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☆ U.S. Officials Have Growing Confidence in Death Toll Reports From Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Nancy A. Youssef | Jared Malsin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

At least one explosion struck Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital on Friday as Israeli forces inched closer. The World Health Organization said that Al-Shifa was coming under bombardment. Photo: Khoder Al-Zaanoun/AFP/Getty ImagesThe U.S. intelligence community has growing confidence that reports on the death toll from health authorities in Hamas-controlled Gaza are roughly accurate, U.S. officials said. This reliance on the Palestinian data is a partial shift by the Biden administration, which earlier in the war described the numbers from Gaza as untrustworthy.

Persons: Gaza’s Al, inched, Shifa, Khoder, Biden Organizations: Shifa, World Health Organization, Getty Locations: AFP, Gaza

☆ Iran envoy says Tehran had no direct role in Hamas’ Israel rampage, or proxy attacks on US forces
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Jennifer Deaton | Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Iravani said there was cooperation and collaboration, but that Iran was not directing any of those operations. He likened Iran’s role to that of the US in providing assistance to Israel. Tehran has long been accused of arming Hamas and other Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, as regional attacks by its proxies have escalated and become increasingly frequent. CNN pressed Iravani as to whether Iran supported Hamas’ murder of women and children and its hostage-taking on October 7. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shi’a movement based in Lebanon with one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East, has also said that Hamas’ attack was kept secret from them.

Persons: Amir Saeid Iravani, Iravani, “, ”, Defense Lloyd Austin, General Hassan Nasrallah, Nasrallah Organizations: CNN, Republic’s United Nations, UN, United States, Pentagon, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Defense, Quds Force, US, Hamas, Israel Locations: Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Houthis, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, IRGC, UN, Tehran, Gaza, East

☆ Billionaire FBI informant Peter Thiel dished about two Kremlin invites to private Putin meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | Hans-Martin Tillack | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

It was Angermayer who introduced Bisslinger to Thiel at the party, Thiel would later tell the FBI. After some small talk, Bisslinger made a pitch to Thiel: Thiel should travel to Russia to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. If Thiel chose to attend, Bisslinger said, Bisslinger would arrange for him to meet privately with Putin. "Even if Mr. Angermayer did introduce Mr. Thiel and Mr. Bisslinger," the lawyers wrote in another letter, "Mr. Angermayer is not—and cannot be—responsible for whatever Mr. Bisslinger and Mr. Thiel may or may not have discussed." At his 40th birthday, he connected Peter Thiel with a Russian diplomat, Thiel later told the FBI.

Persons: Peter Thiel, Christian Angermayer, Thiel, Daniil Bisslinger, Bisslinger, Vladimir Putin's, Angermayer, Putin, Maksim Konstantinov, —, Frank Figliuzzi, Vladimir Putin, — Charles Johnson —, Johnathan Buma, Johnson, Welt, Dmitry Peskov, John Lamparski, Donald Trump, — Thiel, Der Spiegel, he'd, Elon Musk, Musk, Thiel —, he's, Palantir, He's, Uma Thurman, Robbie Williams, Queen Latifah, Paul Kagame, Dan McCrum, John Kerry, Richard Grenell, Kerry, Sensei Biotherapeutics, Trump, Dmitry Medvedev, Medvedev, Maureen Dowd, Alexander Schütz, Eva Schütz, Schütz, — Heinz, Christian Strache, Markus Braun, Jan Marsalek, Marsalek, Caroline Haskins, Katherine Long, Jack Newsham, Mattathias Schwartz, Hans, Martin Tillack Organizations: Kremlin, Tech, Pentagon, CIA, Facebook, SpaceX, Kremlin's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russian Embassy, Thiel, St ., Economic, Getty, FBI, Atlantic, Bisslinger, Germany, Elon, Russia, NSA, US Special Operations Command, National Health Service, Apeiron Investment, Munich Security, intel, Trump, State Department, Angermayer's, PayPal, Nasdaq, Sciences, The New York Times, Deutsche Bank, Welt Locations: Silicon Valley, Schloss Neuwaldegg, Vienna, Silicon, Moscow, Russian, Berlin, Russia, St, St . Petersburg, Petersburg, Ukraine, Europe, Germany, NATO, Crimea, Ukrainian, Sevastopol, Palantir, Washington, Rwanda, Baltic, Belarus, Iran, Angermayer's Malta, Munich, China, China's, Austrian, Austria, Exxpress, Wirecard, schwartz79@protonmail.com

☆ How the GOP muzzled the quiet coalition that fought foreign propaganda
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Kevin Collier | Ken Dilanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

A once-robust alliance of federal agencies, tech companies, election officials and researchers that worked together to thwart foreign propaganda and disinformation has fragmented after years of sustained Republican attacks. The most recent setback came when the FBI put an indefinite hold on most briefings to social media companies about Russian, Iranian and Chinese influence campaigns. "We're having some interaction with social media companies," Wray said. "The symbiotic relationship between the government and the social media companies has definitely been fractured." Tech companies are still sharing their findings with each other, a Meta spokesperson told NBC News.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Wray, Sen, Mitt Romney, they're, Mark Warner, Warner, Hillary Clinton's, Barack, CISA, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Hunter, Mark Zuckerburg, Hunter Biden, didn't, Biden, Nina Jankowicz, Jankowicz, Jen, Jim Jordan, Kara Swisher, we're, Elon Musk, wasn't Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Washington , D.C, GOP, FBI, Force, NBC News, Senate Homeland Security Committee, Justice Department, Committee, Republican, Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Microsoft, Senate Intelligence, Kremlin, Internet Research Agency, Facebook, Twitter, National Security Agency, Democrats, New, Digital, Republicans, Homeland Security, Wired, Rep, Tech Locations: Washington ,, Silicon Valley, R, Utah, Russia, Iran, China, U.S, Illinois, CISA, New York, Missouri, Louisiana, Ohio, Israel

☆ Chris Christie to visit Israel this weekend: CNN Exclusive
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Alison Main | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Chris Christie will visit Israel on Sunday, which will make him the first Republican presidential candidate to visit the country since the October 7 Hamas attacks. He’s also scheduled to visit so-called Gaza envelope region in southern Israel. Christie will also visit with individuals wounded in the Hamas attacks, as well as families of abducted civilians, according to details of the trip. This will not be Christie’s first time in Israel – he visited the country in 2012 in his first foreign trip is governor. At the time, Christie said he thought it was “the right thing” for Biden to go to Israel and show “physical solidarity” with the US ally.

Persons: Chris Christie, Christie, He’s, Israel, ”, “, Israel –, Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: CNN, Former New Jersey Gov, Israel, Republican, America, Hudson Institute, White Locations: Gaza, Israel, Miami, Iran, Kyiv, China, North Korea, Russia, Tel Aviv

Iran-backed militias have packed even larger loads of explosives — more than 80 pounds — onto drones launched at American bases, U.S. officials said. “The president has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests.”“The United States is fully prepared to take further necessary measures to protect our people and our facilities,” he added. The United States has 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria, mostly to help local forces fight remnants of the Islamic State. The Biden administration also uses a “deconfliction” line with Russia to try to manage escalation in Iraq and Syria, two officials said. Russia has troops in Syria, and American officials say they expect that telling Russia before a strike in Syria is the same as telling Iran, as Russian officials often inform Tehran of what is coming.

Persons: ratcheting, Biden, Lloyd J, Austin III, ”, Antony J, Blinken, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mr, Khamenei, ” Christine S Organizations: Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, American, Air Force, Pentagon, U.S, Quds Force, ”, Palestinian, Biden, Sunday, United, Military, Pentagon’s Central Command, National Counterterrorism Center Locations: United States, Syria, Iraq, U.S, Iran, I.R.G.C, Yemen, Israel, Islamic State, Russia, Tehran, Lebanon, Persian, Gaza, Tehran , U.S

☆ Researchers find sensitive personal data of US military personnel is for sale online
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Sensitive personal information like the apparent home addresses and health conditions of thousands of active-duty US military personnel can be bought cheaply online from so-called data brokers, according to a study published Monday by Duke University researchers. The researchers could shop for data on servicemembers based on geolocation, including whether they lived or work near Fort Bragg, Quantico or other sensitive military locations. The Federal Trade Commission is currently considering new regulations to crack down on data brokers. “However, we have repeatedly raised concerns about the practices of data brokers and their potential impact on consumer privacy. The Pentagon and US intelligence community have long been concerned about how foreign spies might exploit the market for personal data on Americans.

Persons: Scammers, ”, Justin Sherman, ” Sherman, Ron Wyden, “, ” Wyden Organizations: CNN, Duke University, Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy, Social, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, Fair, Oregon Democrat, Department of Defense’s, Pentagon Locations: Fort Bragg, Quantico, Oregon, United States

☆ Israel’s cyber defense chief tells CNN he is concerned Iran could increase severity of its cyberattacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

So far, suspected Iranian hackers appear to have had minimal impact on their publicly claimed targets in Israel in the last month. But Portnoy said those hackers have been relatively quiet in the latest Israel-Hamas war (Israeli airstrikes have decimated internet infrastructure in Gaza.) “There is a gap between their [cyber] capabilities and their rhetoric,” the official told CNN, referring to Iran-backed hackers. “Even the successful, real cyberattacks are probably not going to be about the actual attack,” John Hultquist, Mandiant’s chief analyst, told CNN. This campaign is “maybe the most sophisticated we have seen from Iran on a technological level,” Sergey Shykevich, threat intelligence group manager at Check Point, told CNN.

Persons: “, ”, Gaby Portnoy, ” Portnoy, Portnoy, –, Christopher Wray, ” Wray, ” Eric Goldstein, CrowdStrike, ” John Hultquist, “ It’s, Solomon, Israel, Adam Meyers, CrowdStrike’s, ” Meyers, Sergey Shykevich Organizations: CNN, Israel National Cyber Directorate, Lebanese, Hezbollah, Palo Alto Networks, Hamas, Infrastructure Security Agency, FBI, Boston Children’s Hospital, ” CNN, Iranian, United Nations, “, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Locations: Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, East, Iranian, Syria, Iraq, Tehran, –, Palo, Gaza, Palestine, China, Russia

CNN —The US has intelligence that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has agreed to provide the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah with a Russian-made missile defense system, according to two people familiar with the intelligence. The Russian mercenary organization Wagner Group, which operates in Syria, has been tasked with carrying out the delivery of the surface-to-air SA-22 missile system, the people said. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Wagner may provide the system to Hezbollah. A third source familiar with western intelligence said there was evidence of increasing collaboration between Hezbollah and Wagner in Syria. It is not clear how much influence Russia had over the decision to provide the system to Hezbollah.

Persons: Bashar al, Assad, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, –, Hassan Nasrallah, CNN’s Oren Liebermann Organizations: CNN, Wagner Group, Street, Russian, US, Kremlin, Israel Locations: Lebanese, Russian, Syria, Russia, Syrian, Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Moscow, –, Gaza

☆ Revisiting a key video used to assess the Gaza hospital blast
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Yong Xiong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN revisited the footage broadcast live by Al Jazeera on the night of the explosion to better understand what has been considered a key piece of evidence. Still, no visual evidence has surfaced showing a rocket hitting the hospital, and CNN cannot exclude other possibilities. CNN could not independently assess whether what is visible in the video is in fact an Iron Dome interceptor missile. The video appears to show the volley emanating from a location southwest of Al-Ahli Hospital, outside of Gaza City. CNN cannot independently confirm whether a rocket fired from southwestern Gaza was responsible for the blast.

Persons: Al Jazeera, Al, Peter Lerner, ”, Israel, Bat Yam, Nahal Oz, Markus Schiller, Tamir, “ Tamir, Schiller, Jonathan Conricus, Yam –, Israel “, Joe Biden, “, – Organizations: CNN, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Al, Twitter, The New York Times, Washington Post, Israel Defense Forces, National Intelligence, U.S . Intelligence Community, Hospital, Palestinian, NATO, European Union, Israel’s, Gaza, Israel, National Security Council Locations: Israel, United States, Ahli, Gaza, Al Jazeera, Al, Gaza City, Tel Aviv, Netivot, Nahal, Germany, Gaza . Palestinian

☆ Ukraine has taken 17,000 Russians off the battlefield without firing a shot, US Army special-ops general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia has taken hundreds of thousands of casualties since attacking Ukraine last year. Thanks to its information operations, Kyiv has helped take 17,000 Russians off the battlefield without even firing a shot, according to the head of US Army Special Operations Command. "Messaging has played a huge role just in the tactical and operational sense" in Ukraine, Braga said at the Association of the US Army's annual conference in October. During the Cold War, the KGB used information operations as part of a larger "active measures" campaign to subvert the West and undermine NATO. In the US special-operations community, the Army's Psychological Operations Groups and the Civil Affairs Brigade do most of the work when it comes to information operations and shaping the narrative.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Valya, Jonathan Braga, Braga, We've, You've, Arkady Budnitsky, " Braga, it's, Kyiv's Organizations: Service, Russian, US Army Special Operations Command, Navy, Getty, Association of, Anadolu Agency, Kremlin, NATO, Keyboard, US Army, Psychological, Groups, Civil Affairs Brigade, Army Special Forces Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Europe, Kyiv, St . Petersburg, Rostov, Mackall, North Carolina, China

☆ Why Israel's push into Gaza is killing so many children
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Lila Hassan | Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Children account for a startlingly high share of Palestinians killed in Gaza — roughly 41%. The overwhelming majority of the children — a reported 3,542 as of October 30, as compared to more than 30 children reportedly killed on the Israeli side — have been Palestinians living in Gaza. On Sunday, international humanitarian organization Save The Children said that the number of children killed in Gaza in three weeks surpasses the total number of children killed in all global conflict zones since 2019. 'A growing stain on our collective conscience'Children constitute 41% of the 8,525 Palestinians killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry. Since 2019, the court has had an open investigation into potential Israeli war crimes.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Omar Shakir, Shakir, Mohammed Abed, Israel, Brian Finucane, Finucane, HuffPost, Al, HRW's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Isaac Herzog, Herzog, Karim A.A, Khan, Khan's, Tahani Mustafa, Mustafa, Lila Hassan, hassan.com Mattathias Schwartz Organizations: Service, Palestinian Health Ministry, Hamas, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Health Ministry, United Nations, World Health Organization, UN, Human Rights Watch, Palestinian, Getty, State Department, Crisis, ISIS, UNICEF, Department, Israel Defense Forces, Law, IDF, Military, of Defense, ICC, New York Times, Israeli Air Force Locations: Israel, Gaza, Al, Ahli, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Northern Gaza, Al Jazeera, HRW's Israel, Cairo, Lila@lila, schwartz79@protonmail.com

☆ Ex-British Intelligence Worker Jailed for Attempted Murder of U.S. NSA Employee
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Sam TobinLONDON (Reuters) - A former British intelligence worker who tried to kill a U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) employee in a "premeditated, targeted and vicious attack" was jailed on Monday for 13 years. Joshua Bowles, 29, repeatedly stabbed the unnamed woman, who was working at British intelligence agency GCHQ, in March near its base at Cheltenham in western England. Bowles had previously worked at GCHQ but was no longer working there when he carried out the attack. Bowles, who lived in Cheltenham, pleaded guilty in August to the attempted murder of the woman, known only as 99230. I believe the intelligence community helps ensure this rigging, this view has been reinforced by my time working at GCHQ."

Persons: Sam Tobin LONDON, Joshua Bowles, Bowles, Duncan Penny, London's Old Bailey, Penny, Tim Forte, Forte, Bobbie Cheema, Grubb, Sam Tobin, Angus MacSwan Organizations: U.S . National Security Agency, NSA, Cheltenham, GCHQ Locations: British, U.S, England, GCHQ, Cheltenham

☆ Ex-British intelligence worker jailed for attempted murder of U.S. NSA employee
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 30 (Reuters) - A former British intelligence worker who tried to kill a U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) employee in a "premeditated, targeted and vicious attack" was jailed on Monday for 13 years. Joshua Bowles, 29, repeatedly stabbed the unnamed woman, who was working at British intelligence agency GCHQ, in March near its base at Cheltenham in western England. Bowles had previously worked at GCHQ but was no longer working there when he carried out the attack. Bowles, who lived in Cheltenham, pleaded guilty in August to the attempted murder of the woman, known only as 99230. I believe the intelligence community helps ensure this rigging, this view has been reinforced by my time working at GCHQ."

Persons: Joshua Bowles, Bowles, Duncan Penny, London's Old Bailey, Penny, Tim Forte, Forte, Bobbie Cheema, Grubb, Sam Tobin, Angus MacSwan Organizations: U.S . National Security Agency, NSA, Cheltenham, GCHQ, Thomson Locations: British, U.S, England, GCHQ, Cheltenham

☆ Netanyahu Apologizes After Blaming Security Chiefs for Failure in Hamas Attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Isabel Kershner | More About Isabel Kershner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

The comments by Mr. Netanyahu on X, formerly Twitter, prompted a furious response, including from within his own war cabinet. Although many senior officials, including military and security chiefs and the defense minister, Yoav Gallant, have accepted some responsibility for Israel being caught so off-guard, Mr. Netanyahu has declined to do so. Mr. Netanyahu has been in power for 14 of the past 16 years. Hours afterward, Mr. Netanyahu sought to deflect blame from himself, instead directing it at the security establishment — and specifically the heads of military intelligence and the Shin Bet internal security agency. “Under no circumstances and at no stage was Prime Minister Netanyahu warned of war intentions on the part of Hamas,” his post read.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, Benny Gantz, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Gantz, ”, Shin Bet, Shin, Mr, ” Mr, Yair Lapid, “, Gabi Ashkenazi Organizations: Twitter, Shin, “ Locations: Gaza, Israel

☆ Iran may not want a full-blown war with Israel, but it may be dragged into one
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

And there are now concerns that more fronts will open in the war, including one with Iran. And the US now has specific intelligence that those same groups could escalate even further as the war between Israel and Hamas continues, CNN reported this week. “Tell Iran, tell its proxies in public, in private, through every means: Do not open another front against Israel in this conflict. Shine, of the INSS, said that Iran does not want a direct war with Israel because that would mean a direct war with the US. Iranian media has been brimming with news of the Gaza war, with officials across Iran’s political spectrum expressing solidarity with Palestinians.

Persons: ”, Sima Shine, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, Al Jazeera, ” Abdollahian, Abed Khaled, Parsi, Joe Biden, ” Parsi, Israel, Hassan Nasrallah, Antony Blinken, “, ” Blinken, Thomas Coex, Lloyd Austin, Iran’s IRGC, “ They’re, Israel – Organizations: UAE CNN, Hamas, Tehran’s Azadi, Perspolis FC, Gol Gohar Sirjan FC, Palestinian, Institute for National Security Studies, CNN, Iranian, Quincy Institute, Israel, Revolutionary Guard Corps, United Nations Security Council, Getty, Defense, widener Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Israel, Hamas, Gaza, Iran, Tel Aviv, Tehran, United States, Gaza City, Washington ,, Lebanese, Lebanon, Syria, Golan, Palestine, Iraq, Sderot, AFP, Iranian, US

☆ Israel-Hamas war: Here’s why Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza hasn’t happened yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Ashkelon, Israel’s border with Gaza CNN —The lines of tanks, self-propelled artillery, armoured vehicles and army bulldozers stretch across the horizon near Israel’s border with Gaza. Israeli tanks are seen positioned near the border with Gaza, in southern Israel, on October 22. Gaza has been under blockade by Israel and Egypt for years, but after the Hamas attack, Israel also cut off its electricity, food, water and fuel supplies. The brutality of the Hamas attack sparked a huge wave of solidarity among Israel’s allies. Meanwhile on the Gaza border, the troops remain ready.

Persons: Violeta Santos Moura, Reuters Yocheved Lifshitz, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, –, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Biden, Israel, Hassan Nasrallah, Stephane Dujarric, General António Guterres, Guterres ’, Antonio Guterres, Seth Wenig, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, ”, “ Organizations: Gaza CNN, Israel Defence Forces, Hamas, IDF, Reuters, Ichilov, Getty, British, CNN, UN, United, United Nations, UN Security, AP Australia, European Union, European Council Locations: Ashkelon, Israel’s, Gaza, Israel, Mexico, Brazil, United States, Germany, Thailand, Tel Aviv, United Nations, jazeera, gaza, Lebanon, Iran, Jihad, United, Egypt, European

☆ Between 100 and 300 believed killed in Gaza hospital blast, according to preliminary US intelligence assessment
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“Israel Probably Did Not Bomb Gaza Strip Hospital: We judge that Israel was not responsible for an explosion that killed hundreds of civilians yesterday [17 October] at the Al Ahli Hospital in the Gaza Strip,” the assessment states. The intelligence community “observed only light structural damage at the hospital,” with no observable damage to the main hospital building and no impact craters, according to the assessment. “We see only light damage to the roofs of two structures near the main hospital building, but both structures remained intact,” the assessment states. “We continue to work to corroborate whether the explosion resulted from a failed PIJ rocket,” the ODNI assessment states. “We are still assessing the likely casualty figures and our assessment may evolve, but this death toll still reflects a staggering loss of life,” the assessment states.

Persons: Israel, “, Joe Biden, ” Biden, Biden, Jon, ”, hasn’t, Israel —, Jordan, ” Sen, Thom Tillis Organizations: CNN, Al, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Capitol, National Intelligence, Hospital, National Security Council, National, Palestine, United, Republican Locations: Ahli, Gaza, ”, “ Israel, Israel, Egypt, North Carolina

Among the evidence that’s been gathered is a blast analysis that suggests it was a ground explosion rather than an airstrike that hit the hospital, one of the sources said. That analysis is one datapoint that’s led intelligence officials to lean toward assessing that the attack on the hospital was a rocket launch gone wrong. Still, the blast analysis is just one of the things being examined by the intelligence community, which has surged intelligence collection assets to the region. US intelligence officials have not made a final assessment and are still gathering evidence, the officials said. Not long after landing in Israel on Wednesday, Biden weighed in on who was behind the strike on the hospital.

Persons: Israel “, Joe Biden’s, Adrienne Watson, ” Watson, that’s, Biden, ” Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Israel, Daniel Hagari, “ I’m, Jim Himes, Mick Mulroy, Mulroy, Mark Hertling, ” Hertling, it’s “, ” “, “, We’re, ’, Rishi Sunak, ” Sunak, It’s Organizations: CNN, National Security Council, Palestinian, NSC, Islamic, Wednesday, Israeli, Defense Department, ”, Israel Defense Forces, House Intelligence, Capitol, Defense, CIA, intel, Hamas Locations: Gaza, Israel, States, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Al, Ahli, Iran

Hours later, the president and his national security team were not confident enough to draw a final determination absolving Israel of responsibility. Had the early evidence examined by the president’s team pointed in the other direction, the White House would have been more inclined to reconsider the trip. But during a refueling stop in Germany on the way home from Israel, Biden told reporters on Air Force One that he had spoken by phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Advisers had appeared determined to reorient expectations before Biden had even arrived in Israel, saying that showing the powerful visual of American solidarity with Israel was a major goal of the trip. One adviser put it simply: Biden sent a “strong message to Israel, which was the purpose of it.”

Persons: Joe Biden, Israel, absolving Israel, Antony Blinken, “, Biden, –, John Kirby, ”, Jordan –, Abdel Fattah el, Sisi, David Satterfield, Jordan, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, White House, Base Andrews, White, Air Force, ”, Islamic, National Security Council Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Amman, Jordan, Israel, ”, Germany, Rafah

☆ The devastating Gaza hospital blast is shrouded in uncertainty. Here’s what we know, and what we don’t
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A day after a deadly blast tore through Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, sparking protests across the region, the United States has released its own assessment of what caused the devastation. Islamic Jihad – a rival group to Hamas – has denied responsibility. Here’s a look at what we know – and don’t know – so far. Dr. Fadel Na’eem, head of the orthopedic department, said he was performing surgery when a deafening blast sounded through the hospital. Israel has provided the US with intelligence it has gathered related to the deadly Gaza hospital explosion, according to an Israeli official and another source familiar with the matter.

Persons: Joe Biden, “, Israel, –, Ali Jadallah, Fadel Na’eem, Gaza City's, Mohammed Al, Masri, Abed Khaled, Na’eem, ”, Jonathan Conricus, ” Israel, Lior Haiat, Al, Israel “, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, we’ve, ” Biden, Adrienne Watson Organizations: CNN, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Wednesday, National Security Council, Health Ministry, Getty, Alhi Baptist, geolocated, Shifa, Reuters, Health, Israel Defense Forces, Islamic, IDF, Israel Foreign Ministry, ”, Israel, US National Security Council, Israeli, Intelligence, Palestinian, United Nations, United Arab, West Locations: Al, Ahli, Gaza, United States, Israel, Anadolu, Gaza City's Al, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Tunisia, West Bank, Ramallah

☆ 'A very unique battle': How geography could shape Israel's expected ground offensive in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Ahead of such an attack, one military geography specialist outlined to CNBC how the physical features of the Gaza Strip could influence any fighting. He warned, however, that any kind of ground offensive from Israel's military would be a highly dangerous "cat and mouse game" of urban warfare, one with a particularly unique subterranean element. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesThe Gaza Strip is a narrow portion of land sandwiched between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. "We have to destroy Hamas on the ground to find Hamas members within the underground tunnels, in the holes, in their headquarters," Amidror said Friday. watch nowIndeed, Galgano said Hamas' likely best defense against Israel's forthcoming ground offensive would be to stay underground in its tunnel system.

Persons: Din, Francis Galgano, Galgano, Yaakov Amidror, Benjamin Netanyahu, Amidror Organizations: Hamas, Getty, Israel, Palestinian, United Nations, CNBC, Department, Environment, Villanova University in, Anadolu Agency, U.S . Army, Israel's National Security Council, Israel's Locations: Gaza, Israel, Villanova University in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Anadolu, Egypt, Gaza City, winkle, Hamas

The security risks of a diplomatic visit to Israel were starkly illustrated Monday when Blinken, in his meeting with Netanyahu, was forced to shelter in place after air sirens warned of incoming rockets. Biden, he said, “very much looks forward to discussing it further” during his visit. A visit with ‘strategic importance’In weighing Netanyahu’s invitation with his team, Biden factored in both the symbolism of a visit and its practicalities. Before war in Israel broke out, Biden and Netanyahu were planning to visit in person again at the White House, a personal invitation Biden extended when the two last met in New York City. Speaking to reporters Monday, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said a visit by Biden would have “strategic importance” for the entire Middle East.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Israel “, King Abdullah II, Abdel Fattah el, Mahmoud Abbas, –, Netanyahu, they’d, John Kirby, ” Blinken, “, we’ll, ”, Biden –, Daniel Hagari, Volodymyr Zelensky, White, Netanyahu –, Jake Sullivan, Israel –, ” Sullivan, Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Khashoggi Organizations: CNN, White, Biden’s, Palestinian, National Security, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, USA, ”, CBS, Saudi Crown Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, United States, Jordan, Egypt, Rafah, Iran, Lebanon, New York City, Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Tehran, Saudi Arabia, Israel’s

☆ CIA intel about looming Hamas attacks did not reach Joe Biden — dismissed as routine
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The CIA issued two reports warning the Biden administration of increased Hamas threats days before attacks. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe CIA issued warnings about a potential escalation of Hamas attacks on Israel days ahead of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, say reports. Two reports warned of the looming coordinated attacks, said The New York Times. Some sources suggest that the military friction between Israel and Hamas was not unusual, describing the reports as routine. Egypt also warned Israel of a possible Hamas attack approximately three days before it occurred, per Forbes.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden, —, Israel Organizations: CIA, White, Service, New York Times, Hamas, White House, CNN, The New York Times, intel, Forbes Locations: Egypt, Israel, Al, Aqsa, Gaza, China, Russia, Iran, The, Axios

☆ Israel warns Hezbollah to stay out of Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] An Israeli tank is seen in the aftermath of a mass infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in Kibbutz Beeri in southern Israel, October 14, 2023. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security adviser said on Saturday hostilities with Lebanese Hezbollah in parallel with the Gaza war appeared to be restrained and warned the group not to take action that could lead to Lebanon's "destruction". Speaking after Netanyahu visited troops on the Gaza periphery in a possible precursor to a ground invasion, Hanegbi said more limited clashes across the Lebanese border showed Hezbollah was staying "under the escalation threshold". "That was a mistake," he said, adding that the wrongful assessment was shared across the Israeli intelligence community. "There is no doubt that the State of Israel did not fulfill its mission."

Persons: Violeta Santos Moura, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Israel, Tzachi Hanegbi, Netanyahu, Hanegbi, Israel forewarning, Israel's Shin Bet, Shin, Ronen, Dan Williams, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: Israeli, Gaza, Kibbutz Beeri, Israel, Israel's, Lebanese, Lebanon, Palestinian, Egypt

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