Israel follows US lead, withdraws from UN Human Rights body citing ‘blatant anti-Semitism’ – What this means for Gaza? – Mint Source Link Excerpt:
Israel has withdrawn from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), following a similar move by the United States. Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon has said his country will “stand with” the US and “not participate” in the “biased” UN Human Rights Council a day after Trump also quit the Geneva-based body. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar published his letter to UNHRC President Jurg Lauber that says the decision to withdraw from the Geneva-based body “was reached in light of the ongoing and unrelenting institutional bias against Israel in the Human Rights Council, which has been persistent since its inception in 2006”.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Israel would turn the Gaza Strip over to the United States after the fighting ends and that no U.S. soldiers would be needed there.
“The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting. The Palestinians … would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region,” Trump said in a Truth Social post building on his controversial comments about Gaza’s future this week.
Trump’s Radical Plan to Take Over Gaza – PJ Media– pjmedia.com Source Link Excerpt:
It was too much even for some die-hard Donald Trump supporters when he said Tuesday that the U.S. would “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip, using American forces to clear out the weapons and unexploded ordinance. My colleague Robert Spencer reported all the gory details for you last night, so I won’t go over those again.
But you do need to see some of the reactions before we get to what’s really going on here.
Varad Mehta, a generally pro-Trump conservative, said that “the idea the US should play a predominant, let alone the leading role in said reconstruction and effectively colonize Gaza, is bonkers.”
Cynical Publius is one of my go-to guys for sharp conservative commentary, and even he admitted that “Trump is testing my limits on this one.” And while Publius “will follow my own advice for now” and give Trump the benefit of the doubt, he is “deeply concerned that we are introducing US troops into the Gaza quagmire, which goes against the ‘No more forever wars’ mantra we all got behind during the election.”
And Another Thing: “Forever wars” is a lazy accusation, in addition to being ahistorical bunk — but I still find myself using it sometimes and won’t criticize Publius for using it.
Congresscritter Rashida Tlaib (D-Caliphate), showing her usual restraint, said, “This president can only spew this fanatical bullshit because of bipartisan support in Congress for funding genocide and ethnic cleansing.” It also didn’t take long for anti-Israel protestors to show up at the White House last night, waving their Hamas flags.
Everybody, left and right, please take a deep breath and relax. Trump’s opening bid is almost never his play — and I think I have his play figured out.
Right in front of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump stunned the world by declaring the U.S. would take over Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Netanyahu appeared somewhat stunned, but otherwise seemed to embrace that idea, an assumption that would officially be confirmed later on.
The statement has created dissenting voices on both the right and the left, including among Trump’s MAGA base. Trump has stated there will be no troops involved, as this will come after the war is over, but some remain skeptical. America will clean everything up and be able to set up an enterprise zone. Eventually, Israel would gain sovereignty over Gaza.
A conflict may be emerging between Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who seemed to suggest the Palestinians would eventually be able to return. They can return after Gaza is rebuilt, but until then, they’d need a place to stay. Trump doubled down on his assertion that the plan includes the Palestinians never returning. Another State Department statement suggested Trump was merely forcing the region to come up with their own solution, but again, Trump seemed to double down on his original statement.
In Joint Presser With Bibi, Trump Says US Will Turn Gaza Into ‘Riviera of the Middle East’– freebeacon.com Source Link Excerpt:
President Donald Trump outlined ambitious plans to resettle Gaza’s population, “take over” the war-torn strip, clear out “unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site,” and spearhead “economic development.” A rebuilt Gaza, Trump said, could be “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Trump’s remarks came during a Tuesday evening joint press conference with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who became the first foreign leader to visit the White House during Trump’s second term. Trump spoke at length about his call, first floated last week, to resettle Gaza’s residents. The strip, Trump said, “has been a symbol of death and destruction for decades” and “should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people who have … lived a miserable existence there.” Instead, he said, the United States “will take over the Gaza Strip” through “a long-term ownership position” and lead the rebuilding process.
.@KellyO on U.S. taking over Gaza strip: “Are you talking about a permanent occupation there? Redevelopment?”
“It just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years,” Trump said of Gaza. “We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal, and I don’t want to be cute, I don’t want to be a wise guy, but the Riviera of the Middle East—this could be something that could be so magnificent.”
JUST IN: President Trump says the Gaza Strip will become the “Riviera of the Middle East” just minutes after saying the U.S. would “take over” the Strip.
“We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal.”
TRUMP’S GAZA GAMBIT TRIGGERS ANOTHER IMPEACHMENT FILING FROM DNC – Representative Al Green (D-TX) has filed his third set of impeachment articles against Donald Trump. This time, he filed the articles in response to his call for the Palestinians to be moved to a new land permanently. He called the reasons “dastardly deeds.”
He said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. and injustice in Gaza is a threat to justice in the United States of America. I rise to announce that the movement to impeach the president has begun. I rise to announce that I will bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.”
Live briefing: Israeli military to prepare ‘voluntary departure’ plan for Gazans, echoing Trump proposal– www.washingtonpost.com Source Link Excerpt:
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that he has instructed the military to draft a plan to “allow voluntary departure” of Gaza residents from the enclave — days after President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for the United States to “take over” the Gaza Strip and remove all the people living there.
“I welcome President Trump’s bold plan, which could enable a large segment of Gaza’s population to relocate to various destinations around the world,” Katz said in a statement.
The Israeli plan would allow Gazaresidents to depart for “any country willing to receive them,” via land crossings or through “special arrangements for departure by sea and air,” he said. Palestinians in Gaza have mostly not been able to leave the enclave since the war began in October 2023, with some exceptions such as limited medical evacuations.
Rep. Al Green is filing new impeachment articles against Trump– www.politico.com Source Link Excerpt:
Rep. Al Green said Wednesday he was introducing impeachment articles against Donald Trump after the president said the U.S. would “take over” Gaza.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. and injustice in Gaza is a threat to justice in the United States of America,” Green said in a floor speech Wednesday morning. “I rise to announce that the movement to impeach the president has begun. I rise to announce that I will bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.”
The Texas Democrat launched multiple longshot impeachment bids during Trump’s first term using procedural maneuvers meant to circumvent House leadership and bypass committees. Similar to his last efforts, there’s not much appetite among Democrats to impeach Trump as of yet.
Asked Wednesday about Green’s measure, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), the No. 3 House Democrat, said it wasn’t a focus for the caucus.
Rubio Says People Will Have To Relocate In “Interim” While Gaza Is Rebuilt– www.ndtv.com Source Link Excerpt:
Marco Rubio was answering reporters’ question during a visit to the Dominican Republic on Thursday.
Santo Domingo: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Gaza currently is “not habitable” due to dangers such as unexploded weapons, and that people would have to live elsewhere while the area is rebuilt.
Rubio, answering a reporter’s question during a visit to the Dominican Republic, encouraged other countries to step forward and offer to help rebuild Gaza, but did not say whether Palestinians would be able to return to the area under a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to take over and develop the Gaza Strip.
“I think that’s just a realistic reality, that in order to fix a place like that, people are going to have to live somewhere else in the interim,” Rubio said.
Trump repudiates Rubio’s attempt to repair Gaza foolishness– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
President Donald Trump has repudiated efforts by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to row back his foolish comments on Gaza.
At a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Trump said he wanted to see Palestinians “permanently” relocated out of Gaza and the United States take a “long-term ownership interest” over the Gaza Strip. Refusing to rule out deploying U.S. military forces to secure control over the Palestinian territory, Trump further suggested that he might grant U.S. recognition of full Israeli sovereignty over the Palestinian West Bank.
Trump’s ambitions lack either political or historic justification. If actively pursued, they would greatly fuel both violent jihadist mobilization and moderate Muslim antagonism against the U.S. Trump’s plans would also require U.S. troops to engage in ground force combat operations against Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist organizations. Put simply, Trump’s Gaza proposal runs dangerously counter to U.S. interests while being utterly at odds with the president’s oft-stated pledge to avoid “stupid wars.”
Trump says no US soldiers needed in Gaza, US would take over after war – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Israel would turn the Gaza Strip over to the United States after the fighting ends and that no U.S. soldiers would be needed there.
“The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting. The Palestinians … would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region,” Trump said in a Truth Social post building on his controversial comments about Gaza’s future this week.
US a ‘very long way away’ from deploying troops in Gaza – Defense Secretary — RT World News– www.rt.com Source Link Excerpt:
Donald Trump’s Tuesday proposal to take over the enclave has sparked international scrutiny and criticism
US President Donald Trump is a long way off from deploying American soldiers to Gaza, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump proposed that the United States take control of the Gaza Strip, suggesting the area be redeveloped following the demolition of structures damaged during the 15-month Israel-Hamas conflict. He reiterated his earlier stance that Palestinians should be relocated to neighboring countries at those nations’ expense. When questioned about the potential deployment of US troops to facilitate this plan, Trump stated he would “do what is necessary.”
The following day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared on Fox News to clarify the president’s remarks regarding the possibility of US military involvement in Gaza.
“I think we’re a very long way from that,” the top defense official replied, adding that “robust discussions” between Trump, national security officials and allies would have to precede such a decision. Israel wants to “finish the job against Hamas” and get the hostages back, and the US will help them do so, Hegseth said.
Trump’s Radical Plan to Take Over Gaza – PJ Media– pjmedia.com Source Link Excerpt:
It was too much even for some die-hard Donald Trump supporters when he said Tuesday that the U.S. would “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip, using American forces to clear out the weapons and unexploded ordinance. My colleague Robert Spencer reported all the gory details for you last night, so I won’t go over those again.
But you do need to see some of the reactions before we get to what’s really going on here.
Varad Mehta, a generally pro-Trump conservative, said that “the idea the US should play a predominant, let alone the leading role in said reconstruction and effectively colonize Gaza, is bonkers.”
Cynical Publius is one of my go-to guys for sharp conservative commentary, and even he admitted that “Trump is testing my limits on this one.” And while Publius “will follow my own advice for now” and give Trump the benefit of the doubt, he is “deeply concerned that we are introducing US troops into the Gaza quagmire, which goes against the ‘No more forever wars’ mantra we all got behind during the election.”
And Another Thing: “Forever wars” is a lazy accusation, in addition to being ahistorical bunk — but I still find myself using it sometimes and won’t criticize Publius for using it.
Congresscritter Rashida Tlaib (D-Caliphate), showing her usual restraint, said, “This president can only spew this fanatical bullshit because of bipartisan support in Congress for funding genocide and ethnic cleansing.” It also didn’t take long for anti-Israel protestors to show up at the White House last night, waving their Hamas flags.
Everybody, left and right, please take a deep breath and relax. Trump’s opening bid is almost never his play — and I think I have his play figured out.
Israel follows US lead, withdraws from UN Human Rights body citing ‘blatant anti-Semitism’ – What this means for Gaza? – Mint Source Link Excerpt:
Israel has withdrawn from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), following a similar move by the United States. Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon has said his country will “stand with” the US and “not participate” in the “biased” UN Human Rights Council a day after Trump also quit the Geneva-based body. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar published his letter to UNHRC President Jurg Lauber that says the decision to withdraw from the Geneva-based body “was reached in light of the ongoing and unrelenting institutional bias against Israel in the Human Rights Council, which has been persistent since its inception in 2006”.
Trump says ‘no guarantees’ Gaza ceasefire will hold a day before Netanyahu visits White House – Middle East crisis live | Israel– www.theguardian.com Source Link Excerpt:
The US president, Donald Trump, has said he is not sure whether the Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will hold.
“I have no guarantees that the peace is going to hold,” Trump told reporters on Monday, a day before he is due to meet with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at the White House.
Trump’s special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, added:
Hamas has announced plans to release the 8 remaining living hostages as part of the ceasefire deal made just before President Trump came to office. The President has called for other nations to take in the Palestinians, to “clean out” Gaza and allow the state of Israel to fully flourish. So far, nations such as Egypt and Jordan have made it clear the Palestinians are not welcome to their countries.
The state department has officially called for Hamas to NOT be given authority to rule in Gaza again. The President is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on February 5 at the White House.
Hamas releases first of 8 more Gaza hostages as truce holds with Israel to release 110– www.mirror.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
Hamas-led militants freed the first of eight hostages on Thursday in the latest release since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month. Israel was expected to release another 110 Palestinians.
Israeli Hostage Hamza Ziyadne Is Declared Killed in Gaza– www.nytimes.com Source Link Excerpt:
The Israeli military said on Friday that Hamza Ziyadne, an Arab citizen of Israel held hostage in Gaza, had been killed in the Palestinian enclave, as efforts by mediators to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas to free hostages have seen little success.
More than 15 months after the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, prompted the war in Gaza, around 98 hostages remain in Gaza. About 36 of those are presumed dead by the Israeli authorities.
The confirmation of Mr. Ziyadne’s death comes a day after family and friends buried his father, Youssef Ziyadne, 53, who was also taken hostage. The Israeli military said their bodies been found together in a tunnel under the southern Gaza city of Rafah alongside their dead captors. It was not clear when they were found or how the Ziyadnes died.
Biden Beefing up U.S. Military Presence in Kurdish Syria– www.breitbart.com Source Link Excerpt:
Multiple reports from northern Syria on Thursday indicated the U.S. military is reinforcing its presence in Syrian Kurdistan, or Rojava, potentially building a new base in the city of Kobani.
The regional outlet Kurdistan 24 reported on Thursday that “a convoy of 50 trucks carrying Bremer walls entered Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-controlled areas in northeastern Syria (Rojava) on Thursday.” Citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a non-governmental organization (NGO), Kurdistan 24 reported that the convoy was headed to the Kurdish city of Kobani, on the Turkish border.
“Sources from the observatory indicated that the delivery is part of ongoing efforts by US forces to reinforce existing bases and establish a new military facility in Kobani,” Kurdistan 24 reported. “Reliable SOHR sources have confirmed that excavation and construction work is expected to begin on Friday, with additional reinforcements anticipated.”
The independent news outlet Iran International separately reported on Thursday, citing news sources tied to the SDF, that the U.S. “coalition” against the Islamic State was “constructing a military base in Kobani.” The SDF-linked news outlets also confirmed sightings of the construction materials convoy heading to the city.
Another Middle East news outlet, Shafaq, also reported on Thursday that the convoy was carrying reinforcements to SDF-controlled areas, describing it as a convoy associated with “US forces.”
“The reinforcements reportedly included 14 cargo planes carrying military equipment and soldiers, along with 233 military vehicles comprising trucks, armored vehicles, and troop carriers,” Shafaq reported.
The U.S. military maintains operations in Syria intended to contain the resurgence of the Islamic State terrorist organization, which once boasted a “caliphate” headquartered in northern Raqqa. The “caliphate” was destroyed largely by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of militias led by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG/YPJ). The U.S. government collaborates closely with the SDF to contain ISIS activity and helps it maintain prisons in which thousands of suspected Islamic State jihadis and their families remain, often rejected for repatriation by their home countries.
The situation in Syria remains chaotic following the collapse of the over 50-year-old Assad family regime in December. The al-Qaeda offshoot militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) conquered Damascus on December 7, prompting Iran-friendly dictator Bashar Assad to flee to Russia. HTS currently controls the Islamist “interim” government of Syria and has begun negotiations with the Kurdish north to address the existence of an essentially autonomous Kurdish zone in the country. While the SDF did not maintain especially friendly relations with Assad, many members of the YPG and all-female YPJ are fighting to establish a sovereign Kurdistan carved partially out of Syria, placing them at odds with HTS. At press time, HTS leaders have insisted that they will give Kurds some power in their government as an indigenous Syrian group.
While the civil war that began in 2011 to overthrow Assad has concluded, the SDF remains embroiled in a conflict with another militia, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA). Following the surprise attack on Aleppo by HTS in late November, which resulted in the rapid collapse of Assad’s military presence there, the SNA announced a campaign called “Operation Dawn of Freedom” to destroy the SDF. The Turkish government considers the SDF a terrorist organization indistinguishable from the U.S.-designated terror group the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Turkey’s years-long onslaught against the U.S.-allied SDF has caused longstanding tensions between the two NATO allies.
HTS taking over Syria has not stopped “Operation Dawn of Freedom,” nor has the SDF announcing it seeks to work with HTS to establish peace in the country. HTS is not directly associated with the SNA but maintains friendly ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who for years called for the overthrow of Assad and openly cheered for his demise in December.
As a result of “Operation Dawn of Freedom,” the SDF has said it has almost completely stopped all anti-ISIS operations. The commander of the SDF, Gen. Mazloum Abdi, told the British Sky News agency days after Assad fled the country that anti-ISIS activities had “halted” – not because he had chosen to stop them, but because the onslaught by Turkish-backed forces made them impossible.
“ISIS is now stronger in the Syrian desert,” Abdi said. “Previously, they were in remote areas and hiding, but now they have greater freedom of movement since they face no issues with other groups and are not engaged in conflict with them.”
“In the areas under our control, their activities have also increased. Just a few days ago, three members of the Internal Security Forces were killed near al Hassakah in an ISIS operation,” he observed.
Abdi warned that SDF-run prisons containing Islamic State terrorists were in significant jeopardy as a result of the Turkish attack.
The SDF prisons are believed to house around 10,000 Islamic State terrorists. Another 40,000 people, families of the terrorists, remain in camps in Syrian Kurdistan. Efforts to repatriate them have had minimal success.
The Turkish government urged the world on Thursday to take control of the prisons away from the SDF.
“The Syrian government should urgently take over the security of the camps and prisons, and if this is not possible, Turkey is ready to provide any support it can on this matter,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan asserted. Like the Islamic State, the current Syrian government is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
Fidan demanded the prisoners return home.
“These detainees in camps and prisons must be repatriated by their respective countries,” the foreign minister said. “Keeping them here indefinitely without subjecting them to any judicial process and without any plan or agenda for their future has turned into a significant crisis in the region.”
In the span of less than 2 weeks, what started as a surge by anti-government forces in Syria turned into a complete rout, leading to the President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, fleeing the country to become a political refugee in Russia. This also led to Israel launching the largest airstrike since the 6-Day War in an effort to eliminate the Syrian army’s left-behind equipment and munitions.
Blinken confirms direct contact with Syria’s rebel leaders – nbcnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday that the U.S. has made direct contact with Syria’s Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) rebels, as they transition from a militant insurgency toward a more legitimate governing authority.
“We’ve been in contact with HTS and with other parties,” Blinken said after talks in Aqaba, Jordan, with diplomats and representatives from several Arab nations.
The U.S. designates HTS a terrorist organization, making it legally impossible to work with the group, but contact underscores ongoing efforts to change that designation as the U.S. and its allies look to support Syria’s transition from Assad rule.
In a joint statement released after the meeting, the governments of the U.S., Turkey, E.U., and Arab Countries called for a “a more hopeful, secure and peaceful future” in Syria, stressing respect for women and minorities, and preventing “the reemergence of all terrorist groups.”
The Syrian government has lost control of much of its Idlib Province, including the major city of Aleppo, to a sudden surge by a mix of anti-government forces. Russia appears to be scaling back its support of the Syrian regime or pausing to determine how to react. So far, no effective counterassaults have occurred, but the advances have finally been mostly halted.
Syria’s insurgency leader tours seized city of Aleppo, as fierce battles intensify near Hama – AP Source Link Excerpt:
The leader of Syria’s most powerful insurgent group Wednesday toured the seized city of Aleppo in a surprise visit, for the first time since the group captured large parts of the city last weekend, as fierce fighting intensifies in the government-led counter-offensive in northern Hama.
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who heads jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, greeted crowds of supporters near the city’s iconic citadel as he smiled and waved in dark green military garb. Surrounded by masked gunmen in flak jackets, men and boys chanted “God is great” as he walked through the heart of Syria’s largest city.
The latest flareup in Syria’s long civil war comes after forces opposed to Syrian President Bashar Assad ousted his troops from Aleppo, the country’s largest, as well as seized towns and villages in southern parts of the northwestern Idlib province.
Israel’s ambassador to D.C. told Israeli Army Radio that a ceasefire was being negotiated with Hezbollah and there were “points to finalize.” He added, “we are close to a deal… it can happen within days.”
Middle East latest: Israeli ambassador to US says Hezbollah cease-fire deal could come ‘within days’– abcnews.go.com Source Link Excerpt:
The Israeli ambassador to Washington says that a ceasefire deal to end fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah could be reached “within days.”
Ambassador Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio on Monday that there remained “points to finalize” and that any deal required agreement from the government. But he said “we are close to a deal” and that “it can happen within days.”
Among the issues that remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon.
Israel accuses Hezbollah of not adhering to a U.N. resolution that ended the 2006 war between the sides that made similar provisions, and Israel has concerns that Hezbollah could stage a Hamas-style cross-border attack from southern Lebanon if it maintains a heavy presence there. Lebanon says Israel also violated the 2006 resolution. Lebanon complains about military jets and naval ships entering Lebanese territory even when there is no active conflict.
It is not clear whether Lebanon would agree to the demand.
The optimism surrounding a deal comes after a top U.S. envoy held talks between the sides last week in a bid to clinch a deal.
Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas’ raid on southern Israel, setting off more than a year of fighting. That escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and later an Israeli ground incursion into the country’s south.
Iran is going ahead with plans to develop more near weapons-grade uranium, to heck be darned, according to the United Nations.
Iran defies international pressure, increasing its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium, UN says – FOX21News.com Source Link Excerpt:
Iran has defied international demands to rein in its nuclear program and has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen Tuesday by The Associated Press.
The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said that as of Oct. 26, Iran has 182.3 kilograms (401.9 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%, an increase of 17.6 kilograms (38.8 pounds) since the last report in August.
Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Even before President Trump won the 2024 election, Israel was signaling it was not in the mood to entertain calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon. Now, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz, who replaced former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after Prime Minister Netanyahu fired him for the second time, is doubling down.
He is claiming Hezbollah has been defeated, but more work needs to be done in Lebanon to secure the victory, meaning no ceasefire proposal will be considered until the work is done. Katz said of the decision not to pursue a ceasefire that Israel had learned its lessons and “Now it is our job to continue to put pressure on order to bring about the fruits of that victory.”
Israel Defence Minister Katz: In Lebanon there will be no ceasefire, will continue to hit Hezbollah with full force – Reuters Source Link Excerpt:
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said on X on Tuesday that during a meeting with military officials, he reiterated that Israel will continue hitting Hezbollah with full force and that there will be no ceasefire.
Two documents were leaked to Iran that expose in whole or in part Israel’s plans for retaliation following Iran’s recent missile barrage of the country. The Pentagon has stressed that no employee in the Defense Department is under suspicion at present. The leak critically undermines America’s trustworthiness not just with Israel, but with the rest of the world.
President Donald Trump believes the leaker is coming from within, as do most other people not existentially committed to the social experiment that is the DNC-CCP agenda.
Trump said, “They leaked all the information about the way that Israel’s going to fight and how they are going to fight and where they are going to go. And somebody — who did that? Can you imagine somebody doing that? That’s the enemy. I guess that maybe is the enemy from within, as I talked about. We have an enemy from within. They hate to talk about it. Can you imagine? So we just can’t stand for this incompetence anymore.”
The U.S. is investigating an unauthorized release of classified documents on Israel’s attack plans– www.washingtontimes.com Source Link Excerpt:
The United States is investigating an unauthorized release of classified documents that assess Israel’s plans to attack Iran, three U.S. officials told The Associated Press. A fourth U.S. official said the documents appear to be legitimate.
The documents are attributed to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, and note that Israel was still moving military assets in place to conduct a military strike in response to Iran’s blistering ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1. They were sharable within the “Five Eyes,” which are the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
The documents, which are marked top secret, were posted to the Telegram messaging app and first reported Saturday by CNN and Axios. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The investigation is also examining how the documents were obtained — including whether it was an intentional leak by a member of the U.S. intelligence community or obtained by another method, like a hack — and whether any other intelligence information was compromised, one of the officials said. As part of that investigation, officials are working to determine who had access to the documents before they were posted, the official said.
Trump suggests ‘enemy from within’ is responsible for Israel leak– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
Former President Donald Trump used his “enemies from within” line to suggest that Americans were responsible for a classified documents leak.
Trump claimed without evidence that an “enemy from within” leaked highly classified U.S. intelligence documents involving Israel. The FBI is investigating the incident.
“They leaked all the information about the way that Israel’s going to fight and how they are going to fight and where they are going to go. And somebody — who did that? Can you imagine somebody doing that? That’s the enemy. I guess that maybe is the enemy from within, as I talked about,” Trump said at an event focused on Latino leaders Tuesday.
“We have an enemy from within,” Trump continued, adding, “They hate to talk about it. Can you imagine? So we just can’t stand for this incompetence anymore.”
White House officials have said it has not been determined yet whether the documents were leaked or hacked, but they said they do not expect additional leaks. The documents in question were each dated Oct. 15 and Oct. 16, purportedly from U.S. government agencies, including the National Security Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Their contents focused on Israel’s expected retaliatory attack against Iran.
While it is unclear exactly who “they” Trump is referring to, he did reaffirm that his “enemies from within” line is, in fact, referring to his political opponents. When asked on Fox News to clarify his comments about using law enforcement or the military against those who disagree with him, Trump confirmed he was talking about former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA).
“What they’ve done is so terrible. Who’s ever heard of anything like this? Adam shifty Schiff. He’s a crooked guy. He’s a crooked politician. 100% he’s going to be a senator,” Trump said on Sunday. “Of course, he’s an enemy. He’s an enemy. He wanted to put my son in jail.”
“We have a lot of bad people. But when you look at Shifty Schiff and some of the others, yeah, they are, to me, the enemy from within. I think Nancy Pelosi is an enemy from within. She lied,” Trump continued.
FBI Investigates Leak on Israel’s Iran Strike Plans – devdiscourse
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed no employees from the Office of the Secretary of Defense are under investigation for a leak concerning Israel’s strike on Iran. The FBI is probing the release of classified documents, while social media falsely accused a Defense Department employee.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has confirmed that no employees from the Office of the Secretary of Defense are currently being scrutinized in relation to a leak of U.S. intelligence about Israel’s plans to strike Iran. Speaking in Rome, Austin assured reporters that no OSD officials have been implicated in the investigation.
According to the FBI, the inquiry is focused on the unauthorized public disclosure of two highly classified documents that detail Israel’s intention for a retaliatory operation against Iran. The Bureau made this announcement on Tuesday, reinforcing a commitment to uncover the source of the leak.
Israel targets Hezbollah-run banks as U.S. probes alleged leak of Iran attack plan– www.cbsnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
The White House says President Biden is “deeply concerned” about the possible leak of American intelligence about Israel’s plans for an attack on Iran. Meanwhile, Israel is turning up pressure on Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, targeting the group’s financial network. Debora Patta reports.
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