[Breitbart] “Home is the sailor, home from the sea.” That refrain from Robert Louis Stevenson will be joyfully repeated right across America in coming days after the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the world’s largest aircraft carrier, returned home to Virginia on Saturday after an 11-month foreign deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War.
During its overseas journey the mighty vessel supported the U.S. war with Iran and the capture of Nicolás Maduro as he was ousted as Venezuela’s president.
AP reports the most advanced U.S. warship and two accompanying destroyers were secured alongside at Naval Station Norfolk with about 5,000 sailors waiting to see their families for the first time since June.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand for the arrival of the warships, which included the destroyer USS Bainbridge.
“What the Ford Carrier Strike Group did, and these destroyers did, was exceptional, phenomenal,” said Hegseth, who joined families in welcoming the sailors home.
The AP report set out just why the foreign venture was so important in the annals of U.S. Navy history:
The Ford’s 326 days at sea are the most for an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years and broke the record for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment, according to U.S. Naval Institute News, a news outlet run by the U.S. Naval Institute, a nonprofit organization.
The only longer deployments were the 1973 deployment of USS Midway at 332 days and the 1965 deployment of USS Coral Sea at 329 days.
Adm. Daryl Caudle recognized the difficulties of the longer-than-expected deployment before stressing he doesn’t “want that to be a precedent.”
Aircraft carriers are designed to deploy for up to seven months, but the Ford was at sea for 11 logging a total of 326-days away from her home port.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
05/18/2026 00:00 ||
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#1
Some are wondering if the March 2025 fire and other issues, were related to the crew just being worn out, due to the extended deployment?
#2
My question would be what did the OP tempo number look like?
Could the brand new catapaults and elevators cycle fast enough?
Posted by: ed in texas ||
05/18/2026 10:19 Comments ||
Top||
#3
11 months is very hard on marriages, so the numbers on E-5 and above career retention will be carefully scrutinized. A massive exodus of mid-level NCO's and their expertise should signal future limiting factors on deployment.
The report of Mr. Rahim’s capture in 2008 can be seen here. One of the 1980s Afghan mujahideen crowd, he apparently was a close associate of Osama bin Laden, for whom he prepared the Tora Bora hideout, then helped the residents escape at the end.
[ToloNews] Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan seeks the release of Mohammad Rahim, an Afghan prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay.
In an interview with TOLOnews, the front man for the Islamic Emirate said that Mohammad Rahim, one of the long-term Afghan detainees at Guantanamo, has not been proven guilty of any crime and should be reunited with his family.
According to Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate has discussed the matter with relevant authorities and continues to insist on his release.
Mujahid also called for the return of all Afghans living abroad.
The spokesperson said: "We want all Afghans living abroad to return to Afghanistan, and Mohammad Rahim is one of the oldest Afghan prisoners in Guantanamo. No crime has been proven against him, and he should reunite with his family."
Meanwhile, ...back at the railroad tracks, Little Nell tried to kick her bound feet and scream post the snotty handkerchief Scarface Al had stuff into her mouth... some political analysts believe that the detention of Afghans at Guantanamo over the past years has been against international laws and principles and has failed to produce positive results.
Political analyst Abdul Sadiq Hamidzoy said: "The United States has kept Afghans imprisoned in Guantanamo in violation of all international laws. Americans who were detained in Afghanistan certainly had reasons for their detention and were not imprisoned unjustly. Engagement is needed, and the United States should pursue a path of engagement with Afghanistan."
Mohammad Rahim was arrested in Lahore, Pakistain, in 2007 and transferred to the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in 2008.
[ToloNews] U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has stated that Afghanistan remains one of Washington’s main security concerns, and that the United States is closely monitoring activities related to potential threats originating from the country.
Brad Cooper told a U.S. Senate committee hearing that Washington has not completely ignored Afghanistan and continues to work with its regional partners to contain and suppress potential threats.
"We have not completely ignored Afghanistan. The country remains an area of concern," he emphasized.
These remarks come as officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have repeatedly stressed that they will not allow Afghan soil to be used against other countries.
Hedayatullah Ahmadi, a political analyst, said: "Most countries in the region and the world are currently convinced that the Afghan government is fighting terrorist groups, and this is a very important decision for the Afghan government."
This comes as the United States recently published its "2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy," a document that, unlike reports from previous years, does not mention the presence or activities of groups such as ISIS-K and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.
[Breitbart] As Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her government continue to claim that the U.S. Government does not have any evidence of wrongdoing against Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine of his closest allies, who are accused of working for the Sinaloa Cartel. Three of those officials have now crossed the border into the U.S. and allegedly turned themselves in.
The issue comes at a time when tensions between the U.S. and Mexico continue to rise over the southern country protecting drug cartels instead of eradicating them. The most recent development took place this weekend, when Mexican Senator Enrique Inzunza Cazarez reportedly traveled to San Diego and surrendered himself to U.S. authorities. Inzunza is wanted on drug conspiracy charges out of a federal criminal indictment in New York.
Despite three of the ten officials having surrendered, Sheinbaum remains defiant. She said this weekend during a speech that no foreign government will take away Mexico’s transformation. The comments appear to be framed as direct resistance to the U.S. pressure to fight criminal organizations and corruption.
The weekend developments place Sheinbaum in an even tougher spot, since she claims there is no evidence of wrongdoing, the same public officials she is protecting are turning themselves in to the U.S. Department of Justice. The actions this weekend led various politicians to claim that accused drug traffickers have more decency than the politicians from Sheinbaum’s party, MORENA.
As Breitbart Texas reported, late last week, former Sinaloa Public Security Secretary General Gerardo Merida Sanchez turned himself in to U.S. authorities at a port of entry in Nogales, Arizona. Merida Sanchez is facing drug conspiracy and federal weapons charges in a U.S. federal court. After his arrest, authorities moved him to a federal court in New York, where he is awaiting trial. Merida Sanchez is reportedly the one who not only provided protection to the Sinaloa Cartel but also used his position to warn them of military raids and operations.
A second public official recently turned himself in to U.S. authorities. Details of the arrest have not been confirmed by either the U.S. government or Mexico. According to various news reports, Enrique Diaz Vega, the former Finance Secretary for Sinaloa, traveled to New York, where he surrendered to U.S. authorities and has reportedly been negotiating a deal with prosecutors. Diaz Vega is the individual believed to be responsible for helping Rocha Moya handle cartel money.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Andrey Bulkin
[REGNUM] Admiral William Houston, head of the US Navy's nuclear propulsion program, announced the largest submarine construction campaign since World War II.
"What we're doing now is the largest buildup of the submarine fleet since the end of World War II," the admiral emphasized at a seminar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), adding that in terms of annual tonnage laid down, current construction already exceeds Cold War levels.
This announcement was a logical continuation of the ambitious “Golden Fleet” shipbuilding program promoted by the Donald Trump administration .
The outlines of this initiative haven't been finalized yet—the program's official website announces an upcoming update—but the overall strategic message is crystal clear: restore American maritime superiority at the cost of trillions of dollars in investment. To restore America to its former greatness, of course.
But behind the loud statements lies a harsh reality that has not kept pace with the geopolitical ambitions of the American administration.
LOST LEADERSHIP
The rush to build ships and submarines for the US Navy is no coincidence. In recent years, the People's Republic of China has become the world's largest naval power by pennant count: according to the Global Firepower ranking, its fleet numbers over 800 ships and submarines, while the US Navy has just over 400.
At the same time, Beijing is also methodically deploying anti-ship ballistic missiles along the coast, capable of striking aircraft carrier groups at a considerable distance.
As a result, the traditional instrument of American military dominance—the carrier strike group—risks being pushed beyond effective range in the event of a conflict over Taiwan or in the South China Sea.
However, as recent events in Iran have shown, this can be achieved without missiles, if there are a sufficient number of drones.
Therefore, the US Navy is deliberately relying on submarine forces. Submarines remain virtually the only platform capable of stealthily approaching launch areas and launching surprise missile strikes while remaining virtually invulnerable to enemy shore-based missile systems.
However, of the more than 60 nuclear submarines in service with the US Navy, only 49 are multi-purpose attack submarines, and barely half are ready for combat patrols.
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in fiscal year 2024, about 34% of the submarine fleet—16 submarines—were in or awaiting repair, well above the Navy's 20% target.
The second reason for the large-scale construction was the Columbia program—the construction of 12 new strategic nuclear submarines designed to replace the aging Ohio-class missile carriers.
The clock is ticking—the oldest Ohio nuclear weapons will reach the end of their service life by the end of the decade, and any delay in the schedule threatens to leave the country without a crucial component of the nuclear triad for an indefinite period.
Strategic submarine program manager Rear Admiral Todd Weeks, speaking at the WEST 2026 conference in San Diego, confirmed that the US had "implemented an aggressive acceleration plan," but was also forced to acknowledge that any delay in the construction of any submarine has a cascading effect on the entire program.
Finally, the third pressure factor was the AUKUS agreement. The commitment to transfer three to five Virginia-class multi-purpose submarines to Australia overlaps with the US Navy's own needs.
Vice Admiral Robert Gosche, who until recently commanded the US submarine force, stated that "the number one priority - without a doubt or reservations - is the Columbia class, but no one is removing the commitment to build two Virginias, plus the needs of AUKUS."
According to existing estimates, to meet all obligations, the American industry must consistently produce 2.33 submarines per year, while since 2022 the actual rate has fluctuated between 1.1 and 1.2 units.
SHIPYARDS ARE NOT MADE OF RUBBER
On the way to creating the most powerful submarine fleet, the US leadership faced the problem of industrial weakness.
"The most immediate threat to American submarine superiority is not foreign adversaries, but a domestic industrial crisis. A significant portion of the attack submarine fleet is currently out of action due to protracted maintenance caused by limited shipyard capacity, labor shortages, and supply chain issues," notes the analytical portal 19FortyFive.
Since the end of the Cold War, the number of skilled workers at the two main submarine shipyards, Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding, has fallen from approximately 50,000 to 12,000.
The COVID-19 pandemic dealt an additional blow: the most experienced cohort of shipbuilders retired at once, and the average length of service dropped from fifteen to five to seven years.
The voluntary resignation rate at Bath Iron Works and Electric Boat has only recently dropped below 10% of the total, while at Ingalls Shipbuilding, even after signing a five-year labor agreement with 40-45% wage increases, it is still around 15%, Eric J. Labs, senior analyst for naval and weapons systems at the Congressional Budget Office, testified at a joint House hearing.
At the same time, the supplier network has shrunk. While approximately 17,000 contractors worked on the submarine program in the 1980s, by 2020, only about 3,500 remained, forcing the US Navy to rely on a single supplier for the production of several important components.
This means that a failure at a single plant can paralyze the construction of an entire class of ships.
Another acute crisis concerns dry docks. Four government-owned shipyards—Norfolk, Portsmouth, Puget Sound, and Pearl Harbor—service the entire US nuclear fleet, including aircraft carriers and submarines.
According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, between 2015 and 2019, 75 percent of scheduled aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance were completed late, causing a total of 7,424 days of delays. By 2026, the situation had not improved—a new GAO report documented ongoing difficulties in submarine maintenance.
The story of the USS Boise is a striking example of the infirmity of American shipyards. The Los Angeles-class submarine began a scheduled overhaul back in 2013. The work was repeatedly postponed—first due to a lack of dock space, then due to the unavailability of documentation and materials.
After eleven years of waiting and spending nearly $800 million, covering only 22% of the total work, the Navy officially decommissioned the boat in the spring of 2026.
Now former Secretary of the Navy John Phelan commented on the decision with utmost candor: "We screwed up." The freed-up resources were redirected to the construction and maintenance of other submarines, but the problem of shipyard and labor shortages remained.
The government is trying to respond, but it's happening too late. In September 2025, a $377 million contract was awarded to reconstruct the Puget Sound dry dock; in 2026, a five-year, $150 million contract was awarded to modernize the Portsmouth Shipyard.
However, even new investments in the industry are only beginning to reduce the chronic lag, rather than eliminate it.
FLOATING MISSILE CELLAR
Amid already serious problems in naval shipbuilding, the Trump administration has put forward an initiative that even many ardent patriots and Pentagon hawks are reacting with mixed feelings. In December 2025, the US President personally unveiled renderings of the lead ship of the newest Trump-class, the nuclear battleship USS Defiant (a reference to the fictional starship from Star Trek).
It is expected to be the largest combat surface ship built in the United States since World War II: with a displacement of 35,000 to 40,000 tons, a length of up to 270 meters, and a nuclear propulsion plant.
The battleship is planned to be armed with 128 Mk 41 vertical launch cells for cruise and hypersonic missiles, a railgun, laser weapons, and other state-of-the-art systems.
Conceptually, the Trump is not conceived as a successor to the battleships of World War II, which were enormous floating artillery batteries, but rather as an "arsenal ship"—a heavy missile platform capable of carrying and deploying a greater number of weapons than existing ships can accommodate. Fifteen such ships are planned for construction over 30 years.
However, the program's cost is raising concerns among experts. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the lead ship will cost between $15 and $22 billion, with subsequent ships costing at least $9 billion each.
In other words, one new battleship will cost American taxpayers more than a Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (about $13.3 billion per lead ship).
And this is despite the fact that the aircraft carrier carries an air wing of up to 90 aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs with a range of hundreds of kilometers, while Trump is currently a giant floating missile cellar with no clear prospects for use.
Mark Cancian, a senior adviser to the CSIS International Security Program and a retired US Marine Corps Reserve colonel, wrote an article in December 2025, tellingly titled "The 'Golden Fleet' Battleship Will Never Sail," in which he asserted: "A future administration will cancel the program before the first ship is launched . "
The main problem, however, is not even the price, because the US knows how to print money, but the fact that 15 Trump-class battleships will require more total tonnage from the industrial base than any other currently implemented or prospective programs.
At the same time, the shipyards capable of building them are already suffocated by the simultaneous implementation of other programs, since in addition to aircraft carriers and submarines, the US Navy has plenty of other types of large warships that also require maintenance.
THERE IS NO PRODUCTION BASE
Promises of a "Golden Fleet" and announcements of Admiral Houston's record-breaking submarine construction program run into a fundamental contradiction: the United States is designing 21st-century ships, but building them using the degraded industrial base of the last century, so all new initiatives are beset with numerous problems.
CSIS analysts concluded in their 2025 final report : "There is no single solution that can fix the situation as a whole; moreover, addressing one of the underlying problems does not guarantee a fundamental improvement."
Against this backdrop, US Navy leadership is frantically seeking innovative solutions. For example, the possibility of building ships at shipyards in allied countries—South Korea and Japan—which have retained competitive shipbuilding capabilities, is being increasingly discussed.
And only one thing is clear so far: the impressive naval ambitions of the United States are not supported by the necessary industrial base, so any loud statements and grandiose projects in this area at the moment cause nothing but skepticism.
#2
South Korea and Japan—which have retained competitive shipbuilding capabilities, is being increasingly discussed.
So may I ask the obvious? How have South Korea and Japan managed to retain their shipbuilding capabilities ?
Most Snap-On tools, Allen Edwards shoes. Crayola Crayons, Weber Grills, Smith & Wesson guns, and Airstream Trailers are still made in America. How have they survived.
Pricing? Union, Non-Union, quality? What's the secret sauce.
[ Rudaw] US authorities announced the arrest of an Iraqi national identified as a senior commander in Kata'ib Hezbollah, accusing him of directing nearly 20 attacks across Europa ...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum... and plotting additional attacks in the United States.
Kash Patel, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, wrote, "Al-Saadi and his associates allegedly planned, coordinated, and grabbed credit for at least 20 terrorist attacks across Europe and in Canada," adding that they "were believed to be targeting the United States for upcoming attacks including Jewish institutions in New York, Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party,, and Arizona."
Saadi's arrest comes amid heightened regional tensions following a wide-scale US-Israeli aerial campaign against Iran ...The nation is 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... launched on February 28, which reportedly struck more than 17,000 sites over six weeks of hostilities.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court in New York City, Saadi is accused of acting on behalf of Kata'ib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), directing attacks against US and Israeli interests in Europe and North America since February.
Prosecutors alleged that Saadi and his associates coordinated at least 18 attacks in Europe and two in Canada under the name "Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya," described by authorities as a component of Kata'ib Hezbollah.
The 32-year-old suspect was arrested in The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund... and appeared Friday in Manhattan federal court, where he was ordered detained pending trial. He is scheduled to appear again on May 29.
Demonstrating once again how necessary Israel is for the ability of Jews to live unpersecuted.
[Regnum] The International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested arrest warrants for several Israeli officials and military personnel. This was reported on May 17 by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Ha’aretz prides itself on being the New York Times of Israel.
"The ICC Constitution does not oblige the court to notify suspects of an arrest warrant," Eliav Lieblich, a professor of public international law at Tel Aviv University, explained to the publication.
The number of defendants is not specified, and their names are not being released, but sources claim the warrants may concern at least two politicians and two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials. According to the publication's sources, the prosecutor's office is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Settlement Affairs Minister Orit Struck, and two unnamed IDF officials.
On May 20, 2024, the ICC prosecutor requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant, as well as three Hamas leaders. He stated that Netanyahu and Galant should be held criminally accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In November 2024, the ICC granted the prosecutor's request and issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Galantaz for war crimes committed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip. It was noted that Israeli authorities used starvation as a method of warfare, deliberately targeted civilians, and prevented them from receiving aid.
#5
I appreciate the thought, my dear, and it’s true that I’ve committed a typo or two in my time, but in this case unpersecuted is the word I chose. It resonates more than the more common not persecuted, you see, and implies problems much broader than a single biased courtroom.
Hilarious! The Israelis have been dancing through Iraq as unnoticed as they’ve been for over a decade in Iran.
[Regnum] A second secret Israeli military base has been discovered in western Iraq. The New York Times reported this on May 17.
According to a source, Israel spent over a year preparing a secret base in Iraq for operations against Iran. The facility's discovery was aided by the accidental death of a local 29-year-old shepherd, Awad al-Shammari. On March 3, the shepherd left a Bedouin camp in a pickup truck for shopping in the nearby town of al-Nuhayb. On the way back, his vehicle was pursued by a helicopter, which opened fire and destroyed the truck. The shepherd died. According to witnesses, al-Shammari stumbled upon a heavily guarded Israeli facility in the desert by chance. His family is certain that this is what cost him his life.
According to the publication's authors, the military base was used for refueling, medical care, and support for Israeli aircraft during military operations with Iran in June 2025.
They landed in Iraq? Why??
Iraqi officials later confirmed to the newspaper the existence of a second similar base in the desert in the west of the country.
The Iraqi government denies the presence of Israeli bases, and the United States refuses to comment.
On May 9, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Israeli authorities had built a secret military base in the Iraqi desert to support the air campaign against Iran. The outpost served as a logistics hub for the Air Force, as well as a base for special forces and search-and-rescue teams.
Israel built two covert bases in Iraq to aid in its wars with Iran, and an Iraqi soldier and a civilian were killed in order to protect the secret military installations, The New York Times
...which still proudly claims Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... reported Sunday.
Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had built one base in Iraq’s western desert for use in the US-Israeli war with 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... that began in late February. Shortly afterward, what appeared to be a makeshift airstrip in a dry lakebed, some 180 kilometers (112 miles) southwest of the city of Karbala, was located by open-source intelligence analysts in satellite imagery taken just days before the war.
But Iraqi officials told the Times that Israel had maintained another base there as well, which was used during the June 2025 war with Iran as well as this year’s conflict.
Israel began building that base in late 2024, according to a regional official. The Times report said the US knew of that base, and that it is no longer operational.
According to the reports, Israel built the bases to cut down on flight time for strikes in Iran, provide medical treatment, and aid in logistics and other forms of support for the Israeli Air Force. They also housed special forces troops and search-and-rescue teams who were poised to act if any Israeli pilots were downed.
The IDF has not commented on either report. Iraq and Israel do not have diplomatic relations.
Local Bedouins in Iraq’s sparsely populated western desert had contacted local military officials with reports of suspicious activity for weeks, according to the Times. But the Iraqi army chose to try to observe from a distance and ask the US for information.
Washington was not forthcoming, even though it is an Iraqi ally. The US also persuaded Iraq to turn off its radars in order to protect US aircraft, the Times said.
Then, on March 3, Awad al-Shammari, a Bedouin shepherd driving to the nearest town to pick up groceries, was killed by an Israeli helicopter after he stumbled on the base, a cousin told the newspaper. al-Shammari had reportedly managed to report the base to Iraqi authorities. His family later found his body by speaking to people who had witnessed him being killed.
The Iraqis sent a reconnaissance mission, but retreated after one soldier was killed and two were maimed by what was likely Israeli fire.
Senior officials told the Times that Baghdad downplayed the incident, though it complained to the UN Security Council and military leaders briefed the country’s parliament on the incidents.
"It shows a blatant disregard for Iraqi illusory sovereignty, its government and its forces, as well as for the dignity of the Iraqi people," Waad al-Kadu, an Iraqi politician, told the Times.kk
Posted by: badanov ||
05/18/2026 00:00 ||
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[IsraelTimes] Millionaire Yasser Abbas expected to get seat on party’s powerful Central Committee, as will Zakaria Zubeidi, ex-head of Fatah terror group who was behind dozens of attacks.
Since these are merely preliminary results, no need to save every jot and tittle. But it’s all available at the link, for those who are curious.
[IsraelTimes] ’Terrorists who murder Jews will not sit in prison in pleasant conditions... they will pay the heaviest price’ says Defense Minister Katz
The death penalty law for West Bank Paleostinians convicted of deadly acts of terrorism came into effect Sunday night, after the commander of the IDF Central Command, Maj. Gen Avi Bluth, signed the military order necessary to enact the measure in the territory.
The order requires that a military court presiding over the prosecution of forces of Evil whose attacks resulted in the death of a victim apply the death penalty alone as the only available sentence, unless the court finds special circumstances allowing for life imprisonment.
Following the passage of the legislation at the end of March, Defense Minister Israel Katz requested that Bluth approve the military order, which he did on Sunday.
The legislation has been widely condemned as discriminatory since it states explicitly that it does not apply to Israeli citizens or residents of Israel. It also only applies to terror trials in the military courts system, which is used for Paleostinians, while Israelis are tried in Israel’s civilian court system.
In addition, one of the three conditions for imposing the death penalty is that the motive of the attacker was to either "negate the existence of the State of Israel or the authority of the military commander in the area" — motives that would likely only be applicable to Paleostinian terrorists.
Several organizations and politicians have petitioned the High Court of Justice against the law, and the court ordered the state to respond by May 24.
"This is a clear and sharp change of policy after the October 7 [2023] massacre: A terrorist who murders Jews can no longer rely on [prisoner exchange] deals, [good prison] conditions, or the hope to be released in the future," Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said in a joint statement.
"Whoever chooses murderous terrorism against Jews needs to know that the State of Israel will bring him to justice all the way."
Added Katz, "Terrorists who murder Jews will not sit in prison in pleasant conditions, will not wait for [prisoner exchange deals] and will not dream of release — they will pay the heaviest price."
Ben Gvir lauded the signing of the military order as the fulfilment of a campaign promise of his far-right Otzma Yehudit party, saying, "We promised and we fulfilled," and that "we do not capitulate or contain murderous terrorism, we defeat it."
Although the law has been roundly condemned for targeting Paleostinian forces of Evil specifically and excluding Israelis from its provisions, it is unclear if the legislation will lead to the automatic death penalty sentences that its authors seek.
The condition requiring that the terror attack be carried out with the motive of "negating the existence of the State of Israel or the authority of the military commander in the area" may be hard to prove in court in many cases, leaving judges with room to impose a prison sentence instead.
[Breitbart] A massive fireball and explosion near Jerusalem triggered widespread online speculation late Saturday after dramatic footage near a facility belonging to Israel’s state-owned Tomer defense company spread rapidly online amid mounting tensions surrounding Iran.
The explosion came less than a day after a New York Times report said Washington and Jerusalem were carrying out intensive preparations for the possibility of renewed military action should diplomacy with Tehran fail, while President Donald Trump on Saturday posted a cryptic “calm before the storm” message on Truth Social and separately warned Tehran it faces “a very bad time” if it refuses a deal.
Videos of the blast near Beit Shemesh — a large city roughly 19 miles west of Jerusalem — spread rapidly online late Saturday, showing a giant fireball and towering smoke plume near a Tomer testing area that immediately fueled speculation on social media.
Tomer, Israel’s state-owned defense company, develops rocket and missile propulsion systems used in programs including the Arrow-3 interceptor system, Barak missiles, precision rockets and satellite launch platforms.
The company later said the explosion stemmed from a “pre-planned experiment” that had been carried out according to plan.
“A pre-planned experiment” was conducted at the site and proceeded as expected, the company said, adding there were “no irregular incidents.”
Residents in and around Beit Shemesh reported hearing a powerful blast and seeing flames and smoke visible from considerable distances, while dramatic videos circulated online showing a massive plume rising over central Israel.
The scale of the explosion, coupled with the lack of public notice and broader tensions across the region, quickly fueled online theories regarding a possible security incident.
The test took place at a sensitive facility tied to missile and rocket propulsion systems, further intensifying speculation before officials clarified the nature of the blast.
Israeli media later reported that emergency services had been notified in advance of the test so authorities would understand the nature of the blast if alarmed residents called, though local residents themselves had not been informed beforehand.
Police reportedly said there was nothing unusual, while the Beit Shemesh municipality indicated it had not received advance notice of the test.
Iranian media and social media accounts rapidly amplified footage of the explosion, with some attempting to cast doubt on Israel’s explanation and suggesting the possibility of a broader security event.
However, Israeli officials and the Tomer company maintained there was no indication of a security breach or external involvement and said the incident stemmed from a scheduled test.
The explosion came as attention remained focused on mounting questions surrounding the future of negotiations with Iran.
A New York Times report published Friday said the United States and Israel were making what it described as their most intensive preparations since the ceasefire for the possibility of renewed operations should diplomatic efforts collapse.
The report, citing Middle Eastern officials, said military planners were examining a range of potential scenarios, while Israel’s Channel 12 television outlet quoted a senior Israeli official as saying preparations were underway for “days to weeks of fighting” pending Trump’s decisions regarding negotiations.
“The Americans understand that negotiations with Iran are going nowhere,” the unnamed Israeli official said, according to the report.
Trump has issued increasingly pointed warnings in recent days as negotiations appeared to stall.
Speaking with Sean Hannity on Fox News on Thursday, Trump warned he was not prepared to remain patient much longer.
“I’m not going to be much more patient. No, I’m not,” Trump said. “They should make a deal. Any sane person would make a deal, but they might be crazy.”
Earlier that same day, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the “military decimation of Iran” may be “(to be continued!)” as part of a broader post following his China trip.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from Beijing on Friday, Trump said he would accept a 20-year suspension of Iranian enrichment only with what he described as a “real” guarantee, adding that it had to be “a real 20 years, not a fake 20.”
On Saturday, Trump posted an AI-generated image on Truth Social carrying the message: “It was calm before the storm.”
In an interview Saturday, Trump said he had “no idea” whether Tehran would agree to a deal and warned that if it did not, “they’re going to have a bad time. A very bad time. They had better make a deal.”
[Gcaptain] Iran seized a Chinese-owned ship that’s one of a handful of so-called floating armories that operate in the region, according to two maritime security consultants who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information.
Hong Kong-based Sinoguards, a maritime security firm, said in a statement that Tehran’s forces took one of its ships, the Hui Chuan,
I’d wondered what that was about — it’s comforting that those who know what they’e talking about did, too…
into Iranian waters on Thursday. That followed an alert from a UK naval group that a commercial ship was apprehended by unauthorized personnel at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz.
It’s unclear why Iran has taken the vessel after Tehran said in statements on Thursday that Chinese ships were allowed to cross Hormuz, suggesting cooperation between the two nations. China has long been the biggest buyer of Iranian oil.
UKMTO WARNS SHIP SEIZED NEAR HORMUZ IS BEING TAKEN TOWARD IRAN
Sinoguards said the vessel is undergoing documentation and compliance inspection in Iranian waters. The company didn’t respond to a question from Bloomberg News on whether the ship was a floating armory, and in its statement referred to it as an offshore work platform vessel.
The firm provides security services, including armed guards, for vessels transiting risky waters such as the Indian Ocean, according to its website. One of Sinoguards’ permanent bases is in Fujairah, a key United Arab Emirates port outside the strait in the Gulf of Oman.
“We are cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities and have submitted the requested vessel and crew documentation,” the company said in the statement on Friday, adding that there’s no indication the vessel’s crew have been injured.
Vessel-based armories, or VBAs as ships like the Hui Chuan are known, store firearms in international waters as part of the security services they offer.
Such vessels also act as a rest point for personnel employed by private military and security companies, where they can wait to embark and disembark ships.
There are no rules on what sort of vessels can function as VBAs. The Hui Chuan, is classified as a Honduras-flagged fishery research vessel that was built in 1984.
Sinoguards was established in 2013, according to its website, which said the company focuses on recruiting ex-service personnel from Ukraine and Nepal. Sinoguards is a neutral company with no ties to governments or armed forces, it said.
Posted by: Dopey Photch2701 ||
05/18/2026 00:00 ||
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Link ||
[1839 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Given there's no private ownership Chinese Private Military Company is an oxymoron.
[KhaamaPress] Iran’s judiciary says 29 people accused of political and security offenses have been executed since the start of the US-Israel-Iran war.
Mizan News Agency, the media outlet affiliated with Iran’s judiciary, reported on Saturday that 29 people accused of political and security-related offenses have been executed since the start of the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
According to the report, Iranian courts have also issued lengthy prison sentences for at least 36 other individuals accused of charges including espionage, cooperation with Israel, acting against national security and links to opposition groups.
Iranian authorities have repeatedly announced arrests and prosecutions in recent months involving people accused of collaborating with foreign intelligence services or participating in activities viewed by Tehran as threats to state security.
The figures were released amid heightened regional tensions following military confrontations between Iran, Israel and the United States, which Iranian officials say increased security concerns and intensified domestic counterintelligence operations.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
05/18/2026 00:00 ||
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[1788 views]
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29 murdered
??? But didn't Iran admit just a week ago to murdering 36,000+ Protesters on Jan 8th & 9th ????
[HumangleMedia] An ISWAP leader previously declared dead by Nigerian authorities has now been announced killed again, this time in a joint operation involving American intelligence support
SUMMARY
By the time the announcement that Abu Bilal Al-Minuki
…also in our archives as Abu Bakr al-Mainuki, he was the ISIS Number 2, holding the organizing and finance portfolios, and previously head of ISWAP…
was killed reached the outside world, the strike itself was already hours old. In the early hours of Saturday, May 16, somewhere in Metele, in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, a compound had been hit.
First, US President Donald Trump posted a statement on Truth Social. Another came from Bayo Onanuga, Special Advisor to Nigeria’s president on Information and Strategy, on Facebook and X. Al-Minuki, described as one of the most senior figures inside Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), was dead, both statements claimed.
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally,” Trump said in the post.
The Nigerian military said special forces were deployed to block escape routes while air components executed precision strikes against what was described as a “concealed and fortified terrorist enclave.” The mission was completed, the military added, “without casualties or equipment loss on the part of friendly forces.”
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.
[ToloNews] U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has stated that Afghanistan remains one of Washington’s main security concerns, and that the United States is closely monitoring activities related to potential threats originating from the country.
Hezbollah
...The nation is noted for 
