[NYP] President Trump called on his administration to reopen and expand Alcatraz so authorities could send the "dregs of society" to the notorious California prison more than six decades after it closed.
The commander in chief announced Sunday that he was directing the Bureau of Prisons and other federal agencies to get the massive island facility off the San Francisco bay — which has long been the lore of Hollywood — back up and running again to lock away homegrown, repeat criminals.
"For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering," he wrote on Truth Social.
"When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm.
“That’s the way it’s supposed to be. No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets.”
Trump, 78, also said the “substantially enlarged and rebuilt” prison would “serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.”
#1
Sadly, not very possible - the facilities were in rough shape sixty years ago when it was closed, and only enough maintenance has been done to keep the tourists safe. It might be cheaper to build a new ADX facility.
On the other hand...the sound of liberals screaming isn't a bad way to start a Monday morning.
#2
#1 ^ Is correct.
Don't waste the Taxpayer $$$$ on anything located in California as a solution.
Would have suggested some distant locations, like Kure Atoll,
Attu Station, or Johnson Atoll. But! Logistics and costs become prohibitive.
So, how about something near 30 South Capitol Street SE,
Washington, D.C.?
So the (LSD's) can see their Open Borders agenda results. Plus given the crime rate of the area it would have little
adverse effect on the general area.
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/05/2025 9:41 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Johnson Atoll. But! Logistics and costs become prohibitive.
"In 2025, it was announced as a planned location for the Air Force Research Laboratory to test delivering cargo by reusable rocket under the Air Force's Rocket Cargo program. The program's intent is to support the delivery of military cargo anywhere in the world within hours. The Air Force will build two landing pads supporting up to ten reentry vehicle landings per year over a four year period."
There will be a need for payload re-entry testing.
#6
Nah, they can raze the buildings to the ground, they only need room for the lifts, slides into the giant woodchipper and the garbage chute. Nothing says we have to store them in the original shape. Blue barrels are fine holding containers after their trip through Mr. Chippy.
#7
It’s a troll. If Trump did decide to reopen it, he would get it done on-time and under budget. His aim would be to contrast with the CA high speed rail project. It would be the troll to end all trolls. That said, adding prison capacity in Nevada would be cheaper. The place is like the surface of the moon, but there would be no need for a daily sewage barge.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
05/05/2025 12:04 Comments ||
Top||
[HODHODYEMENNEWS.NET] The President of the Supreme Political Council in Sana'a, Mahdi al-Mashat, confirmed on Sunday that ''Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of... had thwarted the first phase of the US aggression the country.''
During his meeting with leaders of the Ministry of Defense, the Chief of Staff, and the commanders of the military regions, al-Mashat explained that US intelligence was exposed to the Yemeni army, pointing to the successful precision targeting of the US aircraft carrier Truman and the downing of an F-18 fighter jet. The F/A-18 was an own goal. Targeting the Truman doesn't mean they actually hit it.
The Houthis do an awful lot of targetting. Hitting is left up to Allah’s will, which almost always turns out to mean he does not.
Al-Mashat added that Yemen's position poses an obstacle to the Zionist project, indicating that the ongoing events in the region are paving the way for what he described as ''the promised conquest and holy jihad.''
He also advised the Zionists not to trust the Netanyahu and Trump administrations, emphasizing that military operations against the occupied territories would continue unless the aggression ceased and the siege on 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... was lifted.
Al-Mashat concluded by warning the Zionist enemy against ignoring Yemen's demands, hinting at an additional escalation and stressing that the Zionists have an opportunity to return to their homelands before it is too late.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/05/2025 00:00 ||
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[80 views]
Top|| File under: Houthis
#1
...Why the hell haven't we cratered every airfield and mined every harbor?
[FoxNews] 'She is so afraid of the cartels that she can’t even think straight,' Trump said
President Donald Trump claimed Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is afraid of the cartels after she rejected his offer to send U.S. troops to Mexico.
President Donald Trump said Sunday that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected his offer to send U.S. troops to Mexico to help fight against cartels because she is afraid of them.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump said he floated the idea of sending American troops to deal with the Mexican cartels facilitating drug trafficking, and criticized Sheinbaum for refusing his offer.
"She's so afraid of the cartels she can’t walk … And I think she’s a lovely woman. The president of Mexico is a lovely woman, but she is so afraid of the cartels that she can’t even think straight," Trump said.
His reaction came after Sheinbaum confirmed that Trump pressured her in a call last month to allow the U.S. military to play a larger role in tackling drug cartels in Mexico.
Sheinbaum said she told Trump at the time that Mexico would "never accept" a U.S. military presence.
"No, President Trump, our territory is inalienable, sovereignty is inalienable," Sheinbaum claimed to have said. "We can collaborate. We can work together, but with you in your territory and us in ours. We can share information, but we will never accept the presence of the United States Army on our territory."
There has been a larger American military presence at the U.S.-Mexico border after Trump issued an order in January to increase the army’s role in slowing the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S.
[Rudaw] Sweden’s prime minister on Saturday announced plans to offer €32,000 to refugees who voluntarily return to their home countries as part of Stockholm’s plans to reduce the number of refugees.
"We are basically copying the Danish model and significantly increasing the amount to make it easier for those who want to return to their home countries because, for whatever reason, they don’t feel they can find a good life in Sweden," Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said.
The payment package to each refugee was €900 before Kristersson announced plans to increase it to €32,000 to incentivize a greater number of refugees to return.
He defended the pay bump by explaining that the previous amount was "not successful."
According to the Swedish Migration Agency, 70 refugees were offered €900 to leave in 2023, but only one accepted the offer.
Kristersson said that while many may not support raising the amount, refugees and immigrants colonists who cannot integrate into Swedish society may consider returning to their home countries with the decision.
The new initiative is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.
Sweden has large refugee communities from Syria, Iraq, and Somalia, according to the UN refugee agency. Restrictive immigration policies in recent years have led to a decrease in the number of asylum seekers and a shift in the country’s approach to migration.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Kamran Gasanov
[REGNUM] The death of the Pope, his solemn funeral and the accompanying meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky became some of the most high-profile world events and overshadowed the other “Italian” agenda. Continued on Page 49
Posted by: badanov ||
05/05/2025 00:00 ||
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[IsraelTimes] Freedom Flotilla Coalition says Maltese authorities preventing vessel from docking for repairs, getting aid for passengers; Malta’s PM says country’s safety must be ensured
An international organization accused Malta on Sunday of impeding access to a 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... -bound humanitarian aid ship that it says was bombed by two drones two days before, and Malta denied the claim, saying the crew had refused assistance.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said Israel, which has blockaded Gaza in its war against the Hamas ..always the voice of sweet reason... terror group, was to blame for the incident. Israel has not responded to requests for comment.
The ship Conscience, operated by the coalition, suffered damage to its front section, including a loss of power, when it was hit just outside Maltese territorial waters in the southern Mediterranean, the organization said.
It had been waiting to take on board some 30 activists from around the world before trying to sail to Gaza at the eastern end of the Mediterranean to deliver food and medicines.
Malta, Greece, and The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire... are said to have denied the ship entry and threatened to confiscate it.
The organization said volunteers from 13 countries who tried to reach the ship from Malta on Friday and Saturday were intercepted by the Maltese military, which had forced them back to Malta under threat of arrest.
The Saudi Al Arabiya news channel, citing a Western security source, reported Friday that the aid ship had been arranged by Hamas and that those onboard planned to engage with IDF troops as they approached the Gaza shore.
"The humanitarian ship Conscience has been blocked in international waters since it was attacked by two drones in the early morning of May 2," the coalition said in a statement.
It said Maltese authorities had also prevented the ship from putting into port to repair the damage and get help for four people aboard who it said suffered cuts and burns in the drone attack. It was the first mention of any injuries.
Prime Minister Robert Abela said Malta was continuing to offer assistance to the ship, but that Malta’s security needed to be safeguarded. He said the ship’s captain was continuing to refuse to allow a surveyor and Malta police on board.
Probably they don’t want their weapons seen by outside police — that might call into question their claim to be peaceful…
Once it was verified that the ship’s cargo was solely humanitarian, Malta would facilitate repairs so that it could continue its voyage to Gaza, Abela said.
Malta has had a consistent policy of supporting Paleostinian causes and last month admitted a number of injured Gaza children for medical treatment.
Hamas issued a statement about the incident off Malta, accusing Israel of "piracy" and "state terrorism ... any action taken by a non-Moslem state that constrains the violent impulses of Moslems or their allies ... The Maltese government said on Friday that the vessel and its crew were assisted in the early hours of the morning, when the attack was reported, with a nearby tug helping put out fires.
An interesting story from the Times of Israel Saturday:
An Israeli Air Force plane was flying near Malta several hours before a reportedly Hamas-affiliated Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship was allegedly attacked by drones in international waters in the area.
Data from flight tracking websites shows that a KC-130 transport plane, flown by the IAF’s 131st Squadron, departed from the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel on Thursday afternoon and hovered near Malta for a number of hours, at an altitude of 5,000 feet. The plane headed back to Nevatim and landed there in the evening hours.
Several hours after the plane returned to Israel, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition — an international non-governmental organization which is campaigning to end Israel’s blockade of Gaza — claimed that the their ship, Conscience, had been struck twice by armed drones 17 nautical miles (31.5 kilometers) east of Malta, “causing a fire and a substantial breach in the hull.” The group blamed Israel for the attack.
The MaltaToday outlet reports that the plane did not enter Maltese airspace at any point during its flight near the island country, citing official flight tracking information. The Maltese government also said that “no aircraft or vessel currently mentioned in local and foreign media in relation to the case of the vessel Conscience” had entered the country’s airspace or territorial waters.
[HODHODYEMENNEWS.NET] The Hind Rajab Foundation said it hah filed a war crimes complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, accusing a commander in the Israeli occupation army of committing a war crime that led to the martyrdom of Paleostinian child Hind Rajab and six members of her family during an Israeli Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... that targeted them in 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... City.
The foundation, named in the Paleostinian girl's honour, released the information on Saturday because it would have been her seventh birthday.
''Today, little Hind Rajab should have been blowing out candles on her 7th birthday. On this day of remembrance and heartbreak, the Hind Rajab Foundation has filed a war crimes complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. After a year of tireless investigation, we have identified the military unit responsible, as well as the commander who led the operation that killed Hind, her family, and the two medics who tried to save her,'' the Foundation said in a statement issued last night.
''We now publicly name the commander responsible for killing Hind: Lieutenant Colonel Beni Aharon, Commander of the 401st Armored Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the time of the killing,'' the statement read.
The HRF went on to say: ''It was under Lt. Col. Aharon's command that an Israeli tank unit attacked the civilian vehicle of Hind's family, and later destroyed the Paleostine Red Islamic Thingy ambulance dispatched to rescue her.
We also confirm that the battalion operating under his authority in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood on 29 January 2024 has been fully identified, along with its field commanders and operational officers. These men are no longer unknown. They are no longer protected by silence.''
''While we begin by calling on the ICC Office of the Prosecutor to issue an arrest warrant for Lt. Col. Beni Aharon, we are preparing additional legal complaints against the battalion's officers. These will be filed in qualified national jurisdictions under universal jurisdiction principles. We will go after every officer involved—those who gave the orders, those who fired, those who covered it up, and those who let it happen,'' it added.
''Today, Hind should have been blowing out candles. Instead, we are naming her killer,'' said Dyab Abou Jahjah. ''This is only the beginning. We are coming for every name, every link in the chain, with the law and with truth.''
On 29 January 2024, Hind Rajab's car was hit by Israeli tank fire. Six members of her family died instantly. Hind, maimed and terrified, remained alive for hours, whispering into a phone with PRCS dispatchers: ''I'm so scared— please come.''
The ambulance sent to save her never made it. It too was shelled and burned. The two medics inside were killed instantly. When rescue workers returned ten days later, they found Hind's small body lying next to her cousin Layan. Their voices had gone quiet.
[IsraelTimes] Palestinian news outlet Safa reports that Hamas’s interior ministry has reestablished a unit called the “Executive Force,” aimed at restoring order in the Gaza Strip.
The force originally operated in 2006, during the period when Hamas was part of the Palestinian Authority government, and functioned under PA security structures.
Following Hamas’s takeover of Gaza in 2007, the Palestinian Authority declared the force illegal, and Hamas later dismantled it.
According to the report, approximately 5,000 Hamas operatives have now been integrated into the newly reestablished force, which is tasked with “restoring order and stability and acting against gangs of thieves and collaborators with Israel.”
While Hamas has not officially confirmed the report, a news outlet affiliated with the organization republishes the Safa article.
#2
According to the report, approximately 5,000 Hamas operatives1000 gunnies250 goons 3 guys with Red Ryder BB guns have now been integrated into the newly reestablished force, which is tasked with “restoring order and stability and acting against gangs of thieves and collaborators with Israel.”
Note that the information is anonymously sourced, dear Reader, so who knows how true it is?
[IsraelTimes] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been telling associates privately that he is frustrated with US President Donald Trump’s Middle East policies, according to the Israel Hayom daily.
Netanyahu has expressed that Trump says the right things on Syria and Iran in bilateral meetings, the report says, but his actions are another matter.
Netanyahu has been concerned with Trump’s support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s efforts to deepen his hold on Syria, Israel Hayom says, though he simultaneously gives Israel permission to operate where it chooses in the country.
During their hastily arranged meeting in Washington in April, Trump praised Erdogan as Netanyahu sat silently next to him in the Oval Office. Erdogan is a leading critic of Israel, and even prayed for Israel’s demise in a visit to a mosque during Ramadan.
Netanyahu has also been worried by Trump’s decision to open nuclear talks with Iran — announced in the same White House meeting — and concessions supposedly made by the Trump administration with little in return.
According to Israel Hayom, Netanyahu is also frustrated with former US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz being removed from his position.
According to the Washington Post, Trump was angered by Waltz’s hawkish position on Iran and coordination with Netanyahu on military options to destroy Tehran’s nuclear program, contributing to his dismissal last week.
The Prime Minister’s Office responds to the report by stressing that “in their conversation days ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump agreed that the supreme goal is the dismantling of Iran’s ability to achieve a nuclear weapon.”
#2
To my untrained eyes - I looked like Trump was trying to recycle Obama's Delayed Path to Nuclearization and to rebrand it as MAGA until Iran walked out of the talks this weekend, postponed the diplomats will say.
#5
^ Careful now, you're talking about the most beautiful, beloved Byzantine empress in the whole history of these United States! [pix of mosaic splendor aboard new jet] And seriously, who doesn't love Israel?
[IsraelTimes] Opposition Leader Yair Lapid hits out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not publicly declaring in English what Israel’s “five necessary basic conditions” are for a nuclear deal between the United States and Iran, amid the ongoing negotiations between the sides.
In a social media post, Lapid lists the conditions as “‘absolutely no’ uranium enrichment, removing all enriched material from Iran, destroying centrifuges, disassembling the ballistic missile program, and close and unrestricted supervision.”
[IsraelTimes] State TV shows ‘Qassem Basir’ projectile, with defense minister claiming it can easily bypass anti-ballistic defense systems.
Real or the usual Iranian vapourware?
Iran’s defense ministry unveiled the country’s latest solid-fueled ballistic missile on Sunday, state TV reported, against a backdrop of threats from the United States over its nuclear program as the countries also hold negotiations for a deal to curb it.
TV showed the “Qassem Basir” ballistic missile during an interview with Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. He said it includes improvements in both guidance and maneuverability to overcome layers of defense and easily bypass anti-ballistic defense systems.
The missile was most recently tested on April 17.
TV described the missile as having at least a 1,200-kilometer (745-mile) range. It also said the missile can identify and strike a designated target among multiple ones without GPS guidance and with pinpoint accuracy.
[IsraelTimes] While US president first says he wants Tehran’s entire nuclear program fully done away with, he then tells interviewer that ‘the only thing they can’t have is a nuclear weapon’
US President Donald Trump ...The tack in the backside of the Democratic Party... said in an interview aired Sunday that the aim of his administration’s nuclear talks with Iran
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife ||
05/05/2025 00:00 ||
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[62 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
Not actually, no. Disarmaments happen after the party of the second part has been defeated, and has no choice. When the party of the second part does not disarm, the war inevitably resumes. In this case, the Lebanese Army is disarming Hezbollah to forestall Israel turning malign attention in their direction as an ally of Hezbollah.
[NAHARNET] President Joseph Aoun has stressed that the Lebanese Army is doing a ''mighty job'' and that its operations are still ongoing in the area south of the Litani River, despite the ''geographic challenges and limited capabilities.''
In a meeting with the editors-in-chief of Emirati newspapers on the sidelines of his visit to the UAE, Aoun added that the army is now focusing on ''defusing the war possibility in the South Litani area.''
''The decision of limiting arms to the hands of the state has been taken, through dialogue over concerns, not through force that leads to civil war,'' the president said.
He added that he will not accept a civil war in the country under any circumstances.
[NAHARNET] In his latest meeting with the ambassadors of the five-nation group for 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?... , Speaker Nabih Knobby Berri
...perennial Speaker of the Lebanese parliament, head of the Amal Shiite party aligned with Hezbollah, a not very subtle sock puppet of the Medes and Persians... asked U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson and French Ambassador Herve Magro about their countries' pledges regarding the ceasefire in Lebanon, reiterating that ''Hezbollah has committed to the agreement while Israel is carrying out with its attacks,'' a media report said.
''Johnson responded that Washington would carry out the necessary contacts, prompting Berri to tell her, 'Don't embarrass us any further,''' An-Nahar newspaper reported on Friday.
''Israel must first withdraw from the five points and residents cannot be prevented from heading to these sites to work on liberating them as long as they have not returned to their towns, especially the border towns,'' Berri reportedly added.
Civilians engaging in combat are combatants and can be treated as such.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/05/2025 00:00 ||
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[64 views]
Top|| File under: Hezbollah
[HODHODYEMENNEWS.NET] Hezbollah strongly condemned the latest Israeli aggression targeting Syria, denouncing it as a blatant violation of Syrian illusory sovereignty carried out under false pretexts to advance expansionist and divisive ...politicians call things divisive when when the other side sez something they don't like. Their own statements are never divisive, they're principled... schemes.
In an official statement issued on Saturday, Hezbollah described the attack as ''a clear attempt to undermine Syria's stability and weaken its national capabilities,'' linking it to Israel's ongoing aggressions against Leb ...The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. Only one of those statements is an exaggeration.... and the 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... Strip.
Hezbollah reaffirmed its firm stance on preserving Syria's unity and illusory sovereignty as an independent state, expressing confidence that ''the honorable people of Syria will stand as a solid barrier against such malicious plots.''
The statement concluded by calling on the international community—particularly Arab nations—to take urgent and decisive action to halt these repeated attacks that threaten the region's illusory sovereignty, stability, and security.
[NAHARNET] Palestinian President the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas ...aka Abu Mazen, a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. While no Yasser Arafat, he has his own brand of evil, just a little more lowercase....> will make an official visit to Lebanon on May 21, Kuwait's al-Rai newspaper reported on Friday.
''The protocol arrangements of the visit have practically started, undertaken by Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Dabbour, amid expectations that the issue of Palestinian weapons will be on the table of discussions as part of the visit's official agenda,'' informed Palestinian sources told the daily.
''The handover of weapons will only take place through an official Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue led by Abbas, in his capacity as the president of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people,'' the sources added.
''This dialogue will represent a groundwork that allows for calm and gradual progress, away from any clash or security explosion inside the camps,'' the sources said.
[IsraelTimes] Hamas hands over to the Lebanese Armed Forces a member of the terror group suspected of involvement in two March rocket attacks on Israel, according to Lebanese media.
The suspect is given to the military at the entrance to Sidon’s Ain al-Hilweh camp, says the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation.
Lebanon has warned Hamas not to conduct operations that compromise the country’s security or sovereignty, Beirut’s Supreme Defense Council said on Friday.
The Lebanese Army reportedly arrested Hamas members in Ain al-Hilweh and another refugee camp in April over alleged involvement in the rocket attacks.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] A new flashpoint has erupted in Syria, this time centered on the Druze, an ethno-religious minority largely concentrated in the disputed Golan Heights.
A series of armed clashes between Druze militias and government forces has provoked the expansion of the conflict and the involvement of external players.
And at the same time, it gave Turkey and Israel a new reason to compete for influence in Syria.
COLD WORLD
Relations between the Druze communities and the new Syrian authorities can be described as tense. Damascus keeps a suspicious eye on this minority, especially after the "As-Suwayda Military Council", representing one of the Druze factions, tried to declare autonomy with the prospect of secession in February 2025.
At that time, the conflict was resolved only thanks to the intervention of third parties, and the parties reached an agreement on peaceful coexistence and the integration of local militias into the new armed forces.
Nevertheless, there are still many figures in the ranks of yesterday’s rebels who believe that the “cold peace” with the Druze is not beneficial to the country and that the problem of “hidden separatism” needs to be solved radically.
And very soon such a pretext presented itself. On April 29, an audio recording containing anti-religious attacks and allegedly made on behalf of the southern Druze was distributed on the Internet.
Moreover, the authorship was attributed not to an ordinary fighter, but to a local spiritual authority, Sheikh Marwan Kiwan. And although Kiwan quickly disputed the authenticity of the recording, the accusations were enough to stir up anti-Druze forces.
By the end of the day, several hundred fighters, identifying themselves as "government forces," arrived in the city of Jaramana, where the sheikh lived, to detain Kivan and bring him to trial. However, the operation ended in nothing: the loyalists suffered losses and left the settlement.
FIGHTING IN THE SUBURBS
Two days later, fighting began in the city of Ashrafiya Sahnaya, located near the Syrian capital, the reason for which was the same ill-fated audio recording. Supporters of official Damascus fired at several objects of the local community, the Druze responded with raids on the headquarters of the Syrian special services.
Unlike the incident in Jaramana, the fighting in the Damascus suburbs was bloodier. Both sides lost at least twenty fighters. The clashes killed Druze Sheikh Wahid al-Balu, who had previously acted as a mediator between the communities and the new authorities.
The situation was assessed differently in the capital. If the first clashes with the Druze were "put on the back burner", then the new escalation was perceived as a manifestation of a systemic threat.
Official Damascus not only called the Druze rebels, but also brought fresh army forces with armored vehicles to Ashrafiya Sahnaya. In addition, fighters from the Saraya Ansar al-Sunna group were transferred to the city, participating in the "pacification" of unrest among the Alawites and distinguished themselves by extrajudicial executions.
The appearance of “gray” field commanders in the clash zone was an alarming sign and indicated that Damascus was planning to deal with its opponents harshly and without regard for Geneva morality.
In light of the current events, the spiritual leader of the Druze in Syria, Hikmat al-Hijri, called on the international community to send troops into Syria to prevent genocide of minorities “according to the Alawite scenario.”
His call was supported by other spiritual authorities, such as the leader of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh Muafak Tarif. The latter used his influence and connections to raise a wave of protest among the Israeli Druze and force official Tel Aviv to pay attention to the call of its neighbors.
And, as subsequent events showed, Tariff's actions had an effect.
THE ISRAELI RESPONSE
Following military clashes between the Druze and official Damascus, Israel (which in the first days after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime brought troops into Syria to create a buffer zone) remembered the security guarantees given to local sheikhs.
Israeli aviation has increased its activity in the Syrian skies many times over, carrying out about thirty airstrikes in different parts of the country in less than a week.
The targets of the attacks were the headquarters of the new army, air defense facilities and communications centers, as well as airfields. Tel Aviv intended, if not to decapitate, then at least seriously batter the Syrian forces in order to weaken their onslaught against the Druze. At the same time, the armored forces of the Israeli army, stationed in the disputed Golan Heights, also began to move.
Following the call of the Druze sheikhs, they advanced at least several dozen kilometers into Syrian territory for the first time since February. New checkpoints appeared on the highway leading to Damascus.
More transparent hints followed, in particular, Israeli planes carried out a night strike in the immediate vicinity of the presidential palace in Damascus.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that the strike near the residence of the first person is a “clear signal to the regime.” In fact, Tel Aviv has issued an ultimatum that it will not allow threats to the Druze community.
TURKEY'S INTERVENTION
Turkey is the only Syrian ally that has chosen to respond harshly to the increasing Israeli airstrikes; Damascus' other partners have limited themselves to expressing concern. On orders from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has closed its airspace to Israeli aircraft.
Erdogan's statements were not taken seriously by Tel Aviv at first, due to the Turkish leader's penchant for sharp populist attacks. However, after Ankara refused to make an exception for the government aircraft "Zion Wing", on which the Israeli prime minister was supposed to fly to Azerbaijan for the summit, Netanyahu became convinced of the seriousness of the threat.
An alternative route bypassing Turkey (via Greece and Bulgaria) would have doubled the distance to Azerbaijan, which was an unpleasant surprise for Tel Aviv. As a result, the Israeli prime minister postponed a multi-day visit to Baku, which was supposed to begin on May 8, citing the difficult situation near the borders.
The postponement of the visit to Azerbaijan indirectly indicates that Turkey has closed the channels of informal communication with Israel through Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev. The latter occupies an “equidistant” position between Ankara and Tel Aviv and has previously acted as a behind-the-scenes mediator in resolving tensions between them several times.
This, in turn, indicates that the Turks are not indifferent to the fate of the Syrian creature and, if the situation worsens further, Ankara will be ready to think about a more serious confrontation with the Israelis.
Thinking and doing are two different things. Doing requires the confidence that Mossad never sold pagers and cell phones where Turks could get hold of them…
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
..always the voice of sweet reason...
...
...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 Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. Only one of those statements is an exaggeration....
...aka Abu Mazen, a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. While no Yasser Arafat, he has his own brand of evil, just a little more lowercase....
