Saturday, March 16, 2024

"Wars, and Rumors Of War: The Middle East"

Full screen recommended.
Times Of India, 3/16/24
"Hypersonic Missiles Fuel Houthis' Rampage In Red Sea,
 Iran Gifts “Fattah” For Red Sea War"
"In a significant escalation of tensions, the Houthis claim to have bolstered their arsenal with hypersonic missiles, as reported by Russian state-owned media. The reported upgrade comes after weeks of speculation and hints from the Houthis regarding "surprises." Although unconfirmed, media speculates Iran's potential involvement in providing the arsenal, given the Houthis' limited infrastructure and technical capabilities. The hypersonic missile, dubbed "Fattah I," unveiled by Iran in June 2023, boasts impressive features, including an operational range of 1,400 km and the ability to bypass missile shields and interceptors. While the Houthis have yet to confirm the reports, unverified sources suggest modifications to the warheads with explosives. Additionally, Iran has consistently denied arming the Houthis, despite threats to expand attacks. The situation raises concerns about the potential impact on regional stability and the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Yemen."
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"Houthis 'Test Hypersonic Missile, Plan Attacks On Israel' 
After Warning US, UK Of Red Sea 'Surprise'"
"Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group carried out a test flight of a hypersonic missile with high destructive capability, concerning the West. The Houthi rebels are reportedly preparing to add hypersonic missiles to their military arsenal, Sputnik quoted sources as saying. The group modified its explosive warheads to double their destructive power after a test that lasted three months, as per Russian state media RIA. The Sputnik source said the Houthis want to use the hypersonic missiles to hit ships in the Red Sea, as well as targets inside the Jewish state."
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Task & Purpose, 3/16/24
"Iran’s Missile Force is a Nightmare"
"Iran has the largest and most capable ballistic missile arsenal in the middle east. The Islamic Republic is the first country to develop a 2,000 km range missile before developing a nuclear weapon, giving them the ability to accurately strike anywhere in the middle east including Israel and eastern europe. According to their own Ministry of Defense, Iran ranks 6th in the world for missile production. To give you an idea of how the missile program is viewed in Iran take a look at this public billboard on display in the country written in Persian, Arabic, and Hebrew. It shows their new hypersonic missile and it says “400 seconds to Tel-aviv” Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. the former head of U.S. Central Command said this to the Senate Armed Services Committee last year. “Iran has over 3,000 ballistic missiles of various types, some of which can reach Tel Aviv, Over the last five to seven years, they have invested heavily in the ballistic missile program. Their missiles have significantly greater range and significantly enhanced accuracy.”
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"War With Hezbollah To Be
'Israel's' Deadliest: 130-page Israeli Report"
An Israeli report underlines that the Israeli occupation has no
chance in the face of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon
as the latter's capabilities would rapidly overwhelm "Tel Aviv".
By Al Mayadeen

"The potential war between the Israeli occupation and Lebanon's Hezbollah holds a grim reality for the Israeli occupation, as it would be the most devastating war it has gone through since its inception, as per a three-year study conducted by hundreds of experts at the Counter-Terrorism Policy Institute at Reichman University. Israeli news outlet Calcalist shed light on the grim analysis of the potential war, which warns of unprecedented destruction and bloodshed in a conflict that could surpass the Israeli occupation's worst fears.

The exhaustive 130-page report was a collaborative effort of six think tank teams, consisting of 100 experts, former military and security officials, academics, and government officials. Notably, the team was led by Professor Boaz Ganor, a globally recognized pioneer in so-called "terrorism research" and the current president of Reichman University.

The report delves into critical aspects, including the readiness of the Israeli forces and the home front for a multi-front war. Key contributors to the study include Reserve Major General Aharon Ze'evi Farkash, Reserve Major General Isaac Ben-Israel, Reserve Brigadier Generals Zeev Zuk Ram and Betzalel Treiber, Reserve Colonel Eran Makov, Haim Tomer, and former Justice Minister Dan Meridor.

Despite the gravity of the findings, Calcalist suggests that doubts surround the timing of the report's release, hinting at possible concealment or manipulation. Ganor reportedly presented the report to various Israeli military and political leaders in the months leading up to the Palestinian Resistance's October 7 operation. However, the attempts to alert security agencies and decision-makers were allegedly unsuccessful, according to the Israeli media outlet.

The report was presented to senior Israeli officials over the span of 40 meetings with figures as high-ranking as former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Security Minister Moshe Ya'alon, and former Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, among others. Professor Ganor expressed his disappointment in failing to secure meetings with more high-profile figures like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi, and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, despite multiple requests.

Of particular concern is the claim that only the findings of five think tank teams were made public, with the section prepared by the sixth team, focusing on aspects related to a potential Israeli preemptive attack, remaining strictly confidential.

Hellfire to rain down on 'Israel': Ganor's report suggests that the war, anticipated to erupt from the north, will be overwhelmingly intense for the Israeli occupation, with Hezbollah launching a whopping 2,500 to 3,000 missiles per day. (Col. Douglas Macgregor states that Hezbollah has 150,000 missiles.) This barrage includes both statistically inaccurate rocket artillery and high-precision long-range missiles.

Periodically, Hezbollah is expected to unleash massive salvos targeting specific areas, such as crucial Israeli military bases or cities in the key "Gush Dan" region, where hundreds of rockets could rain down in a single day. The relentless assault is projected to persist day after day, extending over three weeks from the outbreak of hostilities. The report warns that the resulting destruction will be unprecedented, accompanied by thousands of casualties on both the front lines and among Israeli settlers within occupied Palestine, sparking a state of panic and disarray.

One of the primary objectives of Hezbollah's prospective operations, as highlighted by Ganor, is to undermine the Israeli forces' air defense system. Precision ammunition and low-flying aerial devices, including drones, gliders, and cruise missiles, are expected to inflict material damage and target Iron Dome batteries.

The pace of the barrage will present unprecedented challenges to Israeli capabilities, depleting reserves of interception missiles for the Iron Dome and David's Sling within the early days of the conflict. The Israeli occupation could be left exposed to thousands of rocket and missile attacks without an effective and reliable defensive mechanism.

Simultaneously, Hezbollah aims to sabotage the activities of the Israeli Air Force and limit its operational capabilities as heavy precision missiles will be directed at takeoff runways within specific timeframes to hinder repair efforts and aerial offensives. Intensive fire will target hangars storing military aircraft and precision missiles with explosive warheads will strike sensitive infrastructure, including power stations, electricity-related facilities, desalination plants, and transportation facilities in Haifa and "Ashdod", the report underlined.

The report's research team also issued a dire warning that a swarm of dozens of suicide drones flying at very low altitudes would target critical assets within occupied Palestine. These include weapons facilities, emergency storage facilities for the Israeli occupation forces, and hospitals that would be needed for the unprecedented casualties that would be incurred.

The assault won't be limited to physical attacks; critical transportation infrastructure, communication channels, and sites related to government ministries and local authorities are expected to face widespread cyberattacks, posing a serious risk of disrupting the economy.

Hezbollah, allies to overwhelm 'Israel': The report highlights that chaos is expected to escalate within the Israeli occupation as Hezbollah prepares to send hundreds of fighters from the Radwan force into Israeli territories. Their primary objective would be to gain control of settlements along the border area with Lebanon and strategic military sites in the northern region. This would force the Israeli army to divert its efforts from immediate operations in Lebanon, engaging in ground maneuvers to counter the imminent threat.

Internally, the Israeli public is anticipated to face challenges in receiving updated and reliable information about the unfolding situation, leading to a loss of trust in messages relayed by official sources. The potential for panic and fear is expected to intensify due to the significant number of casualties, extensive damage, disruptions in power and water supply, delays in the arrival of rescue and relief forces, and difficulties in obtaining essential services such as food and medicine.

Hezbollah plans to exacerbate panic and confusion through continuous psychological warfare, flooding the media and social networks with threats and information that deepen internal divisions. Additionally, those seeking to escape from occupied Palestine may discover that the country's air links with the world have been severed.

Ganor, a prominent figure in the region, pointed out that the Israeli public's expectations of the Air Force and intelligence formations preventing the majority of guided missile strikes on the Israeli occupation are likely to be disproven. The assumption that an intensive Israeli attack on strategically important properties in Lebanon will force Hezbollah to cease fire is also expected to be proven wrong.

Hezbollah will not be alone in this battle, as the report warns of involvement from organizations across the region. Resistance factions in Syria and Iraq, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, as well as Ansar Allah in Yemen, are expected to contribute to what the report describes as a "violent and extensive upheaval." The upheaval in question will include disruptions in the West Bank and among Palestinians of '48, with rioting in mixed cities, challenges in war perception for the public, and the lowering of expectations from the army and rescue forces.

The report concludes by outlining vulnerabilities and pinpointing weaknesses in the Israeli forces and society. It challenges the expectations of the public and a significant portion of the leadership, stating that the effective Israeli Air Force and intelligence formations might not prevent the majority of missile strikes from reaching occupied Palestinian territories. Similarly, the assumption that extensive attacks on strategically important properties in Lebanon would force Hezbollah to cease fire is expected to be inaccurate.

In a related context, a former Shin Bet official Dvir Karev told Israeli Channel 13 that "Israel" is currently in its third war with Lebanon and that Hezbollah has much more power than Hamas, both in weapons and in force. He questioned whether the IOF's power could be sufficient against Hezbollah and expressed hope that the confrontations would remain at a low level, acknowledging the many Israeli casualties."

Stipendium peccati mors est, Israel...

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