Friday, February 7, 2025

Khamenei rejects idea of negotiating with US: ‘No problem will be solved’




The Iranian leader spoke after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reimpose “maximum pressure” sanctions on Tehran. Negotiating with the United States would be neither “wise, intelligent nor honorable,” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 85, said during a meeting with air force members on Friday. “Negotiating with such a government should not be done,” he said, according to Iran International, a London-based, anti-regime news outlet.

Khamenei added that talks with the U.S. would not solve any of Iran’s outstanding issues. “We must understand this correctly and not be misled into thinking that sitting at the negotiation table with that government will resolve certain matters. No, negotiations with the United States will not solve any problems.” The Iranian leader spoke after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday to reimpose “maximum pressure” sanctions on the Islamic Republic.  (Read More)

Netanyahu: 'The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia'


"The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there," he said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Saudi Arabia had enough land to provide the Palestinians with a state in a Channel 14 interview on Thursday."The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there," he said.When questioned about a Palestinian state as a condition of normalization, Netanyahu said he "would not make an agreement that would endanger the State of Israel."

"Especially not a Palestinian state. After October 7? Do you know what that is? There was a Palestinian state, it was called Gaza. Gaza, led by Hamas, was a Palestinian state, and look what we got – the biggest massacre since the Holocaust," he said.The interview was conducted during Netanyahu’s Washington visit, which began with a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump, where the president announced his plan for the US to control the Gaza Strip. 

Additionally, the two discussed the potential for normalization with Saudi Arabia, with Netanyahu saying, "I think peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia is not only feasible, I think it's going to happen."However, shortly after the press conference, the Saudi foreign ministry stated it would not discuss ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state. (Read More)

Israel Katz orders IDF to prepare 'voluntary exit' plan for Gazans

Citizens of the Strip will be able to leave through land crossings, and special arrangements will be given for leaving by sea and air,' Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said. Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF on Thursday to prepare a plan for residents of the Gaza Strip to leave voluntarily. "I have instructed the IDF to prepare a plan that will allow any resident of Gaza who wishes to leave to do so, to any country willing to receive them," he said in an X post.

Katz praised US President Donald Trump's "bold initiative, which can create extensive opportunities for those in Gaza who wish to leave, assist them in resettling in host countries, and support long-term reconstruction efforts in a demilitarized, threat-free Gaza after Hamas—an effort that will take many years.

"Trump has repeated his call for Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab countries to absorb Gazans while rebuilding efforts commence. Katz accused Hamas of Hamas for having "used the residents of Gaza as human shields, built its terror infrastructure in the heart of the civilian population, and now holds them hostage—extorting money from them through the humanitarian aid system and preventing their departure from Gaza   (Read More)

The Awakening of the Lion: The Egyptian military threat on our border

If you are involved in security or even seriously interested in current affairs and the Middle East, nothing in what you are about to read will surprise or be new to you. It is very possible that the individual pieces of this puzzle do not necessarily form the alarming picture I seek to warn against, but it is better to be cautious and alert than to regret later. I see some possible benefit — perhaps — even in simply laying out these facts and details together.

As both distant and recent history have taught us, we must never assume that we "understand better than the players around us" what they think or feel. We must remain faithful to the classic intelligence principle: "Observe the enemy’s means and capabilities, and their actions, rather than trying to guess their intentions." 1. Israel is currently emerging from one of the longest and most expensive military efforts in its history.

2. Following US President Donald Trump’s speech and his expected explicitly pro-Israel policies, Israel is likely to strengthen and rebuild itself in the foreseeable future. Additionally, following the surprise attack on October 7, Israel is increasing its military forces and defense budget, preparing for future security threats — primarily the Iranian nuclear threat (especially through the Air Force), as well as the Turkish and Egyptian threats. In this regard, this may be a unique strategic window for adversaries to attack while Israel appears weakened.

3. Egypt is a vast Sunni Muslim country that, although officially at peace with Israel, maintains a cold peace. Antisemitism, incitement, and hate speech on Egyptian television and in the streets are among the highest in the world. The peace treaty has been repeatedly violated for years, most notably through the increasing presence of Egyptian forces deep in the Sinai Peninsula and large-scale military infrastructure buildup. The military preparations are too extensive to be purely defensive and strongly suggest preparations for a military confrontation with Israel.   (Read More)

Syrian army advances into Lebanese territory, clashes with Hezbollah


The confrontation between the Syrian Army and Hezbollah on Lebanese soil marks a major shift in regional dynamics. For the first time since the fall of the Assad regime and the decline of Hezbollah’s influence in Syria, Syrian Army forces aligned with the new Syrian administration have entered areas of Hermel, Lebanon, sparking fierce clashes with Hezbollah fighters.

The fighting, which began early Thursday, escalated as Syrian forces repelled Hezbollah’s attempted advances near the Syrian town of Al Qusayr, a longtime stronghold of the Iran-backed group.

A field source told The Media Line that Hezbollah fighters launched multiple attempts to push into Al Qusayr but were met with heavy resistance from the Syrian Army, which forced them back into Lebanon. As the situation escalated, Syrian forces crossed into Hawik, a Lebanese town in the Hermel region, where intense combat forced Hezbollah elements to retreat. (Read More)

National Security Council discusses possibility of Tsunami in Israel


The council estimated that if a large earthquake in Greece set off a tsunami, Israelis would get a two-hour warning, and instructed government ministries to prepare accordingly.


 Israeli National Security Council held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the possible outcome of the small earthquakes in Santorini, Greece, in recent days. Channel 12 reported that a professional opinion was presented stating that such an unusual accumulation of small tectonic quakes could lead to a stronger quake, which in turn could cause a tsunami that would affect Israel. The NSC held a situation assessment and ordered government agencies to prepare accordingly.

The council wrote at the end of the meeting: "In light of Israel's distance from the site of the earthquakes (Approx. 900 km), the estimated warning time for a tsunami if there would be a strong earthquake would be two hours. The emergency services and government ministries must prepare for the fact that Israel may be hit by a tsunami." Dr. Ariel Heimann, a geologist and senior analyst at INSS presented a calmer take, telling Channel 12 that even if a strong earthquake in Greece sets off a tsunami, Israelis would have enough of a warning. (Source)


Major Food Supply Alert! Just In Time, A Deadly New Strain Of H5N1 Threatens To Make Our Egg And Beef Shortages Even Worse

We just received some very serious news.  The extremely deadly D1.1 strain of the H5N1 bird flu which has been ripping through the nation’s poultry population in recent weeks has now gotten into the cattle population in the state of Nevada.  This is the very first time that cattle in the U.S. have ever tested positive for this strain.  What this means is that we are facing a very serious threat to our food supply. 

 As I detailed earlier this week, the U.S. is dealing with the worst egg shortage that it has ever experienced, and it is likely to get even worse as this new strain spreads.  Meanwhile, the size of the U.S. cattle herd could be reduced even further by this new strain, and it is already at the lowest level that we have seen since 1961

In 1961, 182 million people were living in the United States. Today, 334 million people live in the United States. So now we have the same amount of beef that we did in 1961, but we have nearly twice as many people to feed. A beef shortage is here. Needless to say, the price of beef is going to go higher as supplies of beef just keep getting tighter and tighter. (Read More)

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Report: Netanyahu gifts Trump golden pager



The gift referenced Israel's fateful attack on Hezbollah in September. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gifted U.S. President Donald Trump two pagers, one of them made of gold, during their meeting in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Hebrew mediareported on Wednesday.

The objects referenced Israel’s operation against Hezbollah in September, in which the country’s Mossad intelligence agency set off hundreds of boobytrapped pagers and walkie-talkies it had sold to the Lebanese terrorists via shell companies. The operation reportedly incapacitated the terrorist group’s mid-level officer class, and is widely believed to have had a decisive impact on its war against Israel.

A member of Netanyahu’s entourage told Israel’s Channel 12 News that Trump called the operation “tremendous” when he received the gift. Trump gave Netanyahu a photo of the two of them, on which he wrote: “To Bibi, a great leader,” according to the report. (Read More)

Minister Karhi estimates: Hamas won't complete hostage deal

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi on Wednesday night expressed doubt that the Hamas terror group will keep its end of a ceasefire deal under which Israelis kidnapped to Gaza on October 7 are freed in exchange for convicted terrorists.

"Hamas will not see this deal through to the end," Karhi told Kol Hai Radio. "The Prime Minister has clarified that we will insist on the goals of the war- defeating Hamas and bringing back all the hostages. I don't see Hamas returning the last of the hostages, so we will return to fighting." Karhi also responded to US President Donald Trump's statement that the US will take control of Gaza. 

"The feeling is that the vision predicted for the end of days is being fulfilled," he said. "Who thought that it would happen after such a devastating blow as we suffered on October 7. Within two weeks, Trump has succeeded in doing what we did not manage to do in two years, thanks to the Attorney General and the Supreme Court."   (Read More)

Israel finishes testing 22 technologies for stopping drone attacks

The Defense Ministry on Wednesday announced that it completed a series of tests of 22 technologies for preventing drone attacks relating to nine defense companies working on the issue in parallel.

Sources said that at least some of the methods of defense from drones that were tested successfully involved kinetic shoot-downs. Despite the claimed success, no defense officials would confirm a period of months, not even six months off, for a date when the new systems would be reliable and operational on a wide basis.


Defense Minister Israel Katz said "in the near term," but top defense officials have been using such non-committal catch-phrases for well over half a year, including periods of time when Hezbollah drones repeatedly struck and killed Israelis. Pictures that were publicized appeared to show a somewhat long-distance heavy machine gun anti-aircraft gun, with some similarities to the Vulcan anti-aircraft system the IDF used for decades until the 1980s.  (Read More)

Syria and Turkey's growing relationship may affect Iran's proxy war on Israel - analysis


Syria’s
new president Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday, a momentous meeting. It is the second trip Sharaa has taken abroad since he was declared the new president of Syria, after he toppled the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad on December 8. It took a month and a half to decide that he would serve as official president in the transition. Sharaa focused until now on meetings with foreign delegations; now that he is president, he is traveling abroad.

While Syria-Turkey ties have many facets, any new Turkish initiative in Syria could raise eyebrows in Israel and across the region. If Turkey does sign some kind of defense agreement with Damascus in which Ankara receives more use of Syria’s airspace, or deploys air defenses and moves more forces into Syria, this will extend Ankara’s sphere of influence.

 

It could even put that influence closer to the Golan Heights, which could lead to friction with Israel. Turkey is already one of the most hostile countries to Israel – in public statements and its backing of Hamas, while Qatar, which also backs and hosts Hamas, is a close ally of Ankara, all while being a mediator in the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal. Sharaa met the Emir of Qatar before traveling to Saudi Arabia over the weekend; now comes Turkey. These are key meetings that reflect the powerful countries in the region. The previous Syrian regime was allied with Iran and Russia; this new one is close to Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.  (Read More)

Yossi Dagan: 'Now is a rare opportunity to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria'

'
New US administration will respect what Israel defines as critical to its security,' Samaria Governor Yossi Dagan says in response to US president's comments on application of sovereignty.

Samaria Council Governor, Yossi Dagan, responds to US President Donald Trump's remarks during a press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu on the application of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, "President Trump's statement is clear and moving – both in regard to the encouragement of immigration from Gaza and the strategic importance of the State of Israel.”

“Such statements have never been made in such a direct and transparent manner. This is exactly the message we are sending to our guests from the US who visit Samaria and stand on the ‘Country’s Balcony,' overlooking Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport. The world is divided into two sides: the good side and the bad side, and Trump has chosen the right side of history," Dagan said.

He added: "This is a rare moment in which we have to take historic steps. I strengthen and support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government ministers, and call on them to announce the application of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria in the coming days." (Read More)

Cotton reintroduces bill to ban federal gov from using term ‘West Bank

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) reintroduced legislation on Wednesday that would bar the federal government from using the term “West Bank” to describe Judea and Samaria. The bill requires the use of “historically accurate terminology” and “pushes back on attempts to undermine Israel’s sovereign territory.”

“The Jewish people’s legal and historic rights to Judea and Samaria goes back thousands of years,” Cotton stated. “The United States should stop using the politically-charged term ‘West Bank’ to refer to the biblical heartland of Israel.”

Formally titled the Retiring the Egregious Confusion Over the Genuine Name of Israel’s Zone of Influence by Necessitating Government-use of Judea and Samaria Act (the “RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria Act”), the bill bans funding for use of the phrase “West Bank” in any “policy, guidance, regulation, notice, executive order, materials, briefing, press release, communications or other work product” unless waived by the secretary of state.  (Read More)

Google Removes Pledge Not to Develop AI for Weapons and Surveillance

Google has recently updated its ethical guidelines for AI, removing previous commitments not to apply artificial intelligence technology to weapons or surveillance. The Washington Post reports that in a significant shift from its earlier stance, Google has revised its AI principles, eliminating a section that outlined four “Applications we will not pursue.” Until recently, this list included weapons, surveillance, technologies likely to cause overall harm, and use cases that violate international law and human rights principles. The company declined to comment specifically on the changes to its weapons and surveillance policies.

Google executives Demis Hassabis, head of AI, and James Manyika, senior vice president for technology and society, explained the update in a blog post on Tuesday. They emphasized the need for companies based in democratic countries to serve government and national security clients, given the global competition for AI leadership within an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. The executives stated that democracies should lead AI development, guided by core values like freedom, equality, and respect for human rights.

The updated AI principles page now includes provisions for human oversight, feedback incorporation, and technology testing to mitigate unintended or harmful outcomes. However, the removal of the explicit commitment against developing AI for weapons and surveillance marks a departure from Google’s previous position. Demis Hassabis, who joined Google in 2014 after the acquisition of his AI start-up DeepMind, had previously stated that the terms of the acquisition stipulated that DeepMind technology would never be used for military or surveillance purposes.  (Read More)

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Trump’s Gaza plan isn’t meant to work, but that’s the point - comment


US President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell on Tuesday when he announced that the United States will take over the Gaza Strip for the foreseeable future.

With his declaration, the president has once again thrown a diplomatic grenade into the Middle East conversation – not a particularly quiet region at the best of times and one beset by 15 months of war. The proposal – one that envisions the US developing Gaza, creating jobs, and turning it into an international hub – immediately triggered widespread backlash. The Palestinians see it as a veiled attempt at forced displacement,Israel remains cautious, and Arab states like Egypt and Jordan swiftly rejected the idea.


On the face of it, the plan is not remotely feasible. The US military occupying Gaza is a logistical and political nightmare. Some 20 years of experience in dealing with Iraq and Afghanistan will have taught the upper echelons in the Pentagon that Arab states would never publicly accept a mass Palestinian exodus onto their soil. Even Israel, despite its frustration with Hamas, understands the consequences of such a move. But here’s the thing – Trump probably knows that, too. The former president is not proposing a realistic strategy. He’s making an opening bid in a negotiation.  (Read More)

Trump is 'beating the grass' in the Middle East to startle the snakes in Gaza - analysis


US President Donald Trump is pushing for a radical approach to the challenges in Gaza. Rather than tinker away at old solutions that haven’t worked, he is proposing that Gazans be re-settled somewhere else and that Gaza be rebuilt in the long term. This is different than reconstruction in the past, where Hamas and Gaza siphoned off the construction in order to build tunnels.


The Trump plan for Gaza is taking shape. However, it’s clear it will receive pushback in the region. Egypt and Jordan don’t want to take in hundreds of thousands of Gazans. Qatar and Turkey, two US allies, both have backed Hamas and won’t want to see it lose its Gaza real estate. It’s not even clear if Israel will be completely on board with this plan since Israel’s policy over the last decade and a half has come to accept Hamas rule in Gaza. 


Even during fifteen months of war, the Israeli government never came up with a plan to remove Hamas from Gaza. The real story behind Trump laying down a radical approach to Gaza can be found in the saying, “Beat the grass to startle the snakes.” This idiom is often said to date from a 6th-century Chinese essay called “Thirty-Six Stratagems.” The concept is that in a conflict, you do something spectacular, such as beating the proverbial grass, and this leads the enemy to reveal their position.   (Read More)



A ‘faster, cruder’ nuke: Iran said to be seeking quick deterrent against attack


Iran has the knowledge to make an “older-style nuclear weapon, one that could be put together far faster," according to U.S. officials. Iran is seeking to quickly build a crude nuclear device, with the aim of preventing a possible Western attack, The New York Times reported on Monday, citing U.S. officials.

The assessment is based on intelligence collected during the final months of the Biden administration and passed on to President Donald Trump’s national security team during the transition, the officials said. Iran has the knowledge to make an “older-style nuclear weapon, one that could be put together far faster than the more sophisticated designs Tehran has considered in the past,” the Times reported.  (Read More)

Mahmoud Abbas opposes Trump's solution for Gaza

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas responds to US President Donald Trump's proposal for controlling Gaza, relocating its residents, says idea is a 'gross violation of international law.' 
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday responded to US President Donald Trump's proposal that the US control Gaza and encourage permanent emigration of its residents. "We will never allow harm to our nation's rights, for which we have fought for many decades, and for which we have sacrificed much to fulfill," he said.


"These statements express a gross violation of international law, and the peace and stability in the region will not be accomplished without the founding of a Palestinian state with eastern Jerusalem as its capital, within the borders of June 4, 1967, on the basis of a two-state solution."

"The Palestinians' legitimate rights are not up for negotiation, and the Palestine Liberation Organization is the legitimate and only representative of the Palestinian nation, and no one else has the right to make decisions about the future of the Palestinian nation."   (Read More)

‘The US will take over the Gaza Strip,’ Trump says



The U.S. president added that he will visit Gaza in an explosive press conference laying out his vision for the terrorist enclave to become “the riviera of the Middle East.” U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States will “take over” and rebuild the Gaza Strip during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump said. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings."

Trump said in the explosive press conference, which ran about 40 minutes, that the reconstruction of Gaza would create economic development and supply “unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”   (Read More)

Trump reimposes ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran, withdraws from UNRWA, UNHRC


“It’s very tough on Iran,” the president said of the order. “Hopefully we are not going to have to use it very much.” U.S. President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders on Tuesday to reimpose “maximum pressure” sanctions on Iran and to withdraw the United States from the U.N. Human Rights Council and UNRWA, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.

In an apparent indication of the changes in his foreign policy outlook from his first term, during which he was advised by Iran hawks like John Bolton and Brian Hook, Trump said he was “torn” on signing the order against Iran.

“It’s very tough on Iran,” Trump said. “Hopefully, we are not going to have to use it very much.” “I’m unhappy to do it,” he added. Trump’s second executive order once again withdrew the United States from the U.N. Human Rights Council, the global body’s Geneva-based rights organization that critics accuse of being systemically anti-Israel.   (Read More)

Trump administration asks Congress to OK $1 billion arms sale to Israel


The Trump White House has asked congressional leaders to approve about $1 billion in weapons sales to Israel, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing U.S. officials. The sales would include more than $700 million in 1,000-pound bombs (4,700 in total), along with armored bulldozers worth more than $300 million, the officials said.

The 1,000-pound bombs, referred to as “general purpose bombs,” consist of 4,500 BLU-110s and 200 Mk-83s. Cater pillar D9 armored bulldozers also are part of the sale. Although they are used to defend Israeli soldiers clearing explosives, and to protect infantry camps, their sale has faced scrutiny from anti-Israel progressives in Congress because of Israel’s past use of them to demolish terrorists’ homes.

The new arms request would be paid for from the $3.3 billion in annual U.S. military aid to Israel, and comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Washington, where he is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Netanyahu has extended his trip to meet congressional leaders as well.   (Read More)

Saudi Arabia clarifies: No normalization with Israel without a Palestinian state



Saudi Arabia reaffirms that normalization with Israel is conditioned on a Palestinian state, after Trump responded "no" when asked by Arutz Sheva whether the Saudis are expecting a Palestinian state as a condition for normalization with Israel.
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday night reaffirmed its stance that normalization with Israel is conditioned on the establishment of a Palestinian state. The comment came after President Donald Trump replied “no” when asked by Arutz Sheva-Israel National News whether the Saudis are expecting a Palestinian state as a condition for normalization with Israel.

In a statement quoted by the Saudi Gazette, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that “the Kingdom's commitment to Palestinian statehood is deeply rooted and unshakable.”

“This firm stance was explicitly affirmed by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman during his address at the opening of the first year of the ninth session of the Shoura Council on September 18, 2024. In his speech, the Crown Prince made it clear that Saudi Arabia will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is established, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” it said. The statement further highlighted that the Crown Prince reiterated this position at the Arab-Islamic Summit held in Riyadh on November 11, 2024.   (Read More)

Report: Biden Admin Made Improper Payments Totaling $236 Billion in 2023

The Biden administration wasted $236 billion in improper payments throughout 71 federal programs in 2023, according to the Government Accountability Office.

The improper payments underscore President Donald Trump’s vow to clean up the administrative state and his support of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and of Elon Musk’s audit of the federal government to cut waste, fraud, and abuse. The massive sum — three-quarters of which was reportedly overpayments – was just a portion of the federal deficit ($1.8 trillion) under the Biden administration. 

The massive waste will likely encourage the Trump administration to clamp down on government outflows. Musk has already focused on  the Treasury Department and its payment system that disburses trillions of dollars of federally allocated funds, the Times reported last week:   (Read More)

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Watch: Egypt builds up forces on the Gaza border


Egypt
has begun building up a large force on the Gaza border, including tanks and armored vehicles.

Egypt has reportedly deployed hundreds of tanks along its border with the Gaza Strip, accompanied by footage showing logistical preparations and construction of barriers. It was revealed during the war that there were tunnels in Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egyptian territories. Israel has so far not commented on the current Egyptian military preparations on the border. However, previous reports indicated increased military activity by Egypt in the Sinai Peninsula.


Former Israeli intelligence officer Lt. Col. (ret.) Eli Dekel expressed concerns over Egypt's ongoing military buildup, suggesting it might indicate preparations for a future assault on Israel. The military buildup in the Sinai Peninsula represents a continuous breach of the peace treaty with Israel. Dekel detailed that the treaty allows for one division in Sinai, with restrictions on the number of soldiers and military equipment, which appear to be exceeded.    (Source)


Bombshell Report: Iran’s Secret Nuclear Warhead Program Exposed at Space Program Sites



Iran is covertly developing long-range nuclear warheads at two heavily guarded missile sites, using its space program as a cover to advance its nuclear weapons capabilities, according to explosive new intelligence revealed by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

In a landmark press conference in Washington, DC, on Friday attended by Breitbart News, the prominent exiled anti-regime Iranian opposition group provided new evidence of Tehran’s accelerated nuclear ambitions. Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of NCRI’s U.S. office, presented the new findings, stating, “Now what we have found out and we’re releasing today is that the Iran regime has been covertly developing nuclear warheads in a site known as the Shahrud missile site — it’s a known site but not for this purpose.”

“The goal of this program,” he added, “is to build a nuclear warhead mounted on a solid fuel missile with a range of exceeding 3,000 kilometers (approximately 1,860 miles).” The intelligence, gathered by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) from sources inside Iran, highlights two key locations:Shahrud Missile Site (about 250 miles northeast of Tehran) – Used for developing nuclear warheads for solid-fuel Ghaem-100 missiles.
Semnan Missile Site (about 135 miles east of Tehran) – Conducting underground tests critical to nuclear warhead detonation and developing Simorgh missiles, a weapon based on North Korean designs.

Jafarzadeh identified the Organization for Advanced Defense Research (SPND), Iran’s chief nuclear development agency, as the entity spearheading the nuclear program.  (Read More)

US believes Iran looking at potential ways to quickly build nuclear bomb — report


Tehran has not chosen to break out toward nukes, but is secretly examining shortcuts to a weapon should it make that decision, The New York Times reports.

New American intelligence indicates that a covert team of Iranian scientists is exploring ways to quickly develop a nuclear weapon if the country’s leadership decides to pursue one, The New York Times reports. The report says the information points to Iran seeking a shortcut to a bomb that would enable them to convert their uranium stocks into a weapon within months rather than years, if necessary, though a decision to race toward a bomb has not been made.

The paper says the intel was gathered in the final months of the Biden administration and shared with the new administration of Donald Trump. It notes that with Iran’s regional power weakened by the blows to its proxy forces in the region and its failure to significantly hit Israel with its missile barrages, Tehran is anxious to find new ways to deter a strike by Israel or the US.  (Read More)

Trump Explains the Middle East: Israel Is the Pen, Region Is the Desk


President Donald Trump responded to a question from a reporter in the Oval Office on Monday about Israel’s possible annexation of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) by illustrating how small Israel really is

The question arose in advance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House on Tuesday. Trump has, in the past, given the nod to Israel’s proposed annexation of the West Bank in principle, but pushed back on it in practice, using the prospect of annexation instead as a bargaining chip to reach the Abraham Accords deal.

More recently, Trump has implied that Israel should annex Gaza, and that Palestinians should be encouraged to leave for other Arab countries, rather than staying in a small strip of territory that Hamas has used to launch many wars. (Ed note: Read the Q & A in the article) (Read More)

Trump administration asks congressional leaders to approve new $1b. arms sales to Israel - WSJ

US President Donald Trump's administration has asked congressional leaders to approve new transfers of roughly $1 billion worth of bombs and other military hardware to Israel, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

The planned weapons sales include 4,700 thousand-pound bombs, worth more than $700 million, and armored bulldozers built by Caterpillar Inc., worth more than $300 million, the report added.

The engineering equipment manufacturer could face criticism from progressive members of Congress due to "Israel's past use of them to demolish Palestinian homes," the report claimed.Trump had previously lifted a hold on 2,000-pound bombs that was imposed by the previous Biden administration, and the US president also said that he wouldn't withhold any future weapons shipments to Israel. “They paid for them, and they have been waiting for them for a long time,” the Wall Street Journal quoted him last week as he was aboard Air Force One.  (Read  More)

Syria’s Jihadi President Gets Warm Welcome on First Trip Abroad to Saudi Arabia

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa made his first trip overseas since his formal appointment as head of state on Sunday, receiving a warm welcome in Saudi Arabia.

Sharaa, formerly known as “Abu Mohammed al-Jolani,” is a wanted terrorist and leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an al-Qaeda offshoot. HTS won the Syrian Civil War, which lasted nearly a decade and a half, in December after longtime dictator Bashar Assad fled the country. Assad received political asylum in Russia, leaving HTS in charge of the country.

Sharaa has spent much of his time in power promising Syria’s many minority groups, including Christians and Kurds, that he would build an “inclusive” government and urging global powers to invest in his regime. To comfort concerned free nations, Sharaa has abandoned his jihadi nom de guerre and now wears Western-style suits, but he has repeatedly defended Islamist rule and suggested that he would impose a sharia regime.   (Read More)

Monday, February 3, 2025

How IDF is sending a message against terrorism in Jenin - analysis


A series of explosions in Jenin yesterday conjured up the kind of fighting that has become hallmarks of the war against Hezbollah and Hamas. The blasts were part of the IDF’s latest operation to uproot terrorist infrastructure in Jenin and other areas of the West Bank. However, the large explosions that sent smoke rising into the sky from several locations represent a new way of war in the territory.

The images and their meanings were not lost on commentators. People seeing the videos of the explosions were reminded of Gaza. This sense that we are now seeing the war in Gaza expand to the West Bank, with similar tactics, is acknowledged on the Right and Left, among both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian commentators. The explosions, designed to destroy terrorist infrastructure, have thus had the effect of spreading shock and awe far beyond Jenin.


When we speak of “shock and awe,” it is worth recalling that this terminology came from the opening US salvo of the 2003 war on Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Shock and awe are supposed to show an enemy what their adversary is capable of. This is a big difference from how Israel had waged war for many years before October 7, 2023.   (Read More)

IDF: 50 terrorists killed, 100 detained since start of Samaria op

The military on Sunday destroyed 23 buildings in the Jenin area which were used as terror infrastructure. The Israel Defense Forces has killed more than 50 Palestinian terrorists since the start of “Operation Iron Wall” in northern Samaria on Jan. 21, the military said on Sunday evening, announcing it was expanding the offensive.

At least 35 gunmen were killed by soldiers during ground operations in the Jenin and Tulkarem areas, while another 15 were killed in airstrikes, the IDF said. More than 100 wanted terrorists have been detained thus far.“During the operation, the forces located and confiscated dozens of weapons, destroyed hundreds of explosive devices and dozens of additional charges that were planted on roads to harm our forces,” the IDF said.

On Sunday, the counter-terrorism operation was expanded to include Tammun, a Palestinian town south of Tubas near Nablus. On Jan. 20, one Israeli soldier was killed and four others were wounded when their armored army vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Tammun. (Ed note: Psalm 83:6, these people are thought to be the "tents of Edom."  See Bill Salus' book, Psalm 83.)  (Read More)

Senior military source: Most of the terrorists released in the deal returned to terror



Most of the terrorists released in a November 2023 prisoner swap deal with the Hamas terror group have returned to terror, a senior military source said Sunday afternoon. According to data from Israel's defense echelon, at least two of the terrorists released in November 2023 have been eliminated in the IDF operation in Jenin, and dozens more have been arrested. The source said that around 82% of those released returned to terror. The source also said that thus far, the IDF has scanned 800 structures and destroyed 80 explosives factories.

Earlier on Sunday, the IDF announced that the Bislach Brigade began operating on Saturday night in the village of Tammun in eastern Samaria as part of the Wall of Iron counterterrorism operation in the region. The ground operation comes after airstrikes which eliminated ten terrorists last week. So far, the forces have located weaponry including an M-16 assault rifle and ammo magazines On Saturday night, within a few hours, the IDF and ISA, using an IAF aircraft, conducted aerial strikes overnight (Saturday) on three terrorist cells in the areas of Jenin and Qabatiya within hours.  (Read More)

71% of Israelis oppose Palestinian state; 68% support sovereignty in J&S: poll

Seventy-one percent of Israelis oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria. Nearly 70% want to extend Israeli sovereignty over the area, according to a poll conducted on Jan. 29. The survey comes on the background of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s departure on Sunday to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C.

“The findings are public just in time for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit with President Trump. Bibi can now go to the president of the United States with a clear statement that this is the will of the people of Israel,” Avi Abelow, CEO of Pulse of Israel, which co-sponsored the poll, told JNS.

The future of Judea and Samaria, commonly known as the West Bank, is likely to be discussed between the two leaders as diplomatic relations with Arab countries is expected to be a key topic. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has signaled that a Palestinian state is a condition for normalization of relations with Jerusalem. (Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer said during a Jan. 22 speech in the Knesset plenum that Israel has made “no such promise.”)  (Read More)

Netanyahu appoints Caroline Glick as gov't advisor ahead of Washington visit

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed columnist Caroline Glick to a position in his office’s public diplomacy team, a move aimed at bolstering Israel’s international messaging amid the ongoing war in Gaza. Glick joined Netanyahu on his visit to Washington on Sunday. “Life takes you in different directions, and I am going back to the office where I worked nearly three decades ago as the prime minister leads Israel through the most difficult period in the history of the Jewish state,” Glick told JNS on Wednesday.

“I take it as a profound compliment that at this critical juncture in our history, Prime Minister Netanyahu has asked me to join him as he continues his historic fight to secure the future of the Jewish state and people. ”Glick, a well-known conservative commentator and vocal advocate for Israel’s policies, previously worked in Netanyahu’s office during his first term as prime minister in the late 1990s.

Born in 1969, she has held senior editorial roles at The Jerusalem Post and Makor Rishon, contributed to Breitbart News, and was a founding member of Latma, an Israeli satirical website known for its sharp political commentary.  (Read More)

JNS senior contributing editor Caroline Glick appointed as adviser to Netanyahu




"The strategic landscape of the Middle East has been transformed by Israel’s accomplishments in the war, and [this] affords us the opportunity both to expand our circle of ties and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capability," Glick told JNS.

Prominent Israeli-American columnist and JNS senior contributing editor Caroline B. Glick is returning to the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem to serve as International Affairs Adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.


Glick, who worked with Netanyahu over a quarter century ago before becoming a widely-read columnist, took up her new position on Sunday, almost three years after the first episode o
 f her record-breaking “The Caroline Glick Show” premiered on JNS TV in 2022.  (Read More)

Rubio to visit Central America with migration and Panama canal on agenda

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, will travel to Central America this week on a five-country tour that will focus on limiting migration to the United States, curbing Chinese influence in the region and on securing Donald Trump’s ambitious goal of reasserting US control over the Panama canal.

Rubio will travel to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic from Saturday to Thursday this week, meeting with the presidents of each. It is the first time in more than a century that a secretary’s first official visit abroad will be to Central America.

“This is a truly historic visit that Secretary Rubio will be paying to the region,” said Mauricio Claver-Carone, United States special envoy for Latin America. “I can’t stress enough the historic nature of this visit and how it harkens back to President Trump’s overall message during his inauguration of the golden age of the Americas.” Tammy Bruce, the state department spokeswoman, added: “This is where we live. This is who we are. This is about not just wanting to have new partnerships – but that’s always good – but the nature of what it means to have an extended relationship with the people closest to you.”  (Read More)