This past week has been so full of fast-paced, constantly-changing news, that there is no way that I can adequately cover it in this article. So, I will give you highlights with suitable links. However, through my continuously updating Telegram Channel you will be able to follow all the important events related to Israel, the Middle East, and the world.
Two days ago I posted from London a very important Special Middle East Update. It gives much more detail to the four biggest stories below than I can give in written form. I would highly encourage you to watch it.
When Israel learned of a plot already set in motion by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) to employ an anti-tank missile in a terrorist attack, they decided to follow the old Talmudic philosophy that says, “If someone is coming to kill you, rise up and kill them first.” Thus, Operation Breaking Dawn was born. By the time it was done, 170 PIJ targets had been attacked and 12 top commanders had been killed. In response, 1100 rockets were fired across the border from Gaza into Israel. In an eventuality that can only be credited to the hand of God, not one Israeli was killed or severely wounded in the constant hail of missiles. The conflict continued until a truce brokered by Egypt went into effect at 11:30 PM on August 7.
It is not surprising that the Ezekiel 38 trio of Russia, Iran, and Turkey each hypocritically condemned Israel’s actions, particularly considering the PIJ is Iran’s proxy militia in Gaza. What’s interesting is who didn’t condemn the actions – the Sunni Gulf States. Also of note, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis all kept out of the fight. Apparently, the PIJ does not have as many friends as they believed. Sadly, as mentioned above, the IDF and the Israeli government quickly took credit for the operation, ignoring the obvious supernatural work of God in the action. In an interesting follow-up, Israel has announced that it is in early trials of an airplane-borne laser system for perimeter protection. This system is much more mobile and accurate than the ground-based kinetic launchers.
Citing travel restrictions by the US and its ally nations, Russia has announced that it is temporarily withdrawing from the 1994 START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) nuclear arms control agreement. Now there is no control or supervision over Russia’s nuclear arsenal. On the plus side, Russia has promised to continue to abide by the rules of the treaty, even offering the internationally accepted “pinkie swear”. It is unclear whether the western nations have accepted this offer.
The day US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi departed from her visit to Taiwan, China began a four-day exercise in which they encircled the island nation. The good news is that they completed the military exercise after only one two-day extension. The bad news is that they will continue regular patrols around Taiwan. Many sources continue to be concerned that China is preparing an invasion. Whether Beijing actually sends its military in or not, it is obvious that they are going to make Taipei pay the price for Pelosi’s unwanted visit. Meanwhile, almost daily, Chinese aircraft are violating the airspace of Taiwan. In response, the Taiwanese military carried out live fire exercises on Monday simulating a defense of the island against a Chinese attack.
In an unprecedented act against a former president, the FBI raided President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. Executing a search warrant, their reasoning was that they were searching for classified documents Trump supposedly took from the White House. The Deep State is being operated by elements that do not want Trump to run again, and they have power in all branches of government to try to keep him off the ballot. Sources from the White House stated that current President Joe Biden was unaware of the FBI raid, to which many in America responded, “What? How can the sitting President of the United States not be aware…oh, wait…uh, never mind.”
The terrorist regime in Tehran is taking full advantage of the gas feud between Russia and Europe. “This winter is very important for Europeans and the world and they should think about it now,” said Iran’s Oil Minister Javad Owji. He continued, reminding the soon-to-be gas-starved European market that Iran holds the world’s largest oil and gas reserves, and Tehran is ready to let it flow at pre-sanction levels. Once again, points go to the bad guys, while the good guys are still trying to figure out the rule book.
In the same way that Iran is getting it over on the West in energy, Tehran is holding all the cards when it comes to the nuclear deal. Hossein Salami, commander of the IRGC, said Iran shouldn’t agree to a nuclear agreement. Why would they? According to a Thursday speech by Salami, the country has already overcome the US sanctions. In addition, he claims, their terrorist proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah, has more than 100,000 missiles currently aimed at Israel. In a separate tirade, Commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force Ismael Qaani emphasized on Friday Hezbollah’s ultimate goal, saying, “Hezbollah’s sons are making plans to bring down the last blow against the Zionist regime…and to realize the wish of Imam Khomeini to eradicate Israel from the map and the face of the Earth.”
Several days after these statements, twenty trucks under heavy security by the IRGC crossed the Iraq/Syria border. If they complete their journey, it is quite possible that General Salami will have to update his missile tally to 101,000.
Not all was duckies and bunnies for the IRGC last week. Shahram Poursafi, a member of the Revolutionary Guard, was taken into custody by the FBI and accused yesterday by the Department of Justice of offering $300,000 for the assassination of former National Security Advisor John Bolton. The murder-for-hire plot was apparently in retaliation for the January 2020 killing of Quds Commander Qassem Soleimani. Soon after this first plot was revealed, word came that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was also on Poursafi’s hit list. His price was $1 million. I wasn’t surprised at the addition of Pompeo’s name; I had reported on a plot to assassinate him months ago. The White House was quick to issue a statement reassuring the public that this assassination plot won’t affect the resumption of Iran nuclear talks. Oy vey!
The bad week for terrorists wasn’t just in Gaza. On Monday in Yemen, a failed ballistic missile launch in the capital city of Sana’a caused a massive, deadly explosion. A second failed attempt in a nearby arms depot caused even more destruction. You have to appreciate the logic: “There’s a problem with our missile launcher, because it just killed a whole bunch of people. So, let’s try it again, only this time surrounded by tons of ammunition and explosives.” All told, six Iranian and Lebanese experts associated with Hezbollah were killed, as were dozens of Houthi rebels.
One last terrorist who met his just reward last week was top Pakistani Taliban leader Abdul Wali. Killed along with three other important Talibani commanders in a roadside attack, the speculation is that this may have been part of an internal rift aimed at stalling peace talks with Pakistan.
Finally, the Bank of England raised its rates to a 27 year high. Along with the spike, many British economists are warning of inflation reaching 13.3%, the highest since 1980. There is a financial storm coming in Europe, which will likely spread around the globe.
