Recent Appearances...

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Recent Appearances...

Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Middle East War. Interim.

2025-06-25

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] 1. It is worth noting right away that the Middle East war has not stopped. The genocide in the Gaza Strip, as well as the war of Israel against Hamas, continues. The Houthis' war against Israel also continues. Today, the Houthis have promised to continue to strike Israel as long as the genocide in the Gaza Strip continues. So talk of peace in the Middle East is extremely far from reality. The main problem for peace in the region is the Nazi regime in Israel.

2. The approach to negotiations was carried out through demonstrative strikes of dubious effectiveness. The United States struck Iran's nuclear facilities with bunker busters and cruise missiles, although there is no reliable evidence of their being disabled.

The Iranians directly state that they have not received critical damage and will continue to develop their nuclear program. Iran, in turn, attacked the Al-Udeid base in Qatar with ballistic missiles. However, there is also no reliable evidence of critical damage to the base. Both sides knew in advance about the strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and about Iran's strikes on Al-Udeid. Both sides removed valuable assets from the attacked facilities in advance. Both sides declared successful strikes and unsuccessful strikes by their opponents.

3. Nevertheless, such a scheme allowed both sides to declare their victory and agree to a truce. This was evidence that all participants in the war are not ready to go all the way and wage a total war of destruction, which is a consequence of the heavy damage that Iran and Israel inflicted on each other, with the full understanding that there will only be more hits from both sides due to the weakening of air defense. Therefore, Qatar, as in 2020, was used as a mediator, only now it had to come to terms with the shelling of its territory, which it demonstratively but falsely took offense at.

The rest of the Arab League countries basically limited themselves to the same routine condemnations of Iran, as they had previously routinely condemned Israel and the United States. In fact, Iran has survived this war thanks to its missile arsenals and the internal stability of its society.

Without nuclear weapons. And without a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The role of Russia, China and Pakistan, as well as the hypothetical assistance that could have been provided to Iran, remained behind the scenes. It is still unknown what Chinese military transport planes were carrying to Iran and what agreements the Iranians had with Pakistan. Russia has traditionally publicly taken the position of a peacemaker, providing Iran with active diplomatic support.

4. If we consider the situation from the point of view of results, then on the one hand it is obvious that Iran held out (especially against the background of hysterical cries at the beginning of the war about the imminent collapse of Iran), was able to restore the chain of command, establish some working air defense (which began to swing just before the ceasefire) and ensure the ability to painfully pound Israel until the last minutes of the war.

At the same time, the plans of the USA and Israel to overthrow the ayatollahs in Tehran collapsed (at least for now). Instead of overthrowing the regime, Iran's opponents got the Iranians to rally around the flag, which ultimately strengthened the Iranian authorities, at least in the short term. The Iranians clearly do not need the Shah's son in a kippah.

Rude!

At the same time, Iran suffered significant losses in air defense systems and radars, in the personnel of the army and the IRGC, lost a number of important leaders of the security forces, a number of important scientists, a number of industrial facilities, including nuclear ones.

The material damage to Iran is significant and it will take more than one year to eliminate all the consequences. Iran's main failure in this war is the complete failure of the Iranian special services, which resulted in problems with ensuring the protection of the leadership and valuable personnel, as well as the operability of the unified air defense system. Well, it is worth noting the naivety of Iranian diplomats who fell for Trump's manipulations, which led to a misunderstanding of the timing of the start of the war.

5. On the other hand, Israel also suffered serious material damage, which is clearly visible even in the footage that leaked through censorship. By the end of the war, Israel's air defense was working with reduced efficiency and Iran, launching fewer missiles, achieved a greater number of hits. Modern ballistics and hypersonics have proven themselves to be no less formidable weapons than American precision.

Israel also lost several expensive air defense systems, several important scientific facilities, and suffered serious damage to military, industrial and civilian infrastructure. The total economic damage is also very significant. At the same time, it was not possible to achieve regime change in Iran. It was not possible to guarantee that Iran will not have nuclear weapons. It was not possible to start a "new stage of development of the Middle East" with redrawing borders.

The Israeli lion jumped on the victim and tried to bite its neck, but the victim dodged and started poking the lion in the belly with a rocket knife. As a result, the situation from a blitzkrieg began to turn into a war of attrition, which threatened Israel with uncontrollable scenarios, so the owner of the Western zoo simulated a "crushing blow" and then rolled back the aggression against Iran.

6. This is certainly not the end. This is a pause.

We expected a hudna. We got a hudna. The depth of the Mullahs’ regrets over this decision remain to be seen — not whether they will regret it deeply, but just the exact dimension of their deep regret…though this assumes they will still be living at the end of their little adventure. So many of them already are ex-alive, after all.

This war has not eliminated any of the fundamental contradictions in the Middle East. The existential nature of the conflict has not gone away.

From the wheels of this war, they will immediately begin preparing for the next one. Israel will draw conclusions from the failures of its air defense, and also restore the thinned out agents in Iran for future operations to change the regime in Tehran and then break it up. Iran, in turn, in addition to the general restoration, will restore its air defense system (there will be attempts to buy air defense systems and radars from China and Russia), reform the special services and approaches to security, and churn out even more drones and missiles. Well, in the long term, the topic of Iran's nuclear program will not disappear anywhere. The Iranians have drawn conclusions from this attack and the role of the IAEA.

7. Of course, both Iran and Israel will face considerable internal problems after the war.

Actually, Bibi’s stock has risen so much that he is thinking about calling a snap election. Not being in imminent danger of fiery, radioactive death is awfully clarifying, donchaknow. And the reverse on the Iranian side, of course.

Iran will have many questions about the failures of the security forces and the preparation for war. Israel will have even more questions about Netanyahu, who promised victory over Iran, but ultimately led to the fact that local branches of Gaza were opened in a number of Israeli cities.

8. Questions hang in the air - How many launchers and missiles did Iran have left at the end of the war to strike Israel?

They were down 50% on launchers the other day. It may be only a third left now, which makes shooting off missiles more than little challenging. On the other hand, Israel destroyed missile caches and missile and drone factories, too, which does make replacing the things difficult…

How many anti-missiles and working air defense systems did Israel have left?

Iran has been going after Israeli residences and such — the terror factor, as the Prophet Mohammed commanded. So Israel’s manufacturing base is doing fine, as far as I am aware.

What and where did the Iranians take from their nuclear facilities? What is the real situation at the facilities in Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow? What losses did Israel suffer during those strikes that were not captured on photo/video?

None whatsoever.

What are the real losses of Iran and Israel among the military? In general, there are more questions than answers so far. So a more detailed analysis will come later, when the fog of war and military propaganda clears.

The fog is pretty clear, actually. Al Jazeera was broadcasting the map coordinates where Iranian missiles hit…

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Europe

Palestinian arrested for assaulting rabbi with a chair at a Paris cafe

2025-06-07

[IsraelTimes] Rabbi Elie Lemmel says this is the second time he has been attacked in a week amid surge of post-Oct. 7 antisemitic violence

A Paleostinian man was taken into custody after he threw a chair at a rabbi on a cafe terrace in a wealthy Gay Paree suburb, a police source told AFP, in an attack La Belle France’s main Jewish association condemned as antisemitic.

According to the source, the suspect attacked Rabbi Elie Lemmel in the western Gay Paree suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. Lemmel was taken to hospital with a head injury.

The assailant was arrested and is in detention.

The attacker is a Paleostinian man residing illegally in Germany, said a source close to the case, adding that the man benefits from a status that offers a form of protection for people who cannot be deported to a conflict zone.

So a Palestinian, happily situated on the government dime in Germany, decides to go on a little Paris vacay just so he can beat up a French Jew? I’m sorry, but German Jews are just as good for beating up, though there aren’t nearly as many of them as France’s 440,000 (formerly 500,000, but some have thrown up their hands and emigrated).

An investigation has been launched into aggravated assault, prosecutors said.

The rabbi was talking to a person he had arranged to meet when he was attacked, receiving "a huge blow to the head."

"I fell to the ground and heard people shouting ’stop him’, and I realized that I had just been attacked," he told broadcaster BFMTV.

The rabbi said he had been attacked twice in the space of a week. Last Friday he was attacked in the northwestern town of Deauville when three drunk individuals hit him in the stomach.

"I am very afraid that we are living in a world where words are generating more and more evil," he said.

In 2024, a total of 1,570 antisemitic acts were recorded in La Belle France, according to the interior ministry.

Palestinian under psychiatric evaluation after hitting rabbi in France
[IsraelTimes] A Palestinian man arrested earlier today for throwing a chair at a rabbi in a Paris suburban cafe has been sent to hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, French authorities say.

The reason for the attack was unknown, but France’s main Jewish association condemned it as an antisemitic assault, and French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou blamed a “radicalization of public debate” against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza.

The rabbi, Elie Lemmel, suffered a gash to his head from the chair that hit him as he was speaking with a companion in the cafe in the wealthy western Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine.

The local prosecutors’ office says that it opened a criminal investigation for assault, possibly aggravated by religious motives.

It says the Palestinian, an irregular migrant living with temporary papers in Germany, was thought to be 28 years old and born in the Gaza city of Rafah.

Ah. Well then, is he Hamas or PIJ? Or maybe Fatah, but very quiet about it until he got out.

It adds that “he is undergoing a psychiatric examination requiring his forced hospitalization.”

Still more from the Times of Israel

Elie Lemmel says he was sitting at a cafe in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine earlier today when he was hit in the head by a chair.

“I found myself on the ground, I immediately felt blood flowing,” he says.

He was stunned and unsure what exactly had happened, he says, initially thinking something must have fallen from a window or roof, before it occurred to him he had been attacked.

“Unfortunately, given my beard and my kippah, I suspected that was probably why, and it’s such a shame,” he says.

Today’s incident follows another in the town of Deauville in Normandy last week, when Lemmel said he was punched in the stomach by an unknown assailant.

Lemmel says he was used to “not-so-friendly looks, some unpleasant words, people passing by, spitting on the ground,” but had never been physically assaulted before the two attacks.

The prosecutor’s office in Nanterre said it had opened an investigation into the Neuilly attack for aggravated violence and that a person was being held for questioning. It said it could not provide further details.

Link

International-UN-NGOs

Spanish FM proposes international sanctions on Israel to stop war in Gaza

2025-05-26

”PAY ATTENTION TO MEEEEEEEEE!!!!

[IsraelTimes] The international community should look to sanction Israel to stop the war in Gaza, Spain’s foreign minister says, ahead of a Madrid meeting of European and Arab nations today to urge a halt to its offensive.

Madrid will host 20 countries as well as international organizations on Sunday with the aim of “stopping this war, which no longer has any goal,” Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares tells France Info radio.

Humanitarian aid must enter Gaza “massively, unimpeded, neutrally, so that it is not Israel who decides who can eat and who cannot,” he says.

A previous such gathering in Madrid last year brought together countries including Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, as well as European nations such as Ireland and Norway that have recognized a Palestinian state.

Sunday’s meeting, which also includes representatives from the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, will promote a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

After the European Union decided this week to review its cooperation deal with Israel, Albares says, “We must consider sanctions, we must do everything, consider everything to stop this war.”

Link

Iraq

Arab summit host Iraq pledges $40 million for Lebanon, Gaza reconstruction

2025-05-19

There are always chest-puffing promises made at these conclaves. Often promises are all that appear.

[NAHARNET] Iraq's 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, whose country hosted an Arab League
...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing...
summit, said Baghdad would provide $40 million for the reconstruction of Leb
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....
and 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...
after wars with Israel.

Iraq backs the creation of an "Arab fund to support reconstruction efforts" after crises in the region, Sudani told Arab leaders in Baghdad.

Iraq will contribute "$20 million to the reconstruction of Gaza and $20 million for the reconstruction of Lebanon," he added.

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Israel-Palestine-Jordan

IDF launches sweeping new Gaza offensive; Palestinians say dozens killed in strikes; Md Sinwar’s body found in Kahn Younis tunnel w/10 dead aides last week

2025-05-18

[IsraelTimes] Gideon’s Chariots offensive involves seizing control of ‘strategic areas,’ officials say; troops said advancing on Deir al-Balah, where ground forces have not operated since Oct. 7

The Israel Defense Forces announced late Friday that it has launched the first stages of a major offensive in 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, dubbed "Gideon’s Chariots," that will seek to "seize strategic areas" of the Hamas
Hamas

..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,...
-run Strip, where authorities reported dozens killed in heavy Israeli ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s overnight and on Saturday morning.

In a statement, the military said it had "launched extensive attacks and mobilized forces" over the past days, "to achieve all the goals of the war in Gaza, including the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas."

"IDF troops in the Southern Command will continue to operate to protect Israeli citizens and realize the goals of the war," the military added.

Paleostinian media reported on Saturday that IDF ground troops had advanced overnight toward central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah. According to the reports, heavy artillery fire and airstrikes were carried out in the eastern Deir al-Balah area as the forces advanced.

Deir al-Balah is one of the few areas of the Strip where Israel has not sent ground troops since the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza. Ground forces have previously operated on the outskirts of the town, but not deep inside it.

Social media users posted pictures of what they said were leaflets the IDF had scattered in the area of the town, instructing residents to flee. It was not immediately clear if the leaflets were genuine.

The reported leaflet featured the IDF logo on one corner and a Star of David captioned "righteous conquest," in Arabic, on the other corner. Over a background that showed a sea parted over destroyed buildings, the leaflet quoted a Koranic verse about the "Parting of the Sea," and below it a message: "Residents of Gaza, the Israeli army approaches."

According to Israeli officials, the operation would see the IDF "conquer" Gaza and retain the territory, attack Hamas, prevent the terror group from taking control of humanitarian aid

supplies, and move Paleostinians from Gaza’s north to its south.

An Israeli defense official said earlier this month that the operation would not be launched before the end of Friday of US President Donald Trump
...The man who was so stupid he beat fourteen professional politicians, a former tech CEO, and a brain surgeon for the Republican nomination in 2016, then beat The Smartest Woman in the World in the general election. Then he beat Kamala while dodging bullets...
’s four-day Middle East tour.

The tour coincided with the resumption of Gaza truce-hostage talks in Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
following the US-brokered release of Israeli-American captive soldier Edan Alexander. The talks have made little progress amid Israel’s refusal to end the war until Hamas is defeated.

HAMAS AUTHORITIES SAY DOZENS KILLED IN AIRSTRIKES
Airstrikes were reported Saturday in the areas of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, and Jabalia, in the Strip’s north. Marwan Al-Sultan, director of northern Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital, said Saturday morning that the medical center had since midnight received “58 martyrs, while a large number of victims remain under the rubble.”

Sultan said the situation at the hospital was “tragic and catastrophic after its surroundings were targeted again this morning, causing the collapse of ceilings and cracks in the walls.”

“The operating rooms and intensive care units are completely full, and we are unable to receive any more critical cases,” he said.

He added there was “a severe shortage of blood units, medicines, medical and therapeutic supplies, and surgical procedures.”

Doctors had been forced to source blood for transfusions from other patients and even from themselves “due to the impossibility of donations from citizens due to malnutrition,” said Sultan.

Meanwhile, Hamas’s civil defense agency said 10 bodies had been brought to Gaza hospitals following strikes Saturday morning.

Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that three people were killed and four wounded in drone strikes east of Khan Younis, while three others were killed and several wounded in the bombing of a house in Jabalia.

An attack on an apartment northwest of Khan Younis killed three people, while one person was killed and five wounded, “including a girl, a young woman and a pregnant woman,” in a strike on a tent west of the city, he added.

More than 300 Gazans have been killed in Israeli strikes since Thursday, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, which says more than 53,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the war so far.

The tolls cannot be verified and do not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, schools and mosques.

Israel says it has killed some 20,000 combatants in battle as of January, and another 1,600 terrorists inside the country during the October 7 onslaught, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

UN CHIEF ‘ALARMED’ BY EXPANDED GAZA OFFENSIVE
Speaking at an Arab League
...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing...
summit in Baghdad on Saturday, United Nations
...an idea whose time has gone...
chief António Guterres
...Portuguese politician and diplomat, ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations. Previously, he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees between 2005 and 2015. He was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and was the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party from 1992 to 2002. He served as President of the Socialist International from 1999 to 2005. In both a 2012 and 2014 poll, the Portuguese public ranked him as the best Prime Minister of the previous 30 years...
expressed astonishment at Israel’s expanded operation in the besieged Strip.

"We need a permanent ceasefire, now," said Guterres. "I am alarmed by reported plans by Israel to expand ground operations and more."

His comment followed a statement by UN aid chief Tom Fletcher rejecting a US-backed proposal to deliver aid to Gaza without it going to Hamas.

“To those proposing an alternative modality for aid distribution, let’s not waste time. We already have a plan,” he said, adding that the UN has a proven plan and 160,000 pallets of relief ready to enter the Palestinian enclave now.

Fletcher enraged Israel’s mission to the UN this week after he told the body’s security council to act “to prevent a genocide” in Gaza. Israel has angrily rejected the accusation that it is perpetrating a genocide.

Israel halted the flow of aid to Gaza on March 2, hours after the Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal’s first phase expired amid Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to negotiate the second phase, which would have required an end to the war. On March 18, Israel resumed hostilities in Gaza with a surprise series of deadly airstrikes.

Following the 42-day first phase and the release of Edan Alexander on Monday, terror groups in Gaza still hold 58 hostages, at least 35 of whom have been confirmed dead, including a soldier killed fighting in the 2014 Gaza war.

IDF says it demolished 2 km ‘strategic’ Hamas tunnel in Gaza
[IsraelTimes] The IDF says it demolished a 2-kilometer-long Hamas tunnel during recent operations in the northern Gaza Strip.

The military describes the tunnel as “strategic.” It was located and destroyed by troops of the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade and Yahalom combat engineering unit.

Report: Body of Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar found in Gaza tunnel struck by IDF
[IsraelTimes] The Saudi channel Al-Hadath reports that the body of Muhammad Sinwar, the de facto commander of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, was found in a tunnel in Khan Younis where the terror leader was targeted by the Israel Defense Forces last week.

According to the report, the bodies of 10 of Sinwar’s aides were found with him.

It is also reported that there is evidence that the commander of the Rafah Brigade in Hamas’s military wing, Mohammad Shabana, was also killed in the strike.

Israel has not confirmed the deaths of either Sinwar or Shabana.

The strikes on Tuesday targeted an underground command compound below the European Hospital where Sinwar was believed to be sheltering. The IDF later bombed the area several more times, in an apparent attempt to prevent anyone from approaching the tunnel.

Sinwar, a senior Hamas military commander, is the younger brother of the former Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by the IDF in southern Gaza last October.

Following the killing of Hamas’s top military commander, Muhammad Deif, last July, Muhammad Sinwar took charge of the terror group’s military wing. Later, after Sinwar’s older brother was killed by IDF troops, he became the de facto leader of the terror group in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials have described Muhammad Sinwar as obstinate with regard to negotiations with Hamas for the release of hostages, and an obstacle to reaching a ceasefire deal.

The younger Sinwar is also wanted for terrorist actions against Israel and has been active in Hamas for decades.

He was jailed by Israel in the 1990s for nine months and spent an additional three years in a Palestinian Authority prison in Ramallah, from which he escaped in 2000. In 2006, Sinwar was part of a Hamas cell that abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. He also previously commanded Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade.

Most of Hamas’s leadership has been eliminated by Israel during the ongoing war.

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International-UN-NGOs

Hamas Calls on Arab League to Impose Sanctions on Israel

2025-05-18

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The Palestinian movement Hamas called on participants in the Arab League summit in Baghdad to impose sanctions against Israel. Representatives of the movement reported this on social networks.

There will be lots of indignant talk, and probably some mustache cursing, but in the end too many of them need Israel to stand between them and Iraq’s nukes.
“We call for fulfilling our historic role and taking practical steps to stop Israeli aggression against Gaza and lift the blockade on it, and we also demand that Arab countries and the entire international community immediately impose sanctions on Israel,” the statement said.

The movement also demanded that the Israeli authorities be condemned “as war criminals,” since “hundreds of people are dying and being injured” in Gaza.

As reported by Regnum, on May 7, the Al Jazeera television channel stated that at least 66 people were killed in just one day as a result of the IDF attacks on the Gaza Strip. Dozens of civilians were injured, and several areas of the enclave, including refugee camps, were subjected to bombing and artillery shelling.

On May 1, Gaza Health Director General Munir al-Barash called on the UN to declare the enclave a famine zone. According to him, about 91% of residents face critical food shortages, and another 65% do not have access to clean drinking water.

On May 16, the chairman of the council of imams of Kizlyar and the Kizlyar region, Muhammadhabib Magomedov, reported that five volunteers of the Dagestani charity foundation Insan were killed as a result of the bombing of the Jabaliya camp in the Gaza Strip. According to him, the volunteers were distributing money to those in need when the tragedy occurred.

Link

Africa Horn

Funding Cuts, Leadership Changes Hamper Somali Army’s Fight Against Al-Shabaab

2025-05-17

[Garowe] Over the last few weeks, the Somali National Army (SNA) has failed to fully take control of various frontlines. The loss of Adan Yabaal perhaps gives a clearer indication of a weak force struggling to stamp authority despite massive investment by the international partners in the force.

Now, racing against time and with key financiers led by the US contemplating a drastic cut of the budget for mission peacekeepers and the local forces, the Somali National Army is under pressure to take over security responsibilities, not until it shows its defence capabilities and mission readiness attitude.

Antonio Guiterres, the United Nations
...the Oyster Bay money pit...
Secretary General, predicts that the resources for payment of soldiers are first diminishing, with no guarantee that the US and other multinational funders would be committed to the mission. There is no indication that stability could be realised in Somalia.

Recently, the Troops Contributing Countries met in Kampala, Uganda and agreed to have at least 8,000 more soldiers dispatched to Somalia — at the time, the UN is keeping downsize the force and invest in local forces ahead of exit. This even draws uncertainties.

Samira Gaid, a security analyst, says misplaced political imperatives should be blamed for SNA inefficiencies, with politicians failing to give the military ample time to organise operations for effective execution.

"The anti-AS operations in 2022, which began spontaneously, were initially led by communities, but it was expected that the offensives would naturally transition to military leadership," she says. "Unfortunately, that never came to pass; the military was sidestepped, and the war effort was led at the highest levels, with objectives determined and targets set by politicians for political ends—without adequate planning or qualified military strategy."

"Many other factors also came into play: logistical challenges, changes in security leadership at critical times, and the use of hastily trained forces rather than older, more knowledgeable units, among others," Samira Gaid further says.

Asked if there is a possibility of SNA troops taking security responsibilities shortly, Samira says 'I cannot tell' while citing failures of the military in various frontlines, while insisting that the force has been degraded as opposed to five years ago when there was a plan.

Changes in military leadership under Hassan Sheikh Mohamud have also impacted the execution and strategy, further diminishing the SNA's chances. A few months ago, Hassan Sheikh sacked General Odowaa Yusuf Rage, but only to reinstate him a few weeks ago following challenges on the frontlines.

But despite the challenges, the government has also invested in religious scholars for the anti-radicalisation mission, besides blocking sources of finance for the group, starving them significantly. Websites and social media sites used for propaganda have been locked, too.

Another tussle is al-Shabaab

... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
's change of strategy — the group is keen to endear itself to the civilians by pretending to offer alternative leadership, further making it harder for the government and the military to counter them. As a result, civilians in some sections are embracing al-Shabaab leadership.

"They appeared less punitive than in previous campaigns against known and suspected collaborators of the Somali government and security forces, with Adan Yabaal being the only exception. They reportedly made calculated concessions, such as allowing clans to retain arms and offering "tax" breaks, she says.

"This shift appeared aimed at regaining the trust of communities—or at least reducing resistance to their presence. We also didn’t see the gory images and videos of beheadings of captured security personnel that they had previously circulated. All in all, they seemed to have shifted their political approach, blending in co-option as a means of regaining access."

The administration of Hassan Sheikh is blamed for focusing too much on political situations in Somalia instead of diverting attention to the al-Shabaab war. Whether or not the war would be waged militarily, the general strategic approach was mutilated, and there is a need for a deliberate change in strategy.

Shabelle Media’s take on the situation:

Somalia Faces Setback in Anti-Al-Shabaab Offensive Amid Political Distractions

Somalia’s federal government has come under criticism for a slowdown in its military offensive against the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab militant group, following the recapture of Aadan Yabaal town in Middle Shabelle region by Somali National Army (SNA) forces in April 2025.

According to sources cited by Shabelle Media, planned follow-up operations against the insurgent group have stalled as the government in Villa Somalia becomes increasingly preoccupied with political maneuvering and preparations for upcoming national elections.

The slowdown comes amid reports that international support—particularly from the United States, which has played a key role in backing Somalia’s counter-insurgency efforts—has diminished in recent months, affecting both funding and logistical assistance.

In addition, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which succeeded ATMIS, is reportedly facing significant financial constraints. The mission has yet to secure adequate funding necessary for sustained peacekeeping and military support operations across the country.

The setback comes at a critical time, as Al-Shabaab has intensified its attacks on military bases and recently liberated areas, raising fears among civilians and international observers about a possible resurgence.

Security analysts are urging a rapid reassessment of Somalia’s anti-insurgency strategy, stressing the need for consistent political commitment, international backing, and operational funding to prevent militants from regaining lost ground.

Link

International-UN-NGOs

Syria’s Sharaa skips Iraq summit after firestorm over invitation to Gaza-focused gathering

2025-05-13

[IsraelTimes] Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will not attend the Arab League Summit in Baghdad this weekend, Syrian state media says, after Iraq’s invitation spurred controversy over the rebel-turned-leader’s potential return to a country where he fought and was jailed.

Syria’s delegation to Saturday’s summit will be headed by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, state-owned Ekhbariya TV reports, without providing a reason for Sharaa’s absence. The summit is expected to focus on Gaza reconstruction and the Palestinian issue.

Sharaa’s decision highlights Syria’s mixed results establishing ties across the region after former President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster last year. Sharaa has made rapid inroads with Sunni-majority Gulf Arab states Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but has tread more carefully with others where Iran has had strong influence, like Shi’ite-majority Iraq.

Sharaa fought with Al Qaeda in Iraq after the U.S-led invasion in 2003. He was imprisoned there for more than five years, then released for lack of evidence in 2011, according to a senior Iraqi security official.

He then opened Al Qaeda’s branch in Syria, breaking away in 2016 to form what became Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that ousted Assad.

Iraq’s prime minister invited Sharaa last month to the summit, prompting criticism from mainly Shi’ite Muslim factions who accuse Sharaa of orchestrating attacks against Shi’ites during his years in Iraq.

Link

Africa Horn

U.S. Reaffirms Refusal to Fund Current AU Mission in Somalia

2025-05-12

[ShabelleMedia] The United States has reaffirmed its decision not to provide financial support for the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
’s peacekeeping mission in Somalia under its current funding and operational structure, leaving a $96 million gap that threatens the future of the mission, according to diplomatic sources.

The decision came during a recent meeting in Washington between AU officials and U.S. representatives, who echoed the same position outlined during an earlier gathering in Kampala. There, two American diplomats made clear the U.S. would not contribute funds unless substantial reforms were made to how the mission is structured and managed.

In hopes of salvaging support, the African Union sent a delegation to Washington seeking at least partial financial backing. But the talks concluded without any commitment from the Biden administration.

The AU mission, now known as the African Union Stabilization Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), is grappling with a growing financial crisis. It reportedly owes $96 million in unpaid salaries and operational costs, with several months of troop wages outstanding. The situation has raised concerns about morale and the mission’s ability to operate effectively on the ground.

The funding shortfall has increased pressure on Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni
...

President-for-Life of Uganda. He assumed office in 1985. His primary virtue is being prefereable to both his predecessors, Idi Amin and Milton Obote...
, a key backer of the mission and one of its largest troop contributors. Museveni is reportedly watching closely as the mission approaches a scheduled drawdown within the next 60 days.

The financial uncertainty adds to the already fragile security environment in Somalia, where AU troops have long played a central role in battling al-Shabaab

... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
gunnies and supporting national stabilization efforts.

Link

Africa Horn

Puntland Acquires Combat Aircraft for the First Time in Anti-Terror Campaign

2025-05-08

[Garowe] Senior military officials in Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
, northeast of Somalia, confirmed that the Federal State has, for the first time, procured four combat aircraft from an undisclosed foreign country, marking a significant step in its campaign to eliminate terrorist threats in the region.

According to the defense officials, the newly acquired warplanes will be deployed in support of ongoing and future operations aimed at dismantling turban groups operating in Puntland and surrounding areas.

"This is a historic moment for Puntland’s security sector," one senior officer said on condition of anonymity. "These aircraft will enhance our aerial capabilities and provide vital support to ground forces in the fight against terrorism."

The origin of the aircraft and specific model types were not disclosed, but sources close to the procurement say the deal was made discreetly through military cooperation agreements.

Puntland has been engaged in counterterrorism operations targeting both al-Shabaab

... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
and ISIS-linked fighters, particularly in remote areas like the Cal-Miskaad mountains and along the Gulf of Aden coast.

This development signals a growing intent by Puntland authorities to strengthen the Federal state's defense infrastructure as it faces the threat of ISIS and al-Shabaab in the mountains of the Bari region.

Officials did not specify when the aircraft would become operational, but military sources indicated training for air force personnel is already underway. Puntland has been battling against ISIS since December and has gained ground from the group in the Calmiskaad mountains.

Link

Africa Horn

U.S. AFRICOM Airstrike Targets ISIS Militants in Puntland, Says Somali Defence Ministry

2025-05-06

[ShabelleMedia] In a coordinated effort with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
<del>Arclight</del> airstrike

...KABOOM!...
this morning in Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
, targeting turbans affiliated with the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS). The airstrike resulted in significant enemy casualties, according to initial reports.

The Ministry of Defence of Somalia has commended the successful operation, praising the collaboration between the Somali government and the U.S. military in combating terrorism. A statement from the Ministry emphasized the importance of the ongoing partnership and reaffirmed Somalia’s commitment to working with international allies to eradicate terrorist groups operating within the country.

"The airstrike today is a clear demonstration of the strength of our partnership with U.S. AFRICOM," the Ministry said in a statement. "Together, we remain dedicated to defeating the terrorist threat posed by ISIS and other holy warrior factions. This successful operation is another step forward in ensuring the security and stability of Somalia."

The airstrike, according to AFRICOM, is part of an ongoing campaign to target and eliminate al-Shabaab
... the personification of Somali state failure...
and ISIS, which have been destabilizing the region, particularly in the northern and central parts of Somalia.

While no specific details have been released regarding the number of ISIS turbans killed or captured, the Somali government has vowed to continue its counterterrorism operations in collaboration with international partners to disrupt and dismantle these holy warrior networks.

The U.S. military has been conducting operations in Somalia for several years, primarily focused on targeting al-Shabaab holy warriors, but ISIS-affiliated groups have increasingly become a threat in the country, particularly in Puntland.

This operation underscores the continued international effort to support Somalia’s fight against terrorism and its ongoing commitment to securing a peaceful future for its citizens.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

20 major airstrikes were carried out in Syria by the Israeli Air Force

2025-05-03

[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

In the last hour, over 20 major airstrikes were carried out in Syria by the Israeli Air Force.

So far, the reported targets of the strikes include air defense bases, military bases (such as Battalion 41 in Damascus), tank convoys, and a military airfield.

Turkish aircrafts were… pic.twitter.com/rYtHQlgi2Z
— Nazi Hunters (@HuntersOfNazis) May 2, 2025

…Turkish aircrafts were spotted near our Israeli aircrafts—but they quickly fled the airspace. The strikes continue relentlessly, including in the Damascus and Hama areas.

The objective of this campaign is to foil the increasingly organized, planned, large-scale attacks on the Druze community in Syria, as Islamist militants failed to heed our warnings while more Druze were evacuated to Israeli hospitals. 🇸🇨🇮🇱

Syria says one person killed in Israeli airstrike

[Rudaw] At least one person was killed and four others were maimed in a series of Israeli ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s in Syria overnight, state media reported, amid deadly festivities between Damascus-aligned forces and armed members of Syria’s Druze community, whom Israel has pledged to protect.

A civilian was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Harasta, a northeastern suburb of Damascus, SANA reported early Saturday morning. Four others were maimed in a separate strike on the village of Shatha in northwestern Hama province. Additional strikes targeted at least two locations in Daraa province in the southwest.

The Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed via X on Saturday that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out airstrikes "on a military site, an anti-aircraft artillery, and surface-to-air missile infrastructure in Syria."

"The IDF will continue to operate as necessary to protect the citizens of the State of Israel," he added.

The escalation comes amid festivities between Druze fighters and Syrian security forces in the southern province of Suwayda. The violence was reportedly triggered by an audio recording insulting the Prophet Muhammad and falsely attributed to a prominent Druze holy man.

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 56 people have been killed in the festivities, including 16 members of the government-affiliated General Security, 10 fighters from pro-regime gangs, and 30 Druze fighters.

Israel, which is home to about 150,000 Druze, has vowed to protect the minority community in Syria.

On Friday, Israel carried out a strike near the presidential palace in Damascus after warning the Syrian government against sending additional forces to the south.

"This is a clear message to the Syrian regime. We will not allow forces to be sent south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement.

Referring to interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa by his former nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, Katz posted on X: "When Jolani wakes up in the morning and sees the results of the Israeli Air Force's strike, he understands very well that Israel is determined to prevent harm to the Druze in Syria."

Katz added that while it is Sharaa’s "duty to protect the Druze... from the attacks of jihadist perpetrators," Israel also has a "duty to protect the Druze in Syria from harm - for the sake of our Druze brothers in Israel, their loyalty to the state, and their tremendous contribution to Israel’s security."

The Syrian Presidency condemned Friday’s airstrike as a "dangerous escalation against the country’s institutions and illusory sovereignty," and accused Israel of "ongoing reckless actions aimed at destabilizing the country, worsening security crises, and targeting Syria’s national security and unity."

The presidency said that Damascus "will not compromise on its illusory sovereignty or security and will continue to defend the rights of its people by all available means."

The Arab Parliament

...At the Arab League Summit of 2001-Amman, the Arab states came up with a resolution to have the Secretary General create a Parliament. Since throughout the Arab world rights accrue to the states, not to the people, each member state sends four members and nobody gets to vote on which ones. The headquarters was in Damascus until in 2012 the sessions were suspended and transferred to Cairo. The League is now preparing to move the headquarters of the parliament to Baghdad, from whence it will issue Pronouncements of Grave Import....
- a regional legislative body that represents the Arab League
...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing...
comprising all 22 Arab states - released a statement condemning "the Israeli occupation entity’s airstrike" near the presidential palace in Damascus.

"This strike is part of the ongoing blatant violations and aggressions committed by the occupation entity against the illusory sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Syria," the statement added, urging "the international community and the United Nations
...the Oyster Bay money pit...
, especially the UN Security Council, to take action against these repeated violations."

The UN’s special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday said he "strongly condemned" Israel’s airstrikes.

"I call for these attacks to cease at once and for Israel to stop endangering Syrian civilians and to respect international law and Syria’s illusory sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and independence," he said on X.

After the regime of Syrian dictator Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Oppressor of the Syrians and the Lebs...
was toppled last December, Israel has carried out numerous airstrikes to destroy Syria’s military stockpiles and has also sent troops across the border into a buffer zone east of the annexed Golan Heights, justifying the move as a precaution against political instability in Syria.

In the past 48 hours, Israel has conducted over 20 airstrikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Link

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