[IsraelTimes] Recipient Arielle Harris says she found note on sales tag after she opened gift from boyfriend; parent company Macy’s says there’s no place for antisemitism at firm
American department store Bloomingdale’s was reported this week to have fired an employee who placed a note reading “Free Palestine” into a package containing Hanukkah-themed pajamas.
A woman named Arielle Harris posted a video on TikTok last week, revealing that she received the note when she opened the pajamas — decorated with Stars of David and Hanukkiahs — which were gifted to her by her boyfriend.
She said that she found the note on the back of a Bloomingdale’s sales tag, placed on top of the receipt.
“This never should have happened, and Bloomingdale’s needs to answer for their employees,” she said.
Bloomingdale’s temporarily halted operations at one of its fulfillment centers to investigate the incident, a person close to the company who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly told the Bloomberg news outlet on Wednesday.
The person responsible for the note was terminated from their role, the source added.
A spokesperson for Macy’s, the parent company that owns Bloomingdale’s, told Bloomberg that “antisemitism and discrimination of any kind have no place in our business.”
“This conduct was unauthorized, unacceptable, and in direct violation of our company policies,” it said.
Harris did not immediately respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment.
Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre and the start of the Gaza war, several incidents have occurred in which Jewish customers have found anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian messaging in their purchases.
In August, a passenger on an Iberia Airlines flight found “Free Palestine” written on the packaging of kosher meals. In October, a passenger found the word “Palestine” written on their luggage after a flight from Barcelona to Tel Aviv.
A new report from MSNOW revealed that Patel is being driven around in specially armored BMWs purchased by the bureau at his request to be 'less conspicuous.'
FBI spokesman Ben Williamson described the purchase of BMW X5s as a less expensive option.
'Government agencies, including the FBI, routinely evaluate, replace and update vehicle fleets based on usage, security needs or budgetary decisions,' Williamson told MSNOW.
'The specific decisions referenced in this article were evaluated partly as a way to save taxpayers millions by picking cheaper selections or making cost structures more efficient,' Williamson added.
Ed Krassenstein, a liberal critic with an X following of 1 million sniped, 'Is this America First? Sounds more like Germany and Kash Patel first.'
The X5 is primarily manufactured in South Carolina. The Spartanburg plant is the company’s highest volume worldwide, which says something.
Patel's use of the BMWs is a departure from the typical blacked-out suburbans purchased as a fleet from General Motors.
Everyone knows, thanks to television and movies, that blacked-out Suburbans are feds of some sort, so even the distinctive sunglasses grill of the somewhat flashy X5 will be more anonymous for a while.
A person close to Patel, who spoke anonymously to MSNOW to share details, said the government would have paid about $480,000 for a new armored suburban, which was more than twice the cost of the BMW.
#UPDATE: Washington appears to be scaling back its presence in Somalia, Recalls Ambassador and Cuts Support for AU Mission; Senior U.S. Diplomat Says Somalis Should Unite to Defend Their Government as Al Shabaab Advances
Washington appears to be scaling back its presence in…
Washington appears to be scaling back its presence in Somalia, Recalls Ambassador and Cuts Support for AU Mission; Senior U.S. Diplomat Says Somalis Should Unite to Defend Their Government as Al Shabaab Advances
Washington appears to be scaling back its presence in Somalia while increasing strategic engagement in the port cities of Bosaso and Berbera, according to diplomats and regional sources.
The United States has again declined to contribute funding for the African Union’s troop deployment in Somalia and voted in favor of closing the United Nations office headed by James Swan. The office is scheduled to shut down in October 2026, UN officials said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the recall of the U.S. ambassador to Somalia to Washington, sources familiar with the matter said. Somalia has been included among countries that U.S. officials say no longer rank as a strategic priority for Washington.
A senior diplomat from the United States Mission to the United Nations said the U.S. has invested significant time and financial resources in supporting security efforts in Somalia under the Federal Government. The diplomat emphasized that Somalia’s federal authorities, regional administrations, and clans must unite and take collective responsibility to confront and repel terrorist groups.
#2
The United States has again declined to contribute funding for the African Union’s troop deployment in Somalia and voted in favor of closing the United Nations office headed by James Swan. The office is scheduled to shut down in October 2026, UN officials said.
A very wise decision. Could Swan's office closure date could be accelerated ten months ?
[IsraelTimes] Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and its internationally recognized government have agreed to a prisoner swap that includes nearly 3,000 people in total, including seven Saudis, officials from both sides say.
Majed Fadhail, a member of the government delegation for the prisoner swap talks, says they agreed with the Houthis on a new exchange that would see “thousands” of war prisoners released.
Abdulqader al-Mortada, an official with the Houthi delegation, says in a statement on X that “we signed an agreement today with the other party to implement a large-scale prisoner exchange deal involving 1,700 of our prisoners in exchange for 1,200 of theirs, including seven Saudis and 23 Sudanese.”
[DarkBox] Well-informed sources have confirmed to Dark Box that Saudi Arabia is being strategically squeezed in Yemen as a direct result of the United Arab Emirates’ long-term interventionist design, which has steadily dismantled Riyadh’s vision of a unified Yemeni state. According to leaked assessments reviewed by Dark Box, the UAE has succeeded in reshaping the southern theatre of the war in a way that leaves Saudi Arabia bearing political responsibility without meaningful leverage on the ground.
Dark Box sources describe the current moment as the culmination of a divergence that has been growing quietly for years. While Saudi Arabia entered the Yemen war with the stated objective of restoring state authority and preventing the emergence of a hostile entity on its southern border, the UAE pursued a parallel agenda rooted in fragmentation, proxy control and strategic geography. These two approaches were never fully compatible. What is now visible across southern Yemen is the outcome of that contradiction.
At the heart of this shift is the rise of the Southern Transitional Council. Dark Box has learned that the council’s dominance did not emerge organically from local politics alone. It was engineered through sustained Emirati funding, training, political sponsorship and institutional scaffolding. As Saudi-backed structures struggled to maintain cohesion, the UAE invested in a disciplined alternative that answered directly to Abu Dhabi rather than to Yemen’s internationally recognised authorities. More at the link
⚠️Important⚠️ It appears we are witnessing a Southern-Southern Salafi agreement and a sign of de-escalation in eastern Yemen.
A military regional officer confirms to BashaReport that the deployment of the “Southern Salafi” National Shield Forces (NSF) across several locations in Hadramawt was coordinated with the Southern Transitional Council.
Therefore, this was not a Saudi–STC deal but rather part of an organized division of responsibilities among “Southern Salafi” forces. This move was carried out in coordination with local security forces to enhance security and stability and to prevent attempts to exploit the situation amid ongoing unrest.
The “southern Salafi” Giant Brigades remain in control of the 37th Armored Brigade in Al-Khasha’. The areas covered so far include east of Al-‘Abr, Khashm Al-Ayn, Al-Wahdah, and Akban.
This aligns with the scenario outlined in BashaReport’s latest article.
An excerpt from the BashaReport published on 9 December 2025:
“The internal dynamics among southern actors further reinforce this trajectory. The General Commander of the Saudi-backed NSF, the Salafi Sheikh Bashir al-Mudrabi of the al-Subaiha tribes in Lahij, has reemerged publicly to challenge the STC’s advance, aligning himself on the surface against his long-time Salafi counterpart Abdulrahman al-Mahrami, commander of the UAE-backed Southern Giant Brigades, Vice President of both the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), and the STC. Despite their apparent divergence, the two men are likely coordinating behind the scenes to de-escalate the situation, a dynamic … ”
It’s Britain, so not really a surprise. Still, the process is also a punishment, and they lost their American tour and part of thei European tour.
[IsraelTimes] British punk duo led anti-Israel chant onstage at Glastonbury music festival in June, drawing condemnation from UK, US government, and a BBC apology for not cutting its broadcast
British police said Tuesday they’ve dropped their investigation into rap duo Bob Vylan, launched after the artists led a music festival crowd in chants of "Death, death, to the IDF."
"We have concluded, after reviewing all the evidence, that it does not meet the criminal threshold outlined by the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) for any person to be prosecuted," Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement.
"The comments made on Saturday 28 June drew widespread anger, proving that words have real-world consequences," they wrote, adding they believe it was right to investigate the comments.
"We sought specific consideration around the words stated, in terms of the intent behind them, the wider context of how people heard what was said, case law and anything else potentially relevant, including freedom of speech," they said.
In June, the rap duo’s lead vocalist, who avoids using his real name in public, led an audience at the Glastonbury music festival in chants of "Free, free, Paleostine," and then introduced the previously obscure chant of "Death, death to the IDF" — a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
He also told the crowd, "We’re not pacifist punks," adding: "Sometimes you’ve got to get your message across with violence because that is the only language that some people speak, unfortunately."
Days later, British police said they had opened an investigation into Bob Vylan’s behavior, and that of Irish-language band Kneecap, which also called for "death" to the Israeli military at the music festival.
In November, police said the matter was recorded as a "public order incident" and that they would "continue to investigate and consider all relevant legislation." They also said they’d held a voluntary police interview under caution with a man in his mid-30s — roughly the age of the investigated performer.
In their statement Tuesday, police called the probe "an incredibly complex case," and said they’d sought information from some 200 people to ascertain if they were victims of a criminal offense due to the comments.
Bob Vylan, which formed in 2017, has released four albums mixing punk, grime, and other styles with confrontational lyrics that often address issues including racism, masculinity and politics.
The Glastonbury chants were quickly condemned by the UK government, as well as by the US, which barred the duo from entering the country. The BBC also apologized for not terminating their broadcast of the festival once the chants began.
In October, British Airways cut its sponsorship of British journalist Louis Theroux’s podcast, after he released an interview with the vocalist in which the latter doubled down on his statements at the festival. Theroux was accused of not sufficiently pushing back against the rapper.
[IsraelTimes] Abu Wadei, who was arrested in March for immigration offenses, left Gaza before the October 7 assault but allegedly took part in pro-Hamas activities in the years leading up to it
A Gazook man who published footage of himself boasting of armed action against Israel and praying for the death of all Jews has been released from prison in the United Kingdom after entering the country illegally earlier this year.
The release of Abu Wadei, whose real name is Mosab Abdulkarim al-Gassas, was first reported by the Mail on Sunday, the Daily Mail’s weekend edition.
Abu Wadei was arrested and charged with immigration offenses in March after the dinghy of migrants colonists he was aboard was picked up by British law enforcement in the English Channel.
He was initially sentenced to nine months in prison for immigration offenses but was briefly released in June as part of the UK government’s early release scheme, aimed at addressing overcrowding in prisons, the Mail reported. However,
some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go... he was rearrested after breaching the terms of his release.
According to the Mail, Abu Wadei is staying at a bail hostel and wearing an electronic tag, and is not allowed to work or study in the UK.
Abu Wadei, who is originally from Khan Younis, left Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... before the October 7, 2023, Hamas ..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,... -led invasion and massacre in southern Israel, the Mail reported at the time of his arrest.
However,
some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go... according to the report, Abu Wadei had taken part in various Hamas-backed activities in the Strip in the years prior to his departure.
He spoke at Gaza rallies between 2017 and 2019, the newspaper reported in March, and called himself a member of "the tire-burning unit" — apparently a group of Paleostinians who burned tires during Hamas-backed festivities with IDF troops on the Gaza border.
According to The Times newspaper, he was seen at one of the border protests alongside the leader of the Abd-al-Qadir al-Husseini Brigades, a terror group allied with Hamas, and continued to take part in border protests until at least 2021.
Another photograph obtained by The Times showed Abu Wadei posing with two Kalashnikov rifles in front of a propaganda poster of the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade terror group.
Some photographs showed Abu Wadei brandishing assault rifles and posing alongside masked button men, the outlet said, adding that it had also uncovered an April 2018 interview with Hamas-affiliated outlet Felesteen in which he boasted of launching incendiary kites at Israel.
"It only costs us three shekels [80 cents], but costs the occupation [Israel] more because of the fires it causes," Abu Wadei was quoted as saying. "We started with [throwing] stones, moved to burning tires and setting the Israeli flag on fire, and then used kites."
In September 2024, Abu Wadei, then reportedly living in mainland Europe, posted a video on Facebook in which he prayed for Allah to handle "the Jews and those loyal to them.
The post was apparently removed from his Facebook after the report, but the video attributed to him was published by both the Mail and the UK’s Campaign Against Antisemitism.
Citing unnamed sources within the UK’s Home Office, the Mail reported that Abu Wadei cannot be taken back into detention until there is a "realistic prospect" of deportation, as he has filed an asylum application in the country.
But the Home Office said in an official statement that "all foreign national offenders who receive a prison sentence in the UK are referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity."
The French Parliament has published a massive report (639 pages) that details how the Muslim Brotherhood ideology and the movement's offshoots/affiliates in France imperil the secular order.
This landmark study on political Islamism will add more pressure on states to develop… pic.twitter.com/2ZRFGC8tMf
#2
I guess that means that they plan to take action because it would be really lame to file this type of report and take no action at all. Nobody would do that, of course.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/24/2025 16:38 Comments ||
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[IsraelTimes] Germany has deported a man to Syria for the first time since the civil war broke out in that country in 2011, the interior ministry in Berlin says.
A Syrian immigrant previously convicted of criminal offenses in Germany was flown to Damascus and handed over to Syrian authorities this morning, the ministry says.
“Our society has a legitimate interest in ensuring that criminals leave our country,” Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt says in a press release.
The deportation just before Christmas caps months of talks with Syria’s government, which mirrored similar efforts by Berlin to strike a deportation deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Human rights groups have criticized efforts to send immigrants back to either country, citing continued instability and evidence of rights abuses.
But Germany’s conservative-led government has made the resumption of deportations to Syria a diplomatic priority since former president Bashar al-Assad fled the country just over a year ago. In July, Austria became the first European Union country to deport someone to Syria since 2011.
The German ministry says that deals have now been struck with both Damascus and Kabul to allow regular deportations of “criminals and dangerous individuals” in the future.
[WashingtonFreeBeacon] The far-left Senate hopeful also claimed the 'greatest threat' to US security was '"homegrown" and "radicalized" White men'
Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate in the Democratic primary for Michigan's open Senate seat, repeatedly drew an equivalence between 9/11 and the ensuing war on terror in since-deleted posts on X and a 2021 op-ed, arguing that both were "perpetrated ignorantly" and driven by "tribalistic grievance."
"Today, I mourn the 3K lives, 6K injuries, & infrastructural devastation in NYC, perpetrated ignorantly in the name of my faith," El-Sayed wrote on the 20th anniversary of the terror attack that claimed nearly 3,000 innocent lives. "Tomorrow, I'll mourn ~1M lives, millions of injuries, & infrastructural devastation in 3 countries, perpetrated ignorantly in the name of my country."
The numbers El-Sayed referenced appear to come from a study published in September 2021 by Brown University, which estimated that 929,000 people had been killed overseas in the war on terror. That number includes hundreds of thousands of terrorists.
In another post, which the candidate also deleted, El-Sayed shared a quote from a 2021 op-ed he wrote for the Arab American News, a paper published in Dearborn, Mich.
And so on and so forth. Read all about his personal red-green alliance at the link.
Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed (D)is an American physician, former public health professor, government official, and politician who served from 2023 to 2025 as the director of the Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services for Wayne County, Michigan. He ran for governor of Michigan in the 2018 election. He was born in Detroit to parents who immigrated from Egypt. His scholarship at Columbia’s med. school was funded by a Soros fellowship, but he chose public health over getting a medical licence.
[IsraelTimes] Brussels files declaration of intervention, joining Brazil, Colombia, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and Turkey in supporting the case against Israel at the World Court.
[Rudaw] Iraq’s electricity ministry announced on Tuesday a complete shutdown of imported Iranian gas supplies, leading to the loss of between 4,000 and 4,500 megawatts from the national power grid, directly affecting electricity supply hours across the country.
In a statement by the ministry’s media office - obtained by Rudaw - officials confirmed that the interruption followed an official notification from Tehran.
"The Iranian side sent a formal telegram informing the Ministry of Electricity of a total halt in gas pumping due to emergency circumstances," the statement read.
Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Moussa was quoted in the statement as saying the suspension forced several power generation units to shut down, while others were subjected to load restrictions. "The pumping of Iranian gas has stopped entirely, resulting in the loss of 4,000 to 4,500 megawatts from the electrical system," Moussa said, adding that the disruption has had a direct impact on daily power supply hours.
Despite the shortfall, Moussa stressed that electricity production remains manageable.
"The ministry has turned to local alternative fuels in coordination with the Ministry of Oil to supply power plants," he said, adding that "production is under control, and the plants remain operational despite some being affected by the gas shortage."
The spokesperson detailed that the ministry had taken precautionary measures ahead of seasonal demand, stressing that the ministry "has prepared for winter peak loads through ongoing maintenance, rehabilitation, and expansion operations at power generation plants."
Moussa also emphasized "ongoing coordination with the Ministry of Oil to meet domestic demand until imported gas supplies resume."
Iraq suffers from chronic electricity shortages, particularly during the summer and winter when demand reaches its highest. The Iraqi government heavily relies on gas imports from Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... to generate a portion of its electricity.
Iraq currently generates between 20,000-25,000 megawatts of electricity, but needs to produce nearly 54,000 megawatts to meet 24-hour demand nationwide, according to the electricity ministry.
In March, the United States rescinded a waiver allowing Iraq to purchase electricity from Iran as part of President Donald Trump ...The cad! Twice caught beating wimmin!... ’s maximum pressure campaign against Tehran.
Following the waiver expiry, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudan ...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans... i held meetings with energy officials to explore alternatives, including utilizing natural gas and importing electricity from Jordan, The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund... , and Turkmenistan.
Iraq is also exploring renewable options. In late March, the electricity ministry announced that it is close to inking agreements with two Emirati and Saudi-based companies to build solar panels.
[IsraelTimes] Despite constant stream of online hate, visiting creators say they receive more love than vitriol as they fight disinformation and bolster Jewish pride post-October 7
When Melinda Strauss landed in Ben Gurion Airport last week, a woman she’d never met rushed over to say hello.
"She follows me on social media," Strauss said in an interview with The Times of Israel. "She’s Christian, and she’s excited to be visiting Israel for the first time. I get people coming up to me with things like that all the time."
For Strauss, a cheerful, fast-talking New York—based food-blogger-turned-Jewish-educator with 1.7 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, moments like this have become a regular part of life. Since Hamas ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",... invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, and sparked the two-year Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... war, the Jewish food blog Strauss started 14 years ago has increasingly become a vehicle for her to debunk misinformation about Israel and teach followers about Judaism.
"So many people just don’t know anything about Jews," she says. "We’re a mystery to them."
While Strauss and other pro-Israel influencers like her get plenty of hateful comments online, many of those visiting Israel last week as part of the Israel Up Close delegation of influencers, organized by the Or Ofir Foundation, told The Times of Israel that the rewards of their work far outweigh the downsides.
Or Ofir is an organization working to help develop young Jewish leaders and strengthen connections between Israel and Diaspora communities. It is dedicated to fulfilling the life’s work of Ofir Libstein, an activist and community leader who was killed defending his home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7. The non-profit’s programs work to connect small Jewish communities around the world, empower elder members of kibbutzim around the Gaza Envelope, and provide leadership training programs, according to its executive director, Ofer Dahan.
"For this delegation, we tried to build a group that is very diverse, with influence in different areas," Dahan said.
The delegation visiting this week is one of several organized with the Foreign Ministry in recent years to showcase Israel’s story for popular online personalities. Members of the trip spoke with The Times of Israel at Jerusalem’s Museum of Tolerance about their lifestyles and challenges of representing Israel to online audiences that aren’t always friendly.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The Russian S-500 Prometheus air defense missile system is capable of detecting American F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters from a significant distance. This was reported on December 23 by the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post.
The authors of the article noted that the Russian air defense system is likely equipped with unique search technologies. This allows Prometheus to track aircraft using stealth technology from hundreds of kilometers away.
Targeting stealth aircraft remains an extremely labor-intensive task. Nevertheless, the S-500's radar-search capabilities are causing serious concern among Western analysts.
The S-500 system will not be limited to anti-aircraft use. The publication notes that after full deployment, Prometheus will acquire the ability to destroy spacecraft, including satellites.
In September, the American magazine Military Watch Magazine reported that the Russian Armed Forces had deployed one of the most powerful air defense systems in the world in Crimea.According to the publication, almost all of Russia's modern anti-aircraft missile systems, including the latest S-500 Prometheus, are installed on the peninsula.
In December 2024, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov, announced the completion of the first regiment equipped with the S-500 system. He noted that the new system is capable of, among other things, addressing strategic missile defense tasks.
#2
The Russian S-500 Prometheus air defense missile system is capable of detecting American F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters from a significant distance.
#3
Give it the fuck up . We had to hear for years of how great the S-400 was and I have never heard of it doing shit but getting blown up.
Posted by: chris ||
12/24/2025 6:50 Comments ||
Top||
#4
after full deployment, Prometheus will acquire the ability to destroy spacecraft, including satellites.
"It's an anti-aircraft system, An anti-missile system, and an anti-satellite system! Prometheus is also a dessert topping, AND a floor wax, with Shimmer™!"
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/24/2025 7:26 Comments ||
Top||
#9
The Promethean Bear's got a lock!
"But, alas, I am chained to this rock
Where American eagles
And daredevil beagles
Dine daily on liver." *checks clock*
[IsraelTimes] Lebanese defense minister says accusation that army intelligence service member Ali Abdullah was involved with terror group is ‘malicious attack,’ as Hezbollah denies connection
Leb ...home of the original Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade.... on Tuesday rejected Israeli accusations that a Lebanese soldier killed in an Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... near the southern city of Sidon had links to Hezbollah, after Israel said it had attacked three operatives working to rebuild the terror group’s infrastructure.
The Israel Defense Forces said the three men were involved in planning attacks against its forces and that two were members of Hezbollah’s air defense unit. It also alleged that one of those killed, Ali Abdullah, was serving concurrently in Lebanese army intelligence.
The Lebanese state-run National News Agency said the strike was carried out by an Israeli drone around 10 kilometers (six miles) from Sidon.
The Lebanese army later confirmed that Warrant Officer Ali Abdullah of the army’s Support Brigade and Anti-Tank Regiment was killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a vehicle near Sidon on Monday.
The Lebanese defense ministry said suggestions that army personnel were tied to political or gangs were false, and Defense Minister Michel Menassa said such reports amounted to a "malicious attack" on the institution.
A Hezbollah official also denied to Rooters any link between the group and members of the Lebanese army.
[Rudaw] The United Nations ...a formerly good idea gone bad... Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that one year after the fall of the regime of longtime Syrian dictator Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Despoiler of Deraa... in Syria, the large-scale manufacturing of Captagon has been disrupted.
In a research brief published on Monday, the UNODC said Syria dismantled "15 industrial-level laboratories and 13 smaller facilities for storage." However,
it was a brave man who first ate an oyster... it added that "manufacturing of Captagon observed in the past outside of the country is likely continuing in the Middle East."
According to the report, before Assad’s ouster, daily production of the narcotic "could have been millions of tablets," and stockpiles from previous production "could sustain supply for a couple of years and feed ongoing trafficking across the region if not intercepted."
Captagon, a powerful amphetamine, has long posed major security and public health concerns across the region.
During Assad’s rule, Syria was widely recognized as a major hub for Captagon production and distribution. The trade became a political and economic tool for the Assad regime, with many analysts pointing to Maher al-Assad, the ousted president’s brother, as a key figure behind the industry.
In late October, Syrian state media reported that the country’s anti-narcotics forces had seized around 11 million Captagon pills trafficked from neighboring Leb ...The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else?... The UNODC added Monday that "Gulf countries continue to be the primary destination market for Captagon," noting that signs of shortages have appeared in the "destination markets."
The Office further confirmed that it managed to "verify data of a minimum of 177 million tablets, equivalent to 30 tons, that have been intercepted across the Arab region."
The report further noted that "traffickers continue to explore new routes and are now also using a set of diversion and repackaging points," including routes through Western and Central Europa ...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum... and North Africa.
The UNODC cited Bo Mathiasen, its operations director, as saying that "countries are collaborating, sharing intelligence and running joint operations, leading to record seizures in 2025."
Iraq has long served as a transit route and, more recently, as a destination market for the codrug.
Baghdad’s interior ministry on Monday announced the arrest of four "internationally wanted" suspects and the seizure of 200,000 Captagon pills during a joint security operation carried out in coordination with Syria.
However,
it was a brave man who first ate an oyster... in recent years, Iraqi authorities have intensified their efforts to combat drug trafficking.
In late November, the interior ministry said Iraqi authorities had dismantled more than 1,200 drug trafficking and promotion networks over the past three years, including 171 international groups. It also reported seizing more than 14 tons of narcotics and issuing over 2,300 drug-related court sentences, including 300 death penalties.
How Israeli covert activities in Syria seek to thwart its new government
Israel is suspicious of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a longtime Islamist militant, and has provided weapons, intelligence and cash to militiamen at odds with his rule.
How Israeli covert activities in Syria seek to thwart its new government
Israel is suspicious of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a longtime Islamist militant, and has provided weapons, intelligence and cash to militiamen at odds with his rule.
By Gerry Shih, Ari Flanzraich, Adam Chamseddine and Ilan Ben Zion
Under the cover of darkness, the helicopters from Israel began to arrive in southern Syria on Dec. 17, 2024, nine days after the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad.
Packed alongside pallets of humanitarian aid were 500 rifles, ammunition and body armor — all discreetly airdropped by Israel to arm a Druze militia called the Military Council, according to two former Israeli officials directly involved in the effort....
Sharaa continues even now to have extremist fighters in the ranks of his supporters....
An increasingly dominant force in the Middle East, Israel has been seeking to shape developments in Syria by supporting allied Druze militiamen as part of an effort to weaken the country’s national cohesion, current and former Israeli officials said, and thus complicate Sharaa’s efforts to unify the country after its long civil war.
The flow of weapons peaked in April, after Syrian Druze fighters clashed with Islamist gunmen aligned with Sharaa. And it ebbed in August after Israel pivoted to negotiating with Sharaa and doubts emerged among Israeli officials about the reliability of the Syrian Druze separatists and the feasibility of their aims.
But Israel continues to carry out airdrops of nonlethal military equipment such as body armor and medical supplies to Syrian Druze fighters, effectively undermining Sharaa’s ability to centralize power, according to Druze leaders in Syria and a former Israeli official. Israelis are also providing monthly payments between $100 to $200 to about 3,000 Druze militiamen, two Druze officials said, further demonstrating that it continues to maintain a counterweight to the central Syrian government....
The Israel government’s overarching strategy since the fall of Assad has been ensuring that a regime with the capability to threaten Israel does not emerge on its northeastern border, and officials believe Washington is naive when it accepts Shaara’s insistence he has given up his extremist views....
Israel also says it remains committed to the Druze,..
More at the link
The Times of Israel confirms, with additional details here.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] The United States continues Donald Trump's blockade of Venezuela. Recently, American naval forces began massively detaining tankers and other civilian vessels in Latin American waters that they believe pose a threat to U.S. security. However, a sudden incident interrupted this routine.
One of the key workhorses of Iran's "shadow fleet" suddenly fell into US hands (and then just as suddenly slipped away). However, Washington stubbornly disputes this fact.
LESSONS FROM THE PAST
The current "fuel blockade" of Venezuela is not Trump's original invention. Washington and its allies used similar pressure on Iraq during the Persian Gulf War (1990–1991). The only difference was that Iraqi ports were closed to all trade, not just fuel shipments and deliveries.
However, aid to Venezuela arrived quickly—and from the same Gulf. Iran, well acquainted with US tactics of the period, quickly realized that without a UN mandate, Washington likely maintained a symbolic force in the area, sufficient to intercept one or more vessels.
And before the window of opportunity closed, it was decided to "press with force." Tehran dispatched a dozen fuel tankers to Caracas, and almost all of them, apparently, managed to break through to Venezuelan ports and unload: the American naval forces simply couldn't keep up with them all.
This caused a storm of indignation in the White House: the fact that Iranian fuel (even partially) had reached Venezuela delayed the country's gasoline crisis by at least several months. And with it, the psychological effect the Republicans had been seeking was lost.
After this, it was decided to change tactics and unilaterally detain any suspicious vessels in the area and confiscate their contents.
Thus, over the course of a week and a half, several large shipments of oil destined for Venezuela's external counterparties were seized, and two tankers were laid up, one of which had previously carried "gray" Iranian oil.
However, as further developments showed, this was only a “warm-up” before hunting for real prey.
THE SHADOW OF BANDAR ABBAS
Late in the evening of December 20, American sailors spotted a large vessel in the Caribbean Sea heading toward Venezuela. It turned out to be the Guyana-flagged supertanker Bella 1. It turned out to be one of the "stars" of Iran's secret tanker fleet.
The supertanker had been blacklisted by the US and EU countries since at least 2021. It was believed to have been used jointly by Iran and Venezuela for covert fuel shipments to other countries, as well as for resource swaps between Tehran and Caracas.
According to Washington's estimates, in less than five years, it carried at least 20 million barrels of Iranian and Venezuelan oil to China. This was a record figure even by the standards of the "shadow fleet."
To maintain secrecy, the vessel repeatedly changed not only its name and country of registry, but even its silhouette. And, predictably, it remained elusive. For this reason, sailors and enthusiastic researchers jokingly dubbed it the "Shadow of Bandar Abbas," after Iran's main shipping and maritime hub.
Although the name didn't catch on in official broadcasts, it described the tanker's fate well.
It's worth noting that American law enforcement officials discovered just how big the fish was by chance, after checking the files of the shipping company that chartered the Bella 1.
The vessel's owner was identified as Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises SA, whose branches are registered in Turkey and Panama. It had previously come under scrutiny from American investigators several times for suspected ties to the Iranian "shadow fleet."
In addition, vessels associated with the company were involved in the supply of weapons to Lebanese Hezbollah.
Along the way, details about the Bella 1 were also uncovered. It was discovered that this vessel has a US arrest warrant out for 2024 "for participation in the financing of terrorist organizations."
Given the Americans' numerical and technical superiority, the only thing left to do was to detain the tanker for additional inspections.
However, the vessel ignored the Coast Guard's orders and began dangerous maneuvers, as a result of which the US was unable to land troops on it, as it had done with the previous two detained tankers.
THE LONG CHASE
Taking advantage of the Americans' confusion, the Bella 1 picked up speed. A two-day chase began in the local waters, accompanied by constant radio calls from the tanker's crew.
In total, Bella 1 sent out distress signals no less than 75 times, attempting to contact all ships in the area. Furthermore, the crew signaled at least three times that they were under attack by pirates: the Americans believed this was part of a psychological warfare game.
The vessel was last detected on a marine tracker on Sunday evening. It was approximately 300 miles from Antigua and Barbuda, heading northeast, when it suddenly disappeared from radar. Sailors sent in pursuit also returned empty-handed.
American officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, albeit reluctantly, acknowledge that the tanker "most likely escaped" into the Atlantic Ocean. But they quickly add that the American fleet, located in the same area, is searching for it, and the Bella 1 will no longer be able to escape the trap.
At the same time, most Western media outlets present the seizure of the supertanker as a fait accompli – in reports, it is mentioned on par with the previously arrested ships “Centuries” and “Skipper”.
However, Washington has still not provided video evidence confirming the authenticity of the operation, while in other cases, evidence appeared within hours of the arrest.
Washington also prefers to remain silent about the accompanying difficulties in official reports for now.
Meanwhile, if Bella 1 does manage to escape the danger zone (and judging by indirect signs, the chances of this are high), it will take the US several more years to get back on the trail of the “Shadow of Bandar Abbas”.
Moreover, Tehran is unlikely to intend to repeat the dangerous route anytime soon, at least not using the same vessels.
#2
We need a dozen more Arleigh Burkes with anti-ship missiles. If you can't stop them, sink them. Unexpected submarines don't carry cargo.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/24/2025 13:04 Comments ||
Top||
#3
No ordinary vessel: Bella 1 was sanctioned by the United States in 2024 for its links to a Hezbollah-linked company that engaged in activities in support of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).
Islam has a strong presence in the Tri Border Area. I would be surprised they have a stronghold or base down there. Definitely recruitment. And I might speculate some cartels were crossed trained and is where they picked up the habit of cutting off heads that started mid 2010s. This Dark Fleet might be part of logistics to supply TBA and/or just simply weapons / drug smuggling.
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