quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:

quote:

Originally posted by TigerDore:

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:
I wish the US was more supportive, it's shameful.

We will be much more supportive in about 3 months.


.

I think the US population is overwhelmingly supportive now. I know my whole family is. The only anti Israel people I have seen are online where the sample is concentrated.

I agree with you. I mean the support that counts the most, the Oval Office, will be much more supportive.


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Israeli Strikes Knocked Out All Of Iran’s S-300 Air Defense Systems: Officials

The apparent destruction of the last three Iranian S-300s would pave the way for expanded Israeli airstrikes.

Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 28, 2024 3:02 PM EDT

Iran is likely still tallying the costs of the Israeli airstrikes launched on Saturday in retaliation for Tehran’s massive October 1 missile barrage on Israel. Among the targets that Israel appears to have gone after are Iran’s prized Russian-made S-300 air defense systems, according to U.S. and Israeli officials. Putting the Iranian S-300s out of action leaves the door open to follow-up strikes by Israel, including larger-scale direct attacks. As we noted on Saturday, this serves as both a contingent opportunity for the Israel Defense Forces and a deterrent against a response from Iran.

Among the critical Iranian military infrastructure destroyed on Saturday were its three surviving S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile systems. This is the assessment of unnamed U.S. and Israeli officials speaking to the Wall Street Journal. Iran’s only other S-300 system was already hit by Israel earlier this year...

Complete article:

https://www.twz.com/news-featu...se-systems-officials

As I keep pointing out, the Iranian military is nothing but a bunch of clowns. They make a big noise but when the shooting starts, they get their ass kicked every time.

If ever they manage to develop the bomb, these buffoonish fanatics will use it at first opportunity and it will lead directly to their complete destruction.

I’ve read that Israel took out both S-300 and the more advanced S-400 systems. It does my heart tremendous good knowing that the F-35 stealth is as apparently good as we’ve heard to where not a single loss was suffered. Russia is shitting themselves I’m sure as once again, their hardware proves to be woefully deficient in the face of vastly superior western tech.

Hezbollah Names Successor to Nasrallah; Israel Says ‘Not for Long’
Naim Qassem, a founding member of Hezbollah, has been appointed the new leader.

Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah has appointed Naim Qassem as the replacement for its slain chief Hassan Nasrallah, and Israel has already placed a target on his life.

“Temporary appointment. Not for long,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on X Monday alongside a photo of Qassem. “The countdown has begun.”
Qassem, 71, assumed the role of acting leader following Nasrallah’s death in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Sept. 27. The new Hezbollah leadership was expected to be passed to Nasrallah’s cousin, Hashem Safieddine, but on Oct. 22, it was revealed that he too had died in an Israeli air strike nearly three weeks prior.

A founding member of Hezbollah, Qassem had served for more than 30 years as Nasrallah’s second-in-command and emerged as a prominent spokesperson for the group, especially as the clash with Israel along Lebanon’s border has escalated since last October.

He is also one of the few high-ranking Hezbollah leaders still alive after Israel’s targeted airstrikes decimated much of the group’s senior leadership in recent weeks.

In a stern warning, Israel said Qassem may soon meet the fate of his comrades.

“His tenure in this position may be the shortest in the history of this terrorist organization if he follows in the footsteps of his predecessors Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine,” reads a post from the Israeli government’s Arabic-language X account. “There is no solution in Lebanon except to dismantle this organization as a military force.”
Qassem was born in 1953 in southern Lebanon. He was a Shiite cleric until the late 1970s when he joined the Amal movement during the Lebanese Civil War between Maronite Christians and Muslims.

In 1979, in the wake of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, Qassem broke away from Amal as it drifted in a more secular direction. In 1982, together with several like-minded former Amal members who shared his radical Islamist ideology, they founded Hezbollah.

In 1991, Qassem was appointed deputy leader under founding leader Abbas al-Musawi, who was killed in an Israeli attack the following year. Qassem continued in this role when Nasrallah became the leader and served as his deputy until Nasrallah’s death.

Since Nasrallah’s killing, Qassem has given several televised addresses, including one on Sept. 30, in which he told supporters that his group would “fill the leadership and positions on a permanent basis” and continue to fight against Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians.

“What we are doing is the bare minimum ... We know that the battle may be long,” he said in a 19-minute speech, speaking in front of wooden panels from an undisclosed location.

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have been ongoing for decades and have escalated in the past year since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas—also an Iran-backed terrorist group—which killed 1,200 people, injured thousands, and kidnapped more than 250.

Israel’s retaliatory strikes in Gaza later that day were met with Hezbollah’s rockets, missiles, and drones in support of Hamas, prompting Israel to return fire.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/...aPWpP0KzNNvIGHRtg%3D

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
I’ve read that Israel took out both S-300 and the more advanced S-400 systems. It does my heart tremendous good knowing that the F-35 stealth is as apparently good as we’ve heard to where not a single loss was suffered. Russia is shitting themselves I’m sure as once again, their hardware proves to be woefully deficient in the face of vastly superior western tech.

The S-300 and S-400 are VERY capable systems. The Soviets spent tons of money on these surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, knowing our aircraft were always better than theirs (since the Korean War, that is).

It warms my heart to see the Israelis have managed to not only avoid getting hit by them, but actually destroyed them. Those SAMs probably represent Iran's best anti air capability. Killing those SAMs opens up the country to attack by F-15 and F-16 strikes. . .

One hopes it’s because our F35’s are better than those missile systems. There’s also the Israeli pilots vs Iranian air defense guys crewing those SAM sites aspect.

quote:

Originally posted by downtownv:
Hezbollah Names Successor to Nasrallah; Israel Says ‘Not for Long’
Naim Qassem, a founding member of Hezbollah, has been appointed the new leader.

Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah has appointed Naim Qassem as the replacement for its slain chief Hassan Nasrallah, and Israel has already placed a target on his life.

“Temporary appointment. Not for long,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on X Monday alongside a photo of Qassem. “The countdown has begun.”

Won't live long enough to see his name added to the office directory and new business cards printed up.

Being head of hezbollah is like watching a particularly satisfying version of Whack-a-Mole....

The problem is that there are two opposite opinions being floated.

1)Israel took out the air defenses and now the attack can proceed

2) Israel detected advanced air defenses and could not proceed with the planned attack.

If it is the second, then the entire stealth program is a boondoggle now.

Israel states they are going to retaliate again, so we will see if it is by air or missile.

This was entirely a planned attack; the intent was to leave Iran blind and defenseless. They only had 3 S-300 systems out of four originally. The first was destroyed in April of this year and this attack took out the other 3. In addition, multiple radar stations were destroyed that helped to guide ballistic missiles to their targets in Israel. They are letting the regime know that they own that shithole and can attack targets with impunity. Iran is playing chess while Israel is moving into checkmate.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/...ssentially-naked.amp

quote:

Originally posted by oldbill123:
The problem is that there are two opposite opinions being floated.

1)Israel took out the air defenses and now the attack can proceed

2) Israel detected advanced air defenses and could not proceed with the planned attack.

If it is the second, then the entire stealth program is a boondoggle now.

Israel states they are going to retaliate again, so we will see if it is by air or missile.

Reason one Yes; with all of Iran's S300's knocked-out, Israel can now unleash what they want, when they want. This doesn't completely eliminate the anti-air threat but, it greatly reduces Iran's ability to detect and track inbound threats. Keep in mind in 1999 the F-117 that was shot down over Yugoslavia was knocked-out by a 40+ year old SA-3/S125 system. Obviously some operational errors and a large dose of luck played a role in the downing of the stealth fighter, the point being there is a threat but, that threat is nothing like it was with the S300 system operating. If anything, they can get their tankers and AEW aircraft closer with a reduced threat.

Israeli Strikes Knocked Out All Of Iran’s S-300 Air Defense Systems: Officials

As for number-2, the war in Ukraine has shown the S300 system to have major gaps in its capability, not to mention the Russian military leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to operational competence. The system has flaws, it's been exploited for well over a few years now and Israel just took that chess piece off the board. A combination of modern stealth technology and electronic warfare is what got them through and allowed them to proceed with their mission. The vast majority of military pundits and online types are unable to articulate this aspect of warfare thus they rely on the odd, if X occurred, then Y happened because of Z reasoning.

To say that the stealth program was/is a boondoggle is nonsense, and has been demonstrated many times.

There is an old adage: “There was never a horse that couldn’t be rode, and there was never a man who couldn’t be throwed.”

In war, as in countless other serious endeavors, there have been countless examples of failures occurring because of relying on one “infallible” system or method. That’s why as an acquaintance who worked in the aerospace industry put it, they rely on “belt and suspenders” practices: if one fails, the other will keep your pants up.

If taking out even marginally-effective air defense systems increases the safety of attacking aircraft even slightly, then it’s worth the effort. And as mentioned, it also makes it feasible for less sophisticated aircraft to operate safely. No degradation of an enemy’s capabilities is ever a waste.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
To say that the stealth program was/is a boondoggle is nonsense, and has been demonstrated many times.

This.

It ain't stealth if you scream from the rooftops "we did this and that with xxx platform". Sources and methods people...

My Israeli friends tell me the F35s did their job quite well.

CENTCOM announces: U.S. strategic bombers have arrived in the Middle East

The move comes amid reports that Iran is planning an attack on Israel.

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398522

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday that B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers from Minot Air Force Base's 5th Bomb Wing had arrived in the Middle East.

CENTCOM’s announcement came a day after the Pentagon stated that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would be sending bomber aircraft, fighter jets and more Navy warships to the Middle East to bolster the US presence in the region.

Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said that Austin ordered, in addition to the B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft, a squadron of fighter jets, tanker aircraft and Navy destroyers. He said they will begin arriving in the region in coming months, as the USS Abraham Lincoln begins to head home.

The move comes amid reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has instructed the Supreme National Security Council to prepare for an attack on Israel.

According to a report in The New York Times this past Thursday, Khamenei decided to attack after he reviewed a detailed report from senior military commanders on the extent of damage to Iran’s missile production capabilities and air defense systems around Tehran, critical energy infrastructure, and a main port in the south.

On Wednesday, a high-ranking source told CNN that Iran will attack Israel again soon, likely before the US presidential election next Tuesday.

According to the source, Iran's retaliation for Israel's air strikes on its military targets last week will be significant.

An Israeli military source told CNN on Thursday that Israel is at a “high level of readiness” for a response from Iran.

The source added, however, that they are “still assessing the decision-making process in Iran” to determine if and when a retaliation will take place.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke on Thursday with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and “reaffirmed that the United States remains fully prepared to defend US personnel, Israel, and partners across the region against threats from Iran and Iran-backed proxy groups,” said the Pentagon.

Meanwhile:

Biden administration: Israel has 11 days to implement our demands, or we'll suspend aid

Biden administration gives Israel until November 13 to implement its demands to improve humanitarian situation in Gaza - or military aid will be suspended. The humanitarian aid enables Hamas to continue its terror operations.

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398501

The Biden administration is putting maximum pressure on Israel, threatening to suspend military aid if Israel does not fully implement its demands before November 13, Axios reported.

Biden has thus far avoided suspending military aid, but the move is "gaining more support inside the State Department," the site reported, quoting a US official.

The threat follows an October 13 letter sent by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to their Israeli counterparts, warning that if the humanitarian situation in Gaza did not significantly improve within 30 days, it would affect the weapons the US supplies to Israel.

Over half of all humanitarian aid to enter Gaza is taken over by the Hamas terror group, and used to fund its continued terror operations. According to officials, the increased humanitarian aid taken over to Hamas is significantly extending the war in Gaza.

In a Thursday press conference with Austin, Blinken said, "Both of us and our teams are tracking very carefully Israel's responsibilities to meet the letter of the law ... with regard to the provision of humanitarian assistance." They emphasized that although Israel has made progress, more needs to be done.

Meanwhile, Israeli and US officials said that Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer has been tasked with drafting the response to the letter from Blinken and Austin, but that the letter is expected to be finalized and sent only after the US elections next week. Its contents are likely to be influenced by the results of the elections.

On Friday, the State Department stated: "Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with the Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. The Secretary and Minister discussed necessary steps for regional de-escalation. The Secretary emphasized the importance of ending the war in Gaza and bringing all of the hostages home, as well as charting a path forward in the post-conflict period that provides governance, security, and reconstruction. He discussed the dire status of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, reviewed steps that have been taken to improve the situation, and urged further actions to surge aid to civilians. The Secretary and Minister discussed ongoing efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution in Lebanon that allows both Lebanese and Israeli civilians to return safely to their homes. The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and Iran-backed proxy groups."

Among the US demands is that 350 aid trucks enter Gaza each day by November 13.

Already in September, Channel 12 News - a left-wing media outlet - reported that Hamas has profited by at least a half billion dollars from humanitarian aid entering Gaza. The terror group takes control over the aid, hides it in warehouses, and later sells it to the Gazan population, earning a lot of money from it, which is then invested in recruiting new terrorists and paying salaries to existing terrorists.

The channel's Almog Boker noted that approximately 200 aid trucks already enter Gaza each day, something which has "actually become the main oxygen pipeline for the terrorist organization."

NOTAM issued for Sunday 6 PM Eastern


https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-813352

Well it would be a damn shame if Isreal had to react to an attack by destroying Iran's nuclear facilities, or at least the entrances to them.

The Iranian nuclear question is very likely coming to a head. From their perspective, they're probably being pushed into a decision by the escalating exchanges with Israel; an advisor to Khamenei hinted as much yesterday.

quote:

Khamenei aide warns Iran may review nuclear doctrine if facing ‘existential threat’

Kamal Kharrazi asserts Islamic Republic ‘ready for war but we don’t want to escalate,’ also says Tehran likely to increase range of its ballistic missiles

By ToI Staff and Agencies

2 November 2024, 4:46 am

Kamal Kharrazi, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Friday that the Islamic Republic may review its nuclear doctrine if Tehran is exposed to an “existential threat.”

“We now have the technical capabilities necessary to produce nuclear weapons… Only the supreme leader’s fatwa currently prohibits it,” Kharrazi told Hezbollah-linked broadcaster Al-Mayadeen.

“If the survival of Iran comes under serious threat, we reserve the right to reconsider,” the Tehran Times quoted him saying.

Khamenei banned the development of nuclear weapons in a fatwa in the early 2000s, reiterating his stance in 2019 by saying: “Building and stockpiling nuclear bombs is wrong and using it is haram [religiously forbidden]… Although we have nuclear technology, Iran has firmly avoided it.”

Iranian officials have repeatedly threatened to upend the country’s nuclear doctrine in recent years.

Kharrazi reiterated that Iran would respond to Israel’s retaliatory attack last weekend at the appropriate time and manner, adding that Tehran was also likely to increase the range of its ballistic missiles.

“We are ready for war, but we do not want to escalate because we have currently proven our ability to deter from doing so,” he said, according to a translation of the interview from The Telegraph.

“The matter is up to the Israelis; if they really want to continue, we will respond to them. Our missile capabilities are clear to everyone and everyone believes in them, and we have proven that during our operations.”

[...]

https://www.timesofisrael.com/...-existential-threat/

It may be bluster, but the thing is, since the JCPOA deal failed in 2018, their program has been largely unsupervised. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimated last year that Iran had increased its uranium stockpile 22 times over the limit agreed under the deal in 2015, and stated that they found some enriched to 84 percent, which is weapons grade. Iran called that an "unintended fluctuation", but has openly enriched to 60 percent since 2021, an important step towards the 80-90 needed for nuclear weapons.

Of course they have been predicted to be only a year away from the bomb for 20 years, but for threat assessment based on open information, we better assume they have the technical means in place. If they actually have, and can make it work in the short term, a possible move would be a demonstrative nuclear test around the inauguration date for the next US president as a warning to him/her. With Israel clearly having its sights on their program, it might be a "use or lose" situation for them, the only way to re-establish deterrence after their unconvincing missile attacks. Or alternately, they might get a big buddy to do deterrence for them.

quote:

Russia says ‘comprehensive’ treaty with Iran will include defense cooperation

FM Lavrov says pact with Tehran to be signed in ‘near future’; ties seen as major threat by US and Israel as Middle East, Ukraine wars escalate

By Reuters and ToI Staff

31 October 2024, 5:24 pm

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Russia and Iran intend to sign a “comprehensive” treaty, which will include closer defense cooperation.

“The treaty on a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Iran that is being prepared will become a serious factor in strengthening Russian-Iranian relations,” Lavrov told state television.

He said the agreement was being prepared for signing “in the near future.” Russia has said it expects Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian to visit Moscow before the end of the year.

“It will confirm the parties’ desire for closer cooperation in the field of defense and interaction in the interests of peace and security at the regional and global levels,” Lavrov said. He did not specify what form the defense ties would take.

Deepening ties between the two authoritarian powers is seen as a threat to Israel, which has been fighting a war against Iranian-backed terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah for over a year.

Israel and Iran have also engaged in direct hostilities, including ballistic missiles fired by Tehran on Israel and Israeli airstrikes on military sites in Iran in retaliation.

Closer cooperation between Iran and Russia is also seen by the West as a serious threat to progress in the war in Ukraine, which is entering its third winter of intense fighting.

The United States accused Tehran in September of delivering close-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine, and imposed sanctions on ships and companies it said were involved in delivering Iranian weapons.

[...]

President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a similarly titled “comprehensive” treaty in June, including a mutual defense clause, and the US and NATO say Pyongyang has sent some 10,000 soldiers to Russia for possible deployment in the war.

Russia has not denied their presence, and says it will implement the treaty as it sees fit.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/...defense-cooperation/

Let's just remind ourselves of the way that women are treated in the 'paradise' that is modern-day Iran - this is a quote from - https://www.aol.co.uk/news/ira...ipped-084403387.html

'A growing number of women are defying the strict hijab laws in the country by discarding their veils since the brutal 2022 death of Mahsa Amini.

Twenty-two-year-old Amini died after being detained by the morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly. Her death became a breaking point, sparking unprecedented protests known as “Women, life, freedom”, which lasted for three months in the country.

A monthslong security crackdown that followed killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained.'

So, 500 DEAD and over 22,000 'detained' over the wearing, or not, of a headscarf. It's of real concern what they might do over something somewhat more serious, like having the almighty shite bombed out of them.