Tag: Middle East

Dozens Killed In Northern Israel Amid Civilian Stampede On Lag BaOmerBy Behold Israel, Apr 30, 2021

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Several members of the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community were killed on Friday during a religious gathering for Lag BaOmer; Well over 100 others were injured during the catastrophe; PM Netanyahu has marked Sunday as a day of mourning.

Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community faced a tragedy on Friday when a massive gathering for Lag BaOmer took a turn for the worst. The incident took place in northern Israel’s Mount Meron, where it’s estimated that nearly 100,000 people showed up for the event. At least one source said that the site was only capable of hosting 25,000.

The incident, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “terrible disaster,” occurred when a stampede occurred after an overwhelming amount of people collapsed down a narrow passageway consisting of slippery metal stairs. One report revealed that the barriers put in place created a hindrance for people to escape the catastrophe quickly. However, as mentioned above, the amount of people on-site was far beyond what the location could handle.

Friday morning’s disaster took place in the men’s corridor of the facility. Children are among those killed. Many of those who died still await identification.

Netanyahu said, “There were heartbreaking scenes here. People who were crushed to death, including children. Many of the dead have yet to be identified, and I ask not to spread rumors on social networks because it breaks the families’ hearts. Let the authorities work.”

Netanyahu and many others gave blood on Friday to help the injured.

The holiday observance was the first large religious gathering since the Jewish state removed several longstanding COVID restrictions.

Syrian missile lands near Dimona nuclear reactor, interception fails

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SA-5 flies from Syria all the way to Negev in the longest-range attack yet by Syria; Patriot missile activated in response.

By ANNA AHRONHEIM, UDI SHAHAM, JERUSALEM POST STAFF

Israel and Syria exchanged missile attacks early on Thursday morning, after Damascus launched an advanced surface-to-air missile that landed in the Negev Desert.Alarms sounded in Abu Qrenat near Dimona in the South.

WARGAMING: China LIve-Drilled Attacks on US Carrier While Sending Record 25 Warplanes Into Taiwan’s Airspace

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China live-drilled attacks on US carrier while sending record 25 warplanes into Taiwan’s airspace, analysts say

By: Ryan Morgan, American Military News, April 14, 2021

Chinese warplanes appear to have simulated an attack on a U.S. aircraft carrier during Monday flights around Taiwan, multiple defense analysts told Newsweek on Tuesday.

On Monday, China sent a record number of warplanes into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), as part of an ongoing aerial campaign around the island. On the same day, the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (CSG) sailed north of the Philippines’ northernmost island of Luzon, according to publicly available ship tracking data. Luzon lies directly south of Taiwan.

Chieh Chung, a research fellow at the Association of Strategic Foresight in Taipei, Taiwan told Newsweek the Chinese warplanes likely took the opportunity to run a “simulated attack” on the U.S. aircraft carrier.

Israel Defense Officials Worried US Leaking Israeli Special Ops Info to the Press

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By Jewish Press News Desk, 29 Nisan 5781, April 10, 2021 0

The NY Times reported last week that an anonymous US official claimed Israel was behind the operation in the Red Sea against the Iranian IRGC Navy reconnaissance vessel and floating military base, the Saviz, and the attack was in retaliation for an earlier Iranian attack on an Israeli cargo ship. The report described how the ship had been damaged. A few weeks earlier, a report in the Wall Street Journal claimed that Israel attacked multiple Iranian ships transporting oil and equipment from Iran to Syria, since 2019.

Unconfirmed reports in Israel are saying that someone in the foreign media may have actually received the information on the planned attack on the Saviz before the attack happened and was then asked by someone in Israel to hold off publishing the information until after the operation was completed.

A lot of concern and finger-pointing has been going around the inner circles of Israel’s security establishment as to who possibly leaked the information on Israel’s various secret operations and why. Some reporters have been hinting that it was senior politicians in the coalition (such as it is) or the opposition, depending on the reporters’ political bias. Others claim it was the US.

But at this point, defense officials are relatively sure it did not come directly from any Israeli source, according to a Walla report.

The concern now is that someone in the US government has been leaking the classified operational information that Israel has been sharing with US government officials.

What is still unclear to Israel is if this is a leak by an individual, a one-off event, or a change in US policy under the Biden administration, and what this mean with regards to future sharing of intelligence information with the American government.

The issue of the leaks may be raised during the upcoming visit to Israel by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Sunday.

Biden Administration Removes Air Defense Systems From Saudi Kingdom by Behold Israel

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y Behold Israel, Apr 2, 2021

As the new White House administration seeks to shift US policy concerning the Middle East, it has removed key military assets during a time in which military pressure is mounting from the Islamic Republic.

In what was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration is moving military assets out of the Gulf region at a significant rate, according to a report this week. The removal of military interests from the region is reportedly for several reasons, including the refocusing on other regions of the world. However, there’s no question that the Biden administration has zero intentions of working with the Saudis like the former administration.

According to the report, the White House has “removed at least three Patriot antimissile batteries from the Gulf region, including one from Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, that had been put in place in recent years to help protect American forces.”

Continuing, it revealed that more assets could soon be departing the region, saying, “Some capabilities, including an aircraft carrier and surveillance systems, are being diverted from the Middle East to answer military needs elsewhere around the globe…other reductions are under consideration.”

This move from the Biden administration comes when the Iranian-sponsored Houthi Rebels have been increasing their attacks on the Kingdom via ballistic missiles and explosive drones. They have often targeted Aramco oil facilities and civilian airports.

Despite the administration’s said commitment to building a relationship with the Saudis, removing these key military interests comes at a very compromising time.

Media and Mind Control

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I have put a self-imposed fast on watching or listening to any main stream media. Since the election I pretty much go to websites and people that I trust to get what little news that I get. I’m just sick and tired of the main stream media lying constantly and using psychological tricks to try to control the population. The media has an agenda, it is a far left wing Nazi agenda. It’s funny how they call conservatives Nazis. The Nazi party was a left-wing socialist group. They banned and burn books, they confiscated weapons, they put unorthodox rules and laws into affect to control the people in Germany. I am a Christian conservative I am not a Nazi and just because I love our country and want to put it first in the world doesn’t mean I’m a nationalist. A strong America makes for a strong world. We are the last great hope for democracy in this world. With God’s help we will keep it. But it will not be easy.

Russia & Turkey in Growing Alliance

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  • MARCH 20, 2021Iran, Russia and Turkey signal growing alliancePresidents Hassan Rouhani of Iran, Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Vladimir Putin of Russia hold a joint news conference after their meeting in Ankara, Turkey April 4, 2018 (photo credit: UMIT BEKTAS / REUTERS)Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was very content during a trip to Turkeyon Friday. He said it was productive and smiled alongside his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. He said it was a “wonderful” trip where he spoke with his “brother Cavusoglu.”The trip signals the growing alliance that Turkey and Iran have in the region.Zarif said: “As before, constructive engagement on bilateral and regional issues. Ultimate aim: Apply Iran and Turkey’s experience of 400 years of peace to our region. Together, anything is possible.”
  • taken from Koenig’s Eye View https://watch.org/

IAEA Says Iran Is Enriching Uranium With Advanced Centrifuges At Natanz Nuclear FacilityBy Behold Israel, Mar 19, 2021

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The facility was believed to be attacked via a Mossad operation last year, which led to significant damage being dealt; The IAEA reported that Tehran is using the IR-4 centrifuge to enrich uranium.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which operates as the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog, the Islamic Republic is now enriching uranium via advanced IR-4 centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear facility. In so doing, Tehran is further breaching the terms set in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran nuclear deal. 

Under the terms of the JCPOA, Iran is only permitted to use the 1st generation IR-1 centrifuges. 

In its recent statement, first reported by Reuters, the IAEA said, “On 15 March 2021, the Agency verified that Iran began feeding the cascade of 174 IR-4 centrifuges already installed at FEP (fuel enrichment plant) with natural UF6.”

They added, “In summary, as of 15 March 2021, Iran was using 5,060 IR-1 centrifuges installed in 30 cascades, 522 IR-2m centrifuges installed in three cascades and 174 IR-4 centrifuges installed in one cascade, to enrich natural UF6 up to 5% U-235 at FEP.”

Interestingly enough, this particular facility was dealt heavy damage last summer after a fire broke out, which was speculated by many to be an act of sabotage. The suspicion grew due to a series of similar incidents throughout the season, specifically in Iran. However, it’s clear that Tehran has been committed to restoring this facility.

Though the Islamic Republic began increasing its violations of the deal after the Trump administration withdrew in 2018, these breaches have only increased all the more in recent months. Furthermore, Tehran intends to install a second cascade of the IR-4 at the Natanz facility in the future.

The post IAEA Says Iran is Enriching Uranium with Advanced Centrifuges at Natanz Nuclear Facilityappeared first on Behold Israel.