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☆ Iran has developed fentanyl-based chemical weapons
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-10 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

These chemical weapons affect a victim's central nervous system. AdvertisementIran has developed chemical weapons based on synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, warns a US expert, powerful agents that could incapacitate soldiers or civilians when added to grenades or artillery. (The US, in contrast, completed the destruction of its chemical weapons in 2023.) Nonetheless, chemical weapons do have a frightening aura, even if fentanyl gas is nowhere near as deadly as nerve gas. "I think that many, many people would see it that way because you're talking about chemical weapons," Levitt said.

Persons: —, Iran's, Matthew Levitt, Levitt, they've, Iran —, Hossein University, Israel, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Pharmaceutical, PBA, Combatting Terrorism, The U.S, Government, Washington Institute, Convention, Iran's Chemistry Department, IHU, Department, State Department, Commandos, CTC, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Iran, West, The, Iraq, Israel, Syrian, —, Iranian, Moscow, Vietnam, Tehran, Galilee, Lebanon, Forbes

Yahya Sinwar, the elusive Hamas leader widely credited with masterminding the Oct. 7 terror attacks on Israel, was confirmed dead Thursday, ending a yearlong manhunt for the militant chief. The Israel Defense Forces said Sinwar was killed by soldiers in an operation in southern Gaza on Wednesday. The only sighting of him before his death was in grainy footage taken on Oct. 10, 2023, three days after Hamas' assault, according to the Israeli military. It showed him fleeing with his family into a tunnel, one of a large network build by Hamas under Gaza, which the militant group used to smuggle weapons, hide out from Israeli attacks and keep Israeli hostages captive. They were displaced in what Palestinians call the Nakba, “catastrophe” in Arabic, of 1948, when around 700,000 people were forced from their homes in the founding of Israel.

Persons: Yahya Sinwar, masterminding, Sinwar, Osama Bin Laden, ” Matthew Levitt, ” Sinwar, Khan Younis Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, Washington Institute for Near, Policy, NBC News Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iran, United States, Al, Palestinian, Ashkelon

Image A photo of Fuad Shukr, from a wanted poster released by the U.S. State Department. Rewards for Justice, via Associated PressIt was not immediately clear whether Mr. Shukr, also known by his nom de guerre al-Hajj Mohsin, survived the Israeli assassination attempt. Assaf Orion, a retired Israeli brigadier general, described Mr. Shukr as “an experienced veteran” who had worked intensively to develop Hezbollah’s precision-guided missile apparatus. Analysts say the munitions are a particular concern for Israeli military planners. “It’s kind of run by committee, but Fuad Shukr is more or less first among equals,” he said, adding that Mr. Shukr reported directly to Mr. Nasrallah.

Persons: Fuad Shukr, Shukr, guerre, Hajj Mohsin, ”, Hassan Nasrallah, Mustafa Badreddine, Assaf, Matthew Levitt, Mohanad Hage Ali, Mr, Levitt, “, Nasrallah, Ronen Bergman Organizations: U.S, U.S . State Department . Credit, Justice, Associated, The State Department, Hezbollah, Washington Institute for Near, Carnegie Middle East, Israel Locations: Beirut, Golan, Syria, American, Israeli, Lebanon

☆ No European country more than Germany is going further in clamping down on Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Adding to a complex picture, Germany has the largest Palestinian diaspora in Europe, estimated at 300,000. J'rg Carstensen/picture-alliance/dpa/APThere are thought to be around 450 Hamas members in Germany and, like the rest of the European Union, Germany considers Hamas a terrorist organization. There were also reports of people celebrating the Hamas attacks on the streets of Berlin. Spreading propagandaOn November 2, Germany took the step of banning Hamas and all activities linked to the group. Police stand outside a building that houses a synagogue following a pre-dawn attack on October 18 in Berlin, Germany.

Persons: Friedrich Merz, “, Molotov, Jakon Schindler, Schindler, ”, Uli Deck, Der Spiegel, Matthew Levitt, Maja Hitij, Yossi Mekelberg, ’, Germany we’re, Lamya Kaddor, Nadine Schmidt, Sophie Tanno Organizations: CNN, Nazi, Christian Democratic Union, ZDF, Palestine, European Union, Federal Office, Protection, Counter Extremism, Hamas, Police, Brandenburg’s, Act, George Washington University, Israel, Washington Institute for Near East, U.S ., EU, Atlantic Council, IDF, Israel Defensce Forces, Chatham House, West Bank, Reuters, Rights Watch Locations: Israel, Gaza, Germany, Berlin, Europe, Rotterdam, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, German, Potsdam, Karlsruhe, Israel American, U.S, Austria, Hamas, East, Africa, Chatham, Palestine, London

☆ Who's funding Hamas?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementFor Iran, Levitt said, funding Hamas ultimately offers a financially and politically inexpensive way to undermine Israel's stability and increase the pressure against their adversaries while maintaining an air of deniability regarding its involvement. Both Asal and Levitt told Insider the funds from that transaction had little to do with the latest escalation in the conflict between Hamas and Israel. As with many terrorist organizations that control swaths of land or trade routes, Hamas gets funding through taxation, extortion, smuggling, kidnapping, and robbery, Asal told Insider. Money laundering and cryptoTo move all its money around, Levitt said, Hamas relies largely on cryptocurrency transactions and trade-based money laundering to avoid being easily tracked. "And that also allows Hamas to divert money from providing for its people to support its war machine."

Persons: —, Victor Asal, France —, Matthew Levitt, they're, Levitt, Biden, Asal, Reinhard, it's, Alex Zerden Organizations: Hamas, International, Service, European Union, Israel, Center for Policy Research, University of Albany, State University of New, US Treasury, Department, Land Foundation for Relief, Development, Federal Bureau of, Washington Institute for Near East, State Department, US, Street Locations: Gaza, United States, State University of New York, Switzerland, Austria, Lebanon, France, Iran, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, East, North Africa

CNN —When Hamas militants broke through the Gaza fence in this month’s unprecedented attack on Israel, the kibbutz of Mefalsim – less than two miles from the border – was on the front lines. That precision, local Israeli security personnel say, was no accident: The fighters seemed to have known exactly where they were headed. CNN has reviewed documents that Israeli officials say were Hamas attack plans, which suggest that the group collected remarkably granular detail on its targets. Two local Israeli security personnel told CNN they independently saw photos of the plan, and it closely matched the Hamas fighters’ tactics during the attack. But like in Mefalsim, Hamas did not successfully attack Sa’ad – no one died, according to the first responders group.

Persons: CNN —, Mefalsim, ”, Yarden, –, “, ” Reskin, Matthew Levitt, Hamas, ” Levitt, who’s, Reskin, Eli Levi, Levi, ” Levi, Colin P, Clarke, ” Clarke, Israel, Sa’ad, ’, Ilia Yefimovich, Sarah Pollack, ” Pollack, Pollack Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Toting AK, intel, Israel, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, AK, Wall Street Journal, NBC News, ” CNN, Getty, Gaza Locations: Gaza, Israel, Mefalsim, Hamas, Sa’ad, Arad

Last February, the State Department said that Hamas raises funds in other Gulf countries and gets donations from Palestinians, other expatriates and its own charities. Blockchain researchers TRM Labs said this week in a research note that crypto fundraising has previously increased following rounds of violence involving Hamas. However, since last weekend's violence, prominent Hamas-linked support groups had moved just a few thousands dollars through crypto, TRM noted. Between Dec. 2021 and April this year, Israel seized almost 190 crypto accounts it said were linked to Hamas. SHIPS AND SHELLSWhether through crypto or other means, Hamas' allies have found ways to get money to Gaza.

Persons: Matthew Levitt, Levitt, Tom Robinson, TRM, Israel, they've, Stephen Reimer, Saeed Azhar, Sinead Cruise, Tom Wilson, Tommy Wilkes, Andrew Mills, John O'Donnell, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: LONDON, Hamas, Barclays, Islamic Resistance Movement, State Department, Reuters, TRM Labs, The U.S . State Department, U.S . Treasury, UN, Qatari, Royal United Services Institute, Parisa, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Gaza, Israel, U.S, Iran, Qatar, United States, Britain, The, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Tehran, Islamic Republic, New York, London, Doha, Dubai

☆ Analysis-Hamas' Cash-To-Crypto Global Finance Maze in Israel's Sights
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

In the past, Hamas has said financial restrictions placed on its donors were an attempt to neutralise legitimate resistance against Israel. However, since last weekend's violence, prominent Hamas-linked support groups had moved just a few thousands dollars through crypto, TRM noted. Between Dec. 2021 and April this year, Israel seized almost 190 crypto accounts it said were linked to Hamas. SHIPS AND SHELLSWhether through crypto or other means, Hamas' allies have found ways to get money to Gaza. "Qatari aid to the Gaza Strip is fully coordinated with Israel, the UN and the U.S.," the Qatari government official said.

Persons: Al Sayegh, John O'Donnell, Elizabeth Howcroft, Matthew Levitt, Levitt, Tom Robinson, TRM, Israel, they've, Stephen Reimer, Saeed Azhar, Sinead Cruise, Tom Wilson, Tommy Wilkes, Andrew Mills, Frank Jack Daniel Organizations: Elizabeth Howcroft LONDON, Reuters, Hamas, Barclays, Islamic Resistance Movement, State Department, TRM Labs, The U.S . State Department, U.S . Treasury, UN, Qatari, Royal United Services Institute, Parisa Locations: DUBAI, Gaza, Israel, U.S, Iran, Qatar, United States, Britain, The, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Tehran, Islamic Republic, New York, London, Doha, Dubai

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