Israeli Airstrike on Damascus
When I was awakened at 1:30 AM on Monday morning to the sound of five F-16s taking off from nearby Ramat David Airbase, I was pretty sure I knew where they were going. Sure enough, I later saw that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) had struck the Damascus International Airport where they put two runways temporarily out of commission and hit a weapons cache that had arrived from Iran. The attack also hit a holy site in the suburbs of the capital city where more weapons were being stored. Two Syrian soldiers were killed and two more were wounded. For more information about this attack, watch my Breaking News Update from Monday.
UN General Assembly Passes Another Resolution Against Israel
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed another of its meaningless resolutions requesting the International Court of Justice to weigh in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israeli “annexation”, and the “legal status of the occupation.” Promoted by the Palestinians, this is the 141st resolution against Israel that has come out of the UNGA just since 2015. Sadly for the rest of the globe, they has fallen way behind when it comes to UNGA condemnation, only managing to muster 68 negative resolutions worldwide in the same timespan. The nation of Israel promised to give the resolution the attention that it deserves, then everyone went out for falafel.
Main Obstacle for Peace Between Israel and Saudi Arabia is the Biden Administration
The surprising relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia keeps growing. But there is an unlikely impediment to a peace deal being signed between the two nations. It’s the Biden administration. The Saudis recognize the closeness between Israel and the US, and they simply don’t trust an administration that was so eager to cut a deal with Iran. However, they also recognize that Israel is the one nation that is as concerned about a nuclear Iran as they are. It will be interesting to see if newly installed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is able to forge a peace agreement with this former enemy. Remember, prophetically speaking, Sheba and Dedan (Saudi Arabia) will not fight against Israel, but will instead protest the attacks on the nation.
Chief Rabbi of Moscow Who Fled Russia Suggests Other Jews Do the Same
Exiled Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Pinchas Goldschmidt, is encouraging Russia’s 165,000 Jews to flee the country while they still can. Russian Jews in the Tsarist and Stalinist eras were often made the scapegoats during difficult times, and the rabbi sees the real potential of this happening again. “We’re seeing rising antisemitism while Russia is going back to a new kind of Soviet Union, and step by step the iron curtain is coming down again,” Goldschmidt said. “This is why I believe the best option for Russian Jews is to leave.”
Deadly Ukrainian Strike on Russian Troops Blamed on Cell Phone Usage
A vocational college building that had been converted to a temporary barracks for Russian soldiers in Makiivka in the Donetsk region was hit by four rockets on New Years Day. The resulting detonation of the ammunition stored in the basement caused the building to be demolished. Russia puts their death toll at 89, while Ukraine says it is closer to 600. The truth is likely somewhere in the middle. Russian officials blamed the unauthorized usage of cell phones by its troops which allowed the Ukrainian military to target the building.
Russia’s War on Ukrainian Civilians
Ukrainian officials report that Russia launched a cruise missile attack on civilian areas of Kyiv on New Year’s Eve. At least one person was killed in the barrage. Earlier that same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded the Order of St. George medal to General Sergei Surovikin, which is the nation’s highest purely military decoration. Obviously, Putin is happy with the general’s civilian-oriented tactics aimed at destroying Ukraine’s infrastructure, especially its electrical grid.
UK to put IRGC on Terrorist List
The United Kingdom is poised to place Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on its list of terrorist organizations within weeks. The move comes as the result of credible evidence that the IRGC intended to kidnap or assassinate British citizens or UK-based civilians who they claim were stirring up the protests in Iran. “We have seen at least 10 such potential threats since January [2022] alone,” said MI5 Director Ken McCallum.
Iran Condemns Another Protestor
Mehdi Bahman, a well-known author and illustrator, was sentenced to death by the Iranian regime on Monday. He was arrested in October, after the Iranian protests had begun, ostensibly for espionage after he gave an interview critical of the government to an Israeli news station back in April. He is reportedly being taken to Tehran’s notoriously violent Evin Prison to await his execution.
Political Chaos in Washington, D.C.
It’s been more than a century since the US has seen this kind of political chaos in Washington, D.C., as the House of Representatives failed six times to elect a Speaker. In an internal party battle, there are 20 Republican congressmen refusing to cast their votes for the mainstream GOP candidate House Republican Conference leader Kevin McCarthy. Tempers are flaring and words are flying. Nebraska GOP congressman Don Bacon dubbed the holdouts the “Taliban 20”, while Republican congressman from Arizona, Andy Biggs, responded in a tweet his desire to “break up the DC cartel.” Meanwhile, Democrats in the House chamber cheered and chanted with every failed vote.
Major Storm Hitting California
California has declared a state of emergency as a deadly storm has begun lashing the state. Called a “bomb cyclone” by meteorologists, its winds are expected to gust at 50 to 60 mph, likely knocking down trees and powerlines. Rainfall is expected to reach 3 to 8 inches in lower areas, while snowfall in the Sierra Nevadas will be measured in feet. Between D.C. and California, one has to wonder whether God is trying to get someone’s attention in America?
COVID Testing Requirements Expand for Travelers from China
As the number of COVID cases in China continues to grow exponentially, more countries are imposing testing and restrictions upon travelers from the country. The nations that now have some sort of requirement for travel from China include Italy, US, UK, France, Spain, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, India, Malaysia, Israel, Qatar, and Morocco. The final country on the list, Morocco, is the first to take the extreme step of banning all travelers originating in China from entering its borders.
