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☆ For 250 years, US troops could tow their cannons around the battlefield. The war in Ukraine shows they won't have that luxury in the future.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

That raises questions for the US military about whether towed guns can stay ahead of the enemy. AdvertisementAdvertisementAs the Ukraine war has proven, the effectiveness of artillery rests on more than its range or the destructive power of its shells. Rolyn KropfThe Ukraine war has featured an array of towed and self-propelled artillery in a variety of calibers and manufactured by numerous nations. Advocates of self-propelled howitzers point to their superior protection and their ability to rapidly displace after firing. However, the US Army's next-generation Extended Range Cannon Artillery will essentially be an upgraded M109A7 Paladin with a more powerful gun.

Persons: —, James Rainey, Tom, Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy, Caesar, Rainey, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, US Army, US Army Futures Command, Association of, United, Washington DC, Spc, British L119, Getty, Publishing, Cannon Artillery, US Army Yuma, US, Artillery, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, United States, Washington, Germany, Russian, British, Sicily, Kharkiv Region, Yuma, Forbes

☆ Opinion: ‘Dark, terrifying, claustrophobic.’ What it’s like inside Hamas’ tunnels
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Jennifer Smith | Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In the decade since, she has done extensive research into Hamas’ tunnel system as well as the underground network built by Hezbollah. Peter Bergen: What’s it like inside a Hamas tunnel? A Hamas fighter appears inside an underground tunnel in Gaza in 2014. Israeli soldiers went into Hamas’ tunnels during Operation Protective Edge, and they were not trained and not equipped, and there was combat in the tunnels. Bergen: Is a dog force used by Israel inside tunnels?

Persons: Peter Bergen, ”, Daphné Richemond Barak, Richemond Barak, they’re, Mohammed Salem, Israel, it’s, Rina Castelnuovo, Gilad Shalit, Shalit, Israel — Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, Peter Bergen CNN, Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, Reichman University, Subterranean Warfare, British, IDF, Israel Defense Forces, Bloomberg, Getty, Hamas, ISIS, Northern Locations: New America, Gaza, Israel, Herzliya, Vietnam, Viet, Messines, Belgium, Iran, Lebanon, Hamas, Bergen, Petah Tikva, —, Mosul, Iraq, Syria

The South Korean and American flags fly next to each other at Yongin, South Korea, August 23, 2016. Army/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsINJE, South Korea, Oct 28 (Reuters) - South Korean and U.S. troops held joint future combat drills involving drones, an unmanned vehicle and wearable laser sensors this week as part of efforts to modernise their militaries, Seoul's army said on Saturday. The training came as South Korea's military conducts a series of annual Hoguk autumn exercises aimed at improving responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The drills also mobilised various high-tech weapons systems aimed at beefing up future combat capabilities, with the troops wearing multiple integrated laser engagement systems (MILES), which uses lasers to simulate actual battle. Several drones were flown for reconnaissance purposes, some also firing an assault rifle, while South Korea dispatched a multipurpose unmanned vehicle to carry wounded personnel.

Persons: Ken Scar, Choi Jeong, Derek Chen, Hyonhee Shin, Daewoung Kim, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: . Army, REUTERS, Korean, Korea Combat Training, South, Korean army's 25th Infantry Division, TIGER, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, U.S . 4th Infantry Division, Thomson Locations: Yongin, South Korea, U.S, Korean, Pyongyang, Inje, South, Britain, Uzbekistan, Cambodia

☆ South Korea, US Troops Hold Drills With Drones, Laser Sensors
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Hyonhee Shin and Daewoung KimINJE, South Korea (Reuters) - South Korean and U.S. troops held joint future combat drills involving drones, an unmanned vehicle and wearable laser sensors this week as part of efforts to modernise their militaries, Seoul's army said on Saturday. The training came as South Korea's military conducts a series of annual Hoguk autumn exercises aimed at improving responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The drills also mobilised various high-tech weapons systems aimed at beefing up future combat capabilities, with the troops wearing multiple integrated laser engagement systems (MILES), which uses lasers to simulate actual battle. Several drones were flown for reconnaissance purposes, some also firing an assault rifle, while South Korea dispatched a multipurpose unmanned vehicle to carry wounded personnel. South Korea's army launched the TIGER brigade last year as a pilot unit for future warfare operations using artificial intelligence-powered drones and highly mobile fighting vehicles.

Persons: Hyonhee Shin, Daewoung Kim INJE, Choi Jeong, Derek Chen, Daewoung Kim, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Korean, Korea Combat Training, South, Korean army's 25th Infantry Division, TIGER, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, U.S . 4th Infantry Division Locations: South Korea, U.S, Korean, Pyongyang, Inje, South, Britain, Uzbekistan, Cambodia

Jacquelyn... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreWASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - About 900 more U.S. troops have arrived in the Middle East or are heading there to bolster air defenses for U.S. personnel amid a surge in attacks by Iran-affiliated groups, the Pentagon said on Thursday. A total of 21 U.S. forces have suffered minor injuries, the vast majority of them traumatic brain injuries. The measures include increasing U.S. military patrols, restricting access to base facilities and boosting intelligence collection, including through drone and other surveillance operations, officials say. During a false alarm at Al-Asad air base in Iraq on Thursday, a civilian contractor died from cardiac arrest. Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Chris Reese and Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Patrick Ryder, Ryder, I'm, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Asad, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Chris Reese, Howard Goller Organizations: Ben Gurion, Hamas, Pentagon, United, U.S, Reuters, Area Defense, Patriot, Iranian, United Nations, Palestinian, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, WASHINGTON, Iran, Iraq, Syria, U.S, United States, Gaza, Yemen, Iranian

The U.S. strikes reflect the Biden administration's determination to maintain a delicate balance. According to the Pentagon, there have been at least 12 attacks on U.S. bases and personnel in Iraq and four in Syria since Oct. 17. According to the Pentagon, all the U.S. personnel hurt in the militant attacks received minor injuries and all returned to duty. Such retaliation and strikes against Iranian targets in Syria after similar attacks on U.S. bases are routine. In March, for example, the U.S. struck sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard after an Iranian-linked attack killed a U.S. contractor and wounded seven other Americans in northeast Syria.

Persons: Pat Ryder, Asad, Tanf Garrison, Lloyd Austin, Joe Biden, Austin, won’t, Ryder, ”, Israel Organizations: WASHINGTON, Revolutionary Guard Corps, Pentagon, U.S, Hamas, Air Force, Hamasa, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Udeid, Base, Islamic, Patriot, Area Defense, Fort Liberty, Patriots Locations: Syria, U.S, Iraq, Asad Airbase, Iranian, United States, Gaza, Israel, Ahli, Tel Aviv, America, American, Qatar, Deir el, ., Fort Bliss , Texas, Fort, North Carolina, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, East

☆ Opinion: Will Israel-Hamas war mean a US-Iran escalation?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Opinion Charles Dunne | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

However, the White House has, for the moment, rightly stopped short of concluding that a major escalation is inevitable. While this risks escalation, it might be necessary — and a lack of resolve is also a risk in the face of ongoing attacks. There is a history here that goes beyond the fact that the US is allied with and supporting Israel in its war on Hamas. There has been much speculation about whether, given these well-documented ties, Iran ordered the Hamas operation in southern Israel. Miscalculations — whether by Iran, Israel, Hezbollah or even the US — could rapidly lead to a multifront regional war with casualties easily numbering in the tens of thousands.

Persons: Charles Dunne, John Kirby, Joe Biden, “, Qassem Soleimani, Bashar al, Assad, there’s, —, Biden, ”, It’s, Iran hasn’t, Israel, Geravand, it’s Organizations: US Foreign Service, Arab Center Washington DC, Middle East Institute, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, CNN, Hamas, White, National Security, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Qods Force, Reuters, Washington Post, Force Locations: Iraq, Syria, Israel, Iranian, Washington, Tehran, Iran, United States, Europe, Sarajevo, Russia, Syrian, State, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, Hezbollah, Sudan, Egypt, Qatar, Israel’s

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends a graduation ceremony for armed forces officers at the Imam Ali academy in Tehran, Iran October 10, 2023. "There was a direct message relayed," White House spokesman John Kirby said at a news briefing, declining to elaborate. U.S. troops have been attacked at least 12 times in Iraq and four times in Syria in the past week, it added. On Wednesday, Biden said he had warned the ayatollah the United States would respond if U.S. forces continued to be targeted but did not say how the message was communicated. "My warning to the ayatollah was that if they continue to move against those troops, we will respond, and he should be prepared.

Persons: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali, Joe Biden, John Kirby, Biden, Israel, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Steve Holland, Susan Heavey, Arshad Mohammed, Doina Chiacu, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Iran's, Iranian, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Hamas, Pentagon, Wednesday, United Nations, Palestinian, Thomson Locations: Tehran, Iran, Israel, U.S, Iraq, Syria, United States, Gaza, Iran's, Palestine, Lebanon, Hamas, Yemen

Washington CNN —The US carried out airstrikes targeting two facilities linked to Iranian-backed militias in eastern Syria on Thursday, according to a statement from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, following a series of drone and rocket attacks against US forces in the region. He directly accused Iran of having a role in the attacks on US forces, saying in the statement, “Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not let them.” Austin also promised further strikes if the attacks by Iran’s proxies continue. Earlier Thursday, the US announced it is deploying about 900 troops to the Middle East - with the potential for many more. The US strikes follow a growing number of attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria since October 17.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Austin, Joe Biden, ” Austin, Biden, ” Biden, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, Brig, Pat Ryder Organizations: Washington CNN, Defense, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, US, Pentagon, Wednesday, ISIS, UN, Assembly, Iranian, ”, Defense Department Locations: Iranian, Syria, Gaza, Iran, Israel, Iraq

☆ 900 US troops have deployed or are deploying to Middle East amid heightened tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Roughly 900 US troops have been deployed or are deploying to the Middle East amid heightened tensions in the region after a series of attacks on coalition bases that resulted in minor injuries for almost two dozen troops. “These include forces that have been on prepare to deploy orders, and which are deploying from the continental United States,” Pentagon spokesman Brig. Of those, 19 — 15 at Al Assad Air Base in Syria, and four at Al-Tanf Garrison in Iraq — have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI), Ryder said. That is in addition to US troops already in Iraq and Syria – roughly 2,500 and 900, respectively – and Navy assets that were announced to be heading to the region. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has been directed to the Middle East, and the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Persons: Pat Ryder, Fort Bliss Texas, Fort, ” Ryder, Ryder, “, Tanf Garrison, Iraq —, ”, Sabrina Singh, Dwight D, Gerald R Organizations: CNN, Pentagon, “, Defense, Patriot, Hamas, Israel, Al Assad Air Base, Al, Erbil Airbase, Eisenhower Carrier Strike, Ford Carrier Strike Locations: United States, Fort Bliss, Fort Sill , Oklahoma, Fort Liberty , North Carolina, Cavazos , Texas, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Erbil

☆ 900 US Troops Heading to Middle East to Bolster Defenses as Attacks Surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Idrees Ali and Phil StewartWASHINGTON (Reuters) - About 900 more U.S. troops have arrived in the Middle East or are heading there to bolster air defenses for U.S. personnel amid a surge in attacks by Iran-affiliated groups, the Pentagon said on Thursday. A total of 21 U.S. forces have suffered minor injuries, the vast majority of them traumatic brain injuries. Ryder said U.S. forces were again targeted earlier on Thursday in Iraq but the attack failed. The measures include increasing U.S. military patrols, restricting access to base facilities and boosting intelligence collection, including through drone and other surveillance operations, officials say. During a false alarm at Al-Asad air base in Iraq on Thursday, a civilian contractor died from cardiac arrest.

Persons: Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, Patrick Ryder, Ryder, I'm, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Asad, Phil Stewart, Chris Reese, Howard Goller Organizations: Pentagon, United, U.S, Reuters, Area Defense, Patriot, Iranian, United Nations, Palestinian Locations: Iran, Israel, Iraq, Syria, U.S, United States, Gaza, Yemen, Iranian

☆ Raytheon's CEO said on an earnings call that the company stood to 'benefit' from DoD budget increases due to the war in Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Caroline Haskins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

President Biden requested an additional $106 billion to the DoD budget, citing the Israel-Hamas war and other global conflicts. The CEO of military contractor RTX said Tuesday the company could "benefit" from an increased DoD budget. RTX Corporation, formerly known as Raytheon, is a long-time US defense contractor which has worked on supplying Israel's Iron Dome since 2014. Liwag asked how quickly RTX Corporation, formerly known as Raytheon Corporation, could profit if Congress approves President Biden's request for a DoD budget increase in 2024. He called the budget request "a smart investment" in American security and emphasized the need to support Israel's Iron Dome.

Persons: Biden, RTX, —, Greg Hayes, Hayes, Kristine Liwag, Morgan Stanley, Liwag, Biden's, you've, Liwang, Israel, Kevin McCarthy's, Jake Sullivan, USA, Sam Deneke Organizations: RTX Corporation, Raytheon, Service, RTX, US Department, Raytheon Corporation, Israel, Raytheon Defense, CNBC, Israeli Defense Force, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, DoD, Republican Party, National, U.S . Department of Defense, Corporation Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Gaza, U.S, Egypt

Israel is escalating its bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground invasion against Hamas militants. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians who died in the initial Hamas rampage. In addition, 222 people including foreigners were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, Israel's military has said. UNRWA said it found shrapnel in its facilities in the Bureij camp and in Nuseirat in central Gaza from Israel’s bombardment of nearby areas Sunday. Israel said Monday it struck 320 militant targets throughout the besieged Gaza Strip over the last 24 hours.

Persons: Israel, HAVE, won’t, —, ROME —, Antonio Tajani, Nir Forti, ’, Forti, “, barbarously, ’ Tajani, Tajani, Ní Aoláin, Ní, Antonio Guterres’s, ” Ní Aoláin, ” Organizations: Hamas, Health Ministry, West Bank, U.S . Department of Defense, UNRWA, Association of University Heads, Israel Army Radio, Gaza, Gaza’s Health Ministry, UNITED, United Nations, University of Minnesota Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S, Beirut, israel, CAIRO, Nuseirat, Sunday, ISRAEL, al, Aqsa, Deir al, “, ITALY, Geneva, United

☆ An 85-year-old Israeli women shook hands with a Hamas militant after being freed. Her husband is still being held hostage.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Sarah Gray | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Two older adult hostages were released by Hamas on Monday, October 23. Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, and Nurit Cooper, 79, were taken October 7 during the Hamas terror attacks. Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, and Nurit Cooper, 79, were taken hostage on October 7 after militants attacked kibbutz Nir Oz. Lifschitz's father and Yocheved Lifzhitz's husband, Oded Lifshitz, along with Nurit Cooper's husband, Amiram Cooper, are still being held by Hamas, along with an estimated 218 hostages. Over 1,400 people in Israel have been killed — mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas terror attacks.

Persons: Yocheved Lifshitz, Nurit Cooper, Lifshitz, —, Nir Oz, Sharone Lifschitz, CNN's Anderson Cooper, Lifschitz's, Yocheved, Oded, Nurit, Amiram Cooper, Al Qassam, Judith, Natalie Raanan, Daniel Lifshitz, Daniel, salam, AP Daniel Lifschiz, Israel, John Kirby, Yoav Gallant Organizations: Service, Hamas, AP, CNN, Reuters, West Bank, Israel Defense Forces, Security, US, Ministry Locations: Rafa, Egypt, Tel Aviv, Evanston , Illinois, Gaza, Israel, The, Iranian, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Washington

☆ 40 years after the Beirut barracks bombing, the US military is again at risk of clashing with the same forces behind it
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

On October 23, 1983, 241 US service members were killed in the Beirut barracks bombings. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the wake of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, which took the lives of 241 US service members, then-President Ronald Reagan described the Middle East as a "powder keg." FILE - An Oct. 23, 1983 file photo shows the aftermath of a suicide truck bombing of the U.S. Marines barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. Four times in the last 30 years, the Arabs and Israelis have gone to war," Reagan added. AdvertisementAdvertisementWith tensions boiling, Washington is warning Americans throughout the Middle East to exercise caution and remain vigilant.

Persons: Ronald Reagan, —, Hamas teetering, Reagan, Jim Bourdier, We've, Israel —, Lebanon Dorothy Shea Organizations: Service, Hamas, Corps, US, U.S, Marines, AP, United Nations, US Navy, Pentagon, U.S . Locations: Beirut, Israel, Iran, Lebanon's, Iwo Jima, Lebanon, Western Europe, Japan, Tehran, Gaza, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Palestinian, Washington

The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, U.S. October 9, 2020. "We don't necessarily see that Iran has explicitly ordered them to take these kinds of attacks," Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told reporters. Pressed on the issue, Ryder added: "We haven't seen a direct order, for example, from the Supreme Leader saying: 'Go out and do this.'" Ryder, however, said that the United States ultimately holds Iran responsible for such attacks by militant groups "by virtue of the fact that they are supported by Iran." The United States has also sent warships and fighter aircraft to the region to try to deter Iran and Iran-backed groups from widening the conflict.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Patrick Ryder, Ryder, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Asad, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Chizu Nomiyama, Howard Goller Organizations: Pentagon, REUTERS, Rights, United, Iran's, Reuters, Biden, Defense, Area Defense, Thomson Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, United States, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Tehran, Islamic Republic, Iranian, Yemen

☆ Intelligence shows Iranian-backed militias are ready to ramp up their attacks against US forces in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Natasha Bertrand Katie Bo Lillis Zachary Cohen Jennifer Hansler | Natasha Bertrand | Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The US has intelligence that Iranian-backed militia groups are planning to ramp up attacks against US forces in the Middle East, as Iran seeks to capitalize on the backlash in the region to US support for Israel, according to multiple US officials. The militia groups have already launched multiple drone attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria. But the US now has specific intelligence that those same groups could escalate even further as the war between Israel and Hamas continues. Officials said that at this point, Iran appears to be encouraging the groups rather than explicitly directing them. In the case of the recent drone attacks on bases housing US forces, “Iran is certainly more culpable than in the case of the Hamas attack in Israel,” said another person familiar with the intelligence.

Persons: John Kirby, ”, Kirby, “, Matthew Miller, they’re, ” “ It’s, Defense Lloyd Austin, Naledi, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, ” Abdollahian, ” Austin Organizations: CNN, Israel, Officials, National Security, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Quds Force, State, State Department, ISIS, Defense, Pentagon, US Navy, Iran’s Locations: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Tehran, Qatar, Iranian, Yemen, East

☆ US sees risk of Middle East escalation, threat to US troops
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 22 (Reuters) - The United States sees the prospect of further attacks on its troops in the Middle East and the Israel-Hamas war escalating to the wider region, the top U.S. diplomat and defense officials said on Sunday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the United States did not want to see the conflict spread. In fact, what we're seeing … is the prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region," Austin told ABC's "This Week" program. "If any group or any country is looking to widen this conflict and take advantage of this very unfortunate situation ... our advice is: don’t," he added. Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, Lloyd Austin, Blinken, …, Austin, ABC's, Kanishka Singh, Arshad Mohammed, Andrea Ricci, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: U.S, Israeli, Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Sunday, NBC, Palestinian, Thomson Locations: Israel, Tel Aviv, United States, Sunday ., Iran, United, Gaza, Washington

An aerial view of residential buildings destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Zahra City, Gaza, on October 21. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters A woman mourns over a dead man at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza City on October 18. Yousef Masoud/The New York Times A morgue worker arranges body bags at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on October 12. Ramez Mahmoud/AP A plume of smoke rises in the sky over Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on October 9. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 8.

Persons: CNN —, “, Daniel Hagari, ”, Jonathan Conricus, Ali Jadallah, Shadi Tabatibi, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Belal al Sabbagh, Mohammed Saber, Khan, Rizek Abdeljawad, Ahmad Gharabli, Janis Laizans, Abed Khaled, Mohammed Dahman, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Yasser Qudih, Ofir Libstein, Aza, Ronen Zvulun, Belal Khaled, Abed Rahim Khatib, Leon Neal, Hod, Ayal Margolin, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Brendan Smialowski, Biden, Netanyahu, Kenny Holston, Ariel Schalit, Mohammed Abed, Kfar Aza, Ilia Yefimovich, Mustafa Hassona, Mahmoud Khaled, Samar Abu, Fatima Shbair, Dor Reder, Violeta Santos Moura, Shir Torem, Wahaj Bani Moufleh, Antonio Macías, Macías, Francisco Seco, Eli Albag, Liri, Mohammed Talatene, Sergey Ponomarev, Hatem Ali, Dor Kedmi, Mahmud Hams, Saher, Hatem Moussa, Abraham Cohen, Valentin Ghnassia, Ghnassia, Yuri Cortez, Yousef Masoud, Ibrahim Hams, Bashar Taleb, Baz Ratner, Jack Guez, Yahya Hassouna, Mapal Adam, Abed Zagout, Tamir Kalifa, Agha, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Reuters Itzik, Miriam Shafir, Dor Shafir, Savion Kiper, Maya Alleruzzo, Mohammed Salem, CNN Sergey Ponomarev, Eden Guez, Atef Safadi, Ohad, Mohammed Soboh, Said, Noam Elimeleh Rothenberg, Amir Cohen, Ilai Bar Sade, Erik Marmor, Oren Ziv, Majdi, Ramez Mahmoud, Roi Levy, Alleruzzo, Tali Touito, Jalaa Marey, Oded, Khan Younis, Ahmad Hasballah, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, Tsafrir, Ilan Rosenberg, Eyad Baba, Itai Ron, Hadas Parush, Herzl Halevi, “ We’ll, We’ll, Halevi, Joe Biden “, Defense Lloyd Austin Organizations: CNN, West Bank, Palestinian, Israel Defense Forces, Sunday, Al, Islamic, Palestinian Ministry of Health, Getty, Reuters, Reuters Civil, AP Rockets, AP Israel's, Regional, Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Israel's, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Israeli, Ben Gurion International, New York Times, Shifa, AP, Aris Messinis, Haim, Mount, Mount Herzl Military, Nova, Anadolu Agency, Nova Festival, Ben Gurion, Rockets, United Nations, Reuters Police, Reuters Rockets, Staff, Golani Brigade, Defense, Area Defense, Patriots, Hamas, IDF, Food Programme, WFP Locations: Gaza, Israel, Jenin, Toubas, Nablus, Gaza City, Anadolu, Zahra City, Europe, Tel Aviv, Egypt, Rafah, AFP, Khan Younis, Xinhua, East Jerusalem, Ras, Israel's, Yehuda, Aqsa, Hod HaSharon, Kiryat Shmona, Al, Ahli, Sderot, Gan, Kfar, North Sinai, Samar, Samar Abu Elouf, Beit Kama, Haifa, Cyprus, West, Lebanon, Kfar Saba, Israeli, Be'eri, Rehovot, Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, Kibbutz Be'eri, Modiin Maccabim, Kfar Aza, Ashkelon, Mount Herzel, Yassin, Palestinian, Beitar Ilit, Ramat Gan, Itai, Beit Hanun, Rishon Lezion, United States, Palestinian Territories, Arish

☆ Sec. Austin said US is 'concerned about potential escalation'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Aileen Graef | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Sunday the US is “concerned about potential escalation” in the Middle East a day after announcing the deployment of additional military assets to the region. “We’re concerned about potential escalation. Both the THAAD and Patriots systems are air defense systems designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles. Last week, a US Navy warship operating in the Middle East intercepted multiple projectiles near the coast of Yemen fired by Iranian-backed Houthi militants, who are engaged in an ongoing conflict in the country. These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel,” Austin said in a statement.

Persons: Defense Lloyd Austin, “ We’re, ”, Austin, Biden, ” Austin, Yoav Gallant, “, Israel, Jon Organizations: CNN, Defense, Sunday, Area Defense, Patriots, US Navy, East, ABC Locations: East, Israel, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Iranian, Iraq, Gaza

☆ US redirects Navy carrier strike group, deploys high altitude defense missile system and patriot battalions to the Middle East amid escalations by Iran in the Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Navy strike group was redirected and Patriot battalions were activated. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe US is increasing its military presence in the Middle East amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. In response, the outlet reported, the Israel Defense Forces said it launched counter-strikes on several Hezbollah targets near the Lebanese-Israeli border. The Eisenhower strike group is mobilized in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The THAAD is a Lockheed Martin anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to intercept targets inside and outside the atmosphere, per the manufacturer.

Persons: —, Defense Lloyd J, Austin III, Joe Biden, Israel —, he'd, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Gerald R, Lockheed Martin, Austin Organizations: Navy, Service, Defense, US Department of Defense, Jerusalem Post, Israel Defense Forces, Hezbollah, Austin, Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, Central Command, Ford Carrier Strike, Area Defense, Lockheed, Pentagon Locations: Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Jerusalem, Lebanese, Gaza

In private discussions with their Israeli counterparts, Western defense officials have not tried to dissuade Israel from moving into Gaza with ground forces, the sources said. While he said that “taking out the extremists is a necessary requirement” for Israel, “Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don’t represent all the Palestinian people. At least publicly, Israeli officials have articulated their plans only in broad strokes, saying that the goal is to eliminate Hamas and its infrastructure. In one word – to win.”In 2014, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set out to debilitate Hamas with the last ground invasion into Gaza. “I think the goal was to show clear support (and) to understand Israel’s strategy of what comes after an invasion if Israel is successful in decimating Hamas.

Persons: Israel, Joe Biden, “, Biden, Gilad Erdan, Staff Herzi Halevi, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel hasn’t, ”, Jonathan Panikoff, didn’t Organizations: CNN, NATO, Israel, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces Chief, Staff, Haaretz, ”, US Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon –, Iran, Tehran

☆ How Hezbollah could draw US troops into a wider war in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Israel-Hamas war could spark a wider regional conflict in the Middle East. AdvertisementAdvertisementPresident Joe Biden this week touched down in Israel as the Middle East was engulfed in new turmoil. AdvertisementAdvertisementThey'd threatened to attack Israel in support of Hamas before the hospital attack, with clashes in recent days between Hezbollah and Israeli forces on Israel's northern border intensifying. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn Hezbollah, Israel faces an opponent that is better armed and trained than the Gaza-based Hamas militia. "They want to pressure Israel via Hezbollah when Israel is already stretched and distracted," said Burrows.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Biden, Michael DiMino, Benjamin Netanyahu, BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, Ebrahim Raisi, Israel, JOSEPH EID, Mat Burrows, Burrows, Robert Dover, Stimson Center's Burrows, Iran's, Clive Jones, DiMino Organizations: Service, Hezbollah, CIA, Israel, Tel Aviv's, Getty, Al, UN, West Bank, Embassy, Washington, Stimson Center, Missile, AFP, Kremlin, University of Hull, Institute for, Durham University Locations: Israel, East, Iran, Gaza, Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion, AFP, Ahli, Gaza City, — Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, DC, Russia, China, Ukraine, Taiwan, Syrian, Iraq, Yemen, United States

☆ Captured Hamas weapons hint that if Israeli forces invade Gaza, they could face a deadly improvised bomb that US troops feared in Iraq
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A video released by the IDF shows captured Hamas weapons from the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel. EFPs were some of the deadliest explosives US forces faced in Iraq, ripping through troops and armor. That could be a problem for IDF troops in a ground offensive in the strip. Israeli forces could still face EFPs hidden in the rubble, complex tunnel networks, or roads. That could spell trouble for IDF troops, of which hundreds of thousands have volunteered or been called up to serve over the past weeks.

Persons: —, John Spencer, Spencer, Qassem Soleimani, Benjamin Lowy, Israel Organizations: IDF, Service, Israel Defense Force, Israel Defense Forces, MSNBC, US Army, Urban Warfare, Modern, Twitter, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, Pentagon, Quds Force, Air Force, Washington Post, Getty, United Nations Locations: Israel, Iraq, Gaza, Iranian, Iran, EFPs, Hawr Rajab, Lebanon

☆ US troops attacked in Iraq, Syria and on alert for more strikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Idrees Ali | Thomson Reuters | National Security Correspondent Focusing On The Pentagon In Washington D.C. Reports On U.S. Military Activity | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

On Wednesday, a drone hit U.S. forces in Syria resulting in minor injuries, while another one was brought down. Earlier this week, U.S. forces thwarted multiple drones targeting troops in Iraq. At least 3,785 Palestinians have been killed and 12,493 wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza, the health ministry in Gaza said. In past years, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq regularly targeted U.S. forces in Iraq and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad with rockets. Such attacks had abated under a truce in place since last year, and Iraq has had a period of relative calm.

Persons: Alaa, Joe Biden, Al, Asad, I'm, Patrick Ryder, Ryder, Ali al, Israel, Idrees Ali, Grant McCool Organizations: U.S, Islamic, REUTERS, Rights, Pentagon, U.S . Navy, Thursday, ISRAEL, Gaza, United, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: Makhmour, Mosul, Iraq, Syria, Washington, Iran, Israel, U.S, Al Asad, Yemen, Gaza, United States, State, Baghdad

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