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Israel had faced myriad drone threats long before October 2023. The IDF has acknowledged accidental shootdowns of friendly drones in the past, as well. That being said, the IDF has arguably the most advanced integrated air defense system on the planet. So the fact that this is a huge issue for them, doesn't bode well for other militaries.Israel has been sucked into the Western illusion that high-tech is best. But high tech is also high ticket. A single Iron Dome missile costs $50K and in the recent Iran retaliation, the IDF launched $100-$200 million worth of them. In contrast Iran:
[...] Iranian ballistic missiles cost around $100,000 each, and its Shahed drones only $20,000-$50,000 each, according to reports by The Guardian. Experts have calculated the cost of the attack for Iran at $100-$200 million — perhaps five to ten times less than what Israel spent to repel it.If Israel can't even tell the difference between its own UAV and an opponent's, they're going to blow their defence budget pretty fast. And right now sugar daddy Uncle Sam is also trying to arm Taiwan for the next war, and keep Ukraine afloat until the election. It's not that there isn't enough money, there just isn't enough actual, physical weaponry to deliver.
"It was emphasized that the attempts of the French authorities to create some 'strategic uncertainty' for Russia with their irresponsible statements about the possible dispatch of Western military contingents to Ukraine are doomed to failure."The ministry added that the tasks and goals of Moscow's military operation will be realized.
"According to the French leader, the ambitions of Adolf Hitler and Napoleon were driven by the fact that these countries saw Russia as a threat. I know how the power system is set up in France and how the French tend to see their role in Europe. I do not rule out that this 'caveman' Russophobia that Macron is currently 'breathing' might be necessary in order to try and become the leader in Europe, by leveraging this topic."In recent months, Macron has made several statements which Moscow has criticized as "dangerous talk," accusing the French leader of "verbal escalation."
Comment: Comparing what what the IDF has done in Rafah according to the short early notice from RT and the later reports from Aljazeera and PressTV.
In the first, and very early article, there are descriptions from IDF like:
"a precise counterterrorism operation in the eastern Rafah area", "managed to establish operational control of the Gazan side of the crossing." and as reported by RT 'claiming to have eliminated approximately 20 militants'.
In the Aljazeera article, there is: "bombardment of Rafah on Monday, killing dozens of people after ordering about 100,000 residents in its eastern areas to evacuate"
From PressTV, there are "seized control of the Rafah border crossing after advancing during the night through heavy bombardment of residential areas", "1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering in Rafah" and "Palestinians are now struggling to evacuate Rafah since the Israeli military dropped leaflets ordering them to leave."
Taken together, when the IDF says "precise counterterrorism operation in the eastern Rafah area" it is more like "bombardment of Rafah" and from the perspective of PressTV even: "heavy bombardment of residential areas". When the IDF claims "eliminated approximately 20 militants" it is a rough estimate of what came out of the efforts and on the low side of "killing dozens of people after ordering about 100,000 residents in its eastern areas to evacuate".
The Aljazeera article reported in their article the US response as: The problem with a major offensive is that the US has to answer more questions, receive more critique, it is expedient to play "down Rafah assault". Some observers may find it odd, that the attack comes, after according to some sources: "hours after Hamas said it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar". It is justified, as Iran says, that "In attacking Rafah, Israel is sabotaging global efforts to stop Gaza war".