under orders to shoot down any Israeli bound missiles or drones.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
04/14/2024 05:07 ||
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#1
US has two destroyers and a Cruiser in the Red Sea that are fully armed with anti-missile weapons and they too are under orders to shoot down any Israeli bound missiles or drones.
I would not have been surprised if Iran had sent a commercial civilian flight along with the drones, hoping for a propaganda coup if the US shot it down.
#2
Shooting down missiles will be the key skill in fighting the nex few wars until mass drivers from orbit come along.
Money will have to be spent, unless the "diplomats" can get the aggressor parties to stop shooting.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/14/2024 8:53 Comments ||
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#3
I heard someone, a talking head, on the teevee last night use the term.... "flood the zone." My fear was the cruise missiles and drones would mask a ballistic missile attack. Thankfully, that did not happen.
There was a comment about the drones having their landing lights turned on. This might have been a good method for Iranian ground observers to observe the drones that managed to evade the AAA.
If the IDF pursues a counter-attack, it will likely come in the hours of darkness. Just my guess.
Our news people are so lame and uniformed. Calling jet powered (visible jet exhaust) cruise missiles, prop driven drones. I would have hoped we could have had better, more enlightened reporting.
#5
Well, the US has robust sat assets for detecting ballistic missile launches and flight.
How much of that we want the iranians, nkors and china to see is the question.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/14/2024 9:30 Comments ||
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#6
#3 I heard someone, a talking head, on the teevee last night use the term.... "flood the zone." My fear was the cruise missiles and drones would mask a ballistic missile attack. Thankfully, that did not happen.
There was a comment about the drones having their landing lights turned on. This might have been a good method for Iranian ground observers to observe the drones that managed to evade the AAA.
I think the Iranians did achieve their goal in at least one location. It appeared to "flood the zone" locally in vic an Israeli Air Base and punched through 6 or 7 hypersonic ballistic missiles.
IMO if the lights were on the drones, it was for terror effect as well as targeting.
Both sides learned last night, as well as us, the Russians, and Chinese.
#9
Their stuff is crap. If they didn't send their best crap this time they still didn't fool anyone.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/14/2024 10:32 Comments ||
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#10
The Iranians did manage to hit Nevatim air base with 7 ballistics. It's where Israeli F35's fly out of.
They didn't manage to actually hit a target there, though. Base remains at full function. Evidently Iranian ballistics are life lobbing mortar rounds, and they basically have to 'paint' an area.
As far as moving the Bataan in, if you're not going to invade somewhere, why? They're just targets in the current fracas. I can see that they might want the Burke destroyers that are in the group, but the Bataan in the current environment is a tragedy waiting to happen.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
04/14/2024 13:56 Comments ||
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#11
It appeared to "flood the zone" locally in vic an Israeli Air Base and punched through 6 or 7 hypersonic ballistic missiles.
Tennessee: This is from the Ynet Breaking News link:
IDF: 'We intercepted 99% of Iran's threats'; air base hit by missile is functioning
IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Hagari said in a special statement Sunday morning that Israel intercepted 99% of the "threats" that Iran sent overnight. "Iran launched dozens of surface-to-surface missiles toward Israeli territory. The vast majority of the missiles were intercepted outside of the State of Israel's borders by our Aerial Defense Array. A few missiles fell within Israeli territory; at this stage, we are aware of one child who was injured, and a hit on an IDF base in the south, where there was only minor damage to infrastructure. I repeat, the damage to the IDF base in the south was minor and to the infrastructure only." The base has been identified as Nevatim air base, which is continuing to function.
[IsraelTimes] Officials and sources close to Hamas tell Britain’s The Guardian newspaper that while the terror group’s capabilities have been depleted, it is far from defeated.
The report says Hamas “remains in de facto control of swaths of Gaza” and notes that fighters from the terror group have been spotted maintaining order on the streets of Khan Younis, just days after Israeli troops withdrew from the city.
The outlet also notes the tensions between the terror group’s leadership in Gaza and abroad, including “deep personal animosity” between Yahya Sinwar and Khaled Mashal.
Additionally, the report says Hamas is facing rising dissent within Gaza.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/14/2024 00:00 ||
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[BenarNews] Gong Saelao was one of 23 Thais released from Gaza after being abducted by Hamas militants on Oct. 7.
As the sound of gunfire and explosions grew closer, Thai farm laborer Gong Saelao took refuge in his bedroom at a camp in southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year. Not long after, he recalled, he was detained by a group of gun-wielding men who blindfolded him, chained his wrists and ankles, and dragged him into the Gaza Strip.
So began nearly two months in captivity during which he suffered physical and mental abuse but was also treated to acts of kindness by his captors from the Hamas militant group, he said.
Continued on Page 49
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Royal Marines are poised to lead a 'Dunkirk-style' evacuation of thousands of UK nationals from the Middle East after Iran launched a huge drone and missile attack against Israel last night.
Commandos have already conducted reconnaissance along the Lebanese coastline ahead of a potential maritime rescue mission.
The daring mission - reminiscent of the huge effort to evacuate 338,000 British troops stranded in France by the Germans during the opening salvo of the Second World War in 1940 - was exclusively revealed by the Mail on Friday.
It came a day before Tehran launched a huge aerial bombardment on Saturday evening, which was in retaliation of a deadly consul blast an an Iranian embassy in Syria that killed 13 people.
The Foreign Office has already advised all UK citizens to leave Lebanon.
The evacuation plans, codenamed Operation Meteoric, will be spearheaded by the UK's 'Green Berets' and supported by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
The Mail has been told a party of Marines from 30 Commando arrived in the region in recent days.
Operation Meteoric has been likened to Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of allied soldiers from Dunkirk in 1940 when they were surrounded by German forces.
The Mail has been told how the preparatory work behind Operation Meteoric was conducted by the Royal Marines' Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS).
They studied stretches of the Lebanese coastline and selected potential locations for such a rescue mission.
Stranded civilians would be ferried from beaches in raiding craft to Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships in the eastern Mediterranean.
While it is understood Iran is eager to avoid direct engagement with UK forces, RAF Typhoon jets based in Cyprus could provide 'top cover'.
Yemen-based Houthis have also claimed to have shot 'dozens' of rockets towards an IDF base in the north-east of Israel. it is not currently known if the Houthi attacks are linked to Iran's salvo.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
04/14/2024 05:08 ||
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#1
With two active LPD class amphibs in the fleet, it will hardly be Dunkirk scale. Love the Brits but a little over-hyped.
HMS Albion
[Jpost] Iranian pro-government media said in the early hours of April 14 that it had attacked Israel on four fronts. This included attacks by Iran itself using drones and missiles, as well as threats from Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. Iran has spread its proxies throughout the region. These groups pose an increasing threat to Israel and Israel’s partners and allies. It’s important to understand who these groups are and what their capabilities may be.
HEZBOLLAH
Hezbollah is the largest and oldest of the Iranian partner and proxy groups in the region. Founded in the 1980s, it has played an increasingly influential role in Lebanon, essentially controlling who is elected president and controlling parts of the economy. Hezbollah has stockpiled more than 150,000 rockets over the last thirty years. Some of these are short-range rockets that threaten northern Galilee. Other Hezbollah rockets are long-range and can threaten all of Israel, almost to Eilat. In addition, Hezbollah increasingly has precision-guided munitions, meaning it can target strategic infrastructure with precision. In addition, Hezbollah is now believed to have 2,000 drones, which it has increasingly used against Israel. Hezbollah also has anti-tank missiles and thousands of fighters. Some of its fighters are part of its more elite “Radwan” force. Hezbollah has suffered casualties in its attacks on Israel since October 8. Around 250 of its members have been killed. This is a setback for the group. It has also carried out around 3,100 attacks on Israel.
THE HOUTHIS
The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have been increasingly a threat since 2015. Originally a small rebel movement, they burst on the scene in 2015 when they took over a swath of Yemen. They are based in the mountains around Sana’a, but they also threatened the coastal cities of Aden and Hodeidah. This caused Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries to intervene in Yemen in 2015. The Houthis received ballistic missile and drone technology from Iran and built an impressive local industry to create long-range missiles and drones. They also developed cruise missiles. Iran used these weapons to target Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh. After October 7 the Houthis began to target Eilat using drones and cruise missiles and then ballistic missiles. Later, the Houthis began targeting ships. It has carried out dozens of attacks on commercial ships, and it has hijacked one ship. It claims to be targeting Israeli-linked and Western ships. The Houthi capabilities have expanded greatly in the last several years. Beginning in 2020, Iran also based its Shahed 136 drones in Yemen. The Houthis now can strike at southern Israel with their weapons.
THE IRAQI MILITIAS
Iran has been backing militias in Iraq since the 1980s. Key militia leaders such as Hadi al-Amiri, the head of the Badr organization, and the late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were close to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Abu Mahdi was active in supporting Iran’s terrorist causes in the 1980s, such as targeting Kuwait and other countries and groups. After the US invasion of 2003, the Iranian-backed militias began to increase their power in Iraq, feeding off the power vacuum. Abu Mahdi’s Kataib Hezbollah became the vanguard of these militias. It was joined not only by Badr but also by Asaib Ahl al-Haq, whose leader, Qias Khazali, had once been detained by the Americans in Iraq. Other groups popped up as well, such as Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba. In 2014, after ISIS invaded Iraq, the Iranian-backed militias formed the backbone of a paramilitary army called the Popular Mobilization Forces, which numbered more than 100,000 fighters. After the defeat of ISIS in 2017 in Iraq, the militias became an official government-paid force linked to the Iraqi Interior Ministry. In essence, they became the Iranian IRGC of Iraq. The groups then stockpiled missiles and drones. They began to operate more freely in Syria and to threaten US forces and Israel. They also carried out kidnappings, such as the kidnapping of researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov in 2023. They murdered key Iraqi intellectuals and targeted Kurds. They have targeted Israel since October 7, using long-range drones to target Iraq and other areas.
IRANIAN MILITIAS IN SYRIA
Iran’s IRGC operates in Syria. During the Syrian civil war, Iran recruited many groups to support the Assad regime. These included Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and also Shi’ites from Afghanistan and Pakistan. In 2018, Iran began to build up more bases for these groups, such as the Imam Ali base near Albukamal and also encouraged Hezbollah to open its “Golan file” to threaten Israel from the Golan. Iran also moved drones to Syria and tried to move air defenses to its T-4 base in 2018. The Iranian-backed militias in Syria are disparate and have varying capabilities, but most of them are relatively weak. They have targeted US forces and also Israel. They usually require close IRGC supervision and guidance.
PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD
Palestinian Islamic Jihad is an Iranian proxy group that is also a Palestinian group. Unlike Hezbollah or the militias in Iraq, it is not a Shi’ite group. PIJ has terrorists in Gaza and participated in the October 7 attack. It had thousands of rockets and thousands of fighters in Gaza, but it has taken losses over six months of war. In the West Bank, PIJ is active mostly in Jenin, where it also has hundreds of members. It has benefited from the illegal trafficking of rifles in the West Bank and has tried to increase its stockpile of weapons and explosives and move into IED (explosive) production. The group is relatively small but has destabilized the northern West Bank and poses an increasing threat.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
04/14/2024 05:48 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
