Puppet MastersS


Wolf

Saudi Arabia admits helping Israel during Iran's retaliatory attack


i24
Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:28 UTC
Blinken Saudi Arabia
© Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via APU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken walks as he arrives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. While Jordan had openly disclosed its role in the defensive maneuver, Saudi Arabia's acknowledgment came in the form of a summary on its official website.
Saudi Arabia has publicly acknowledged its involvement in aiding the newly formed regional military coalition in defending Israel against an Iranian attack.

The statement referenced a report by KAN News detailing Saudi Arabia's participation in the joint military defensive operation, which successfully thwarted an Iranian assault on Israel.

According to the report, 99 percent of the Iranian drones and missiles were intercepted and neutralized before reaching their intended targets.


Comment: Wasn't that the point of the drones though? To drain and distract Iron Dome? Can falling for the decoys really be considered a success? Because the hypersonic missiles allegedly hit their military targets.


Notably, many of these hostile projectiles had traversed Jordanian and Saudi airspace en route to Israel.

Comment: Well, this wasn't 'the' offensive against Israel, it was merely a response that likely had a number of goals in mind. And so, perhaps Israel shouldn't bank on the seemingly treacherous Arab nations should Iran choose to launch a much more decisive offensive in the future.

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Vader

Israel to delay Rafah offensive over Iran response, Israeli sources tell CNN

Jeremy Diamond
CNN
Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:29 UTC
Israel's War Cabinet
© Ariel Hermoni/IMoDIsrael's War Cabinet met Sunday but did not reach a decision on how to respond.
Israel was set to take its first steps towards a ground offensive on the Gaza city of Rafah but delayed that campaign after Iran's weekend attack on their country, which has sparked a heated debate in the war cabinet over how to respond, Israeli sources have told CNN.

The Israeli Air Force was set to begin dropping leaflets on parts of Rafah on Monday, two Israeli sources said, amid preparations for a ground offensive into Gaza's southernmost city where more than 1 million people are sheltering.

Those plans were paused after a retaliatory weekend attack from Iran, which saw more than 300 projectiles fired towards Israel, the vast majority of which were intercepted by Israel and its partners.


Comment: Except Iran successfully hit Israeli military targets; it cost the West-Israel $1 billion; and also revealed not only some of their positions, but also some of the weaponry they are resorting to.


Comment: Despite the 'delay', Israel's psychopaths haven't been stopped; they're just going for 'easier' targets:



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Chess

Iran, Russian foreign ministers warn against further escalation in region


PressTV
Sun, 14 Apr 2024 06:54 UTC
The photo shows Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
© PressTVThe photo shows Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov have warned that new provocative acts can lead to an escalation of tensions in the region, following Iran's retaliatory attack on the Israeli-occupied territories.

The two diplomats made the remarks in a phone conversation on Sunday, as they discussed the latest developments in the region, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

"It was noted that a further escalation of tensions in the region and new, dangerous provocative actions could lead to a boost in tensions" in the region, the ministry said.

The warning comes as Israel's war cabinet met on Sunday afternoon to discuss possible responses to the overnight Iranian drone and missile strike.

Comment:
1) Israel has been pressed to stop the operation against the Palestinians in Gaza. Rather than stopping, Israel make a moves that offers the potential for even more trouble, if Israel does not get its way. From RT there was a headline Netanyahu called off retaliation strikes after speaking to Biden - NYT. Perhaps this scenario was intended, Biden "calms Netanyahu down", if such can be imagined, and the violence can continue, as in Palestinian murdered by Israeli settlers rampaging in his village and troops fire on stone-throwers:
Israeli bombardments and ground offensives in Gaza have killed more than 33,600 Palestinians and wounded over 76,200, the Gaza Health Ministry says. The ministry doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants in its tally, but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.
2) From the same source:
Press TV exclusive: All hypersonic missiles used in Iran's strikes against Israel hit targets
Monday, 15 April 2024 5:56 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 15 April 2024 7:34 AM ]

All the hypersonic missiles used in Iran's punitive strikes against Israel have hit their targets after evading the regime's air defense systems, Press TV reports.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched extensive missile and drone strikes late Saturday night on the occupied territories, marking the first time the Islamic Republic employed such weapons against real targets.

The series of retaliatory strikes, dubbed Operation True Promise, inflicted damage on Israeli military bases across the occupied territories.

Sources informed Press TV that the Israeli regime and its supporters failed to intercept any of the hypersonic missiles fired by Iran.

Iran is among few countries that posses the technology to produce hypersonic missiles which can travel at stunning speeds and hit their targets with great precision.

Iran's hypersonic missiles are highly maneuverable, enabling them to have an unpredictable flight path in order to confuse enemy's missile shields.

The chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Baqeri, said on Sunday that Iran hit a large intelligence base in the occupied lands and Israel's Nevatim Airbase, from where an F-35 jet took off to target Iran's diplomatic premises in Damascus.

He added that the strikes "reached its goals" as the regime's so-called Iron Dome system failed to deal with the Iranian missiles and drones properly.

The IRGC's operation was carried out in retaliation for a missile attack by Israel on Iran's diplomatic premises in the Syrian capital of Damascus earlier in April.

The Israeli attack on Iran's diplomatic facilities in Syria resulted in the martyrdom of Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, his deputy, General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, and five of their accompanying officers.

The terrorist attack drew categorical condemnation from senior Iranian political and military leaders, who vowed "definitive revenge."

During a speech in Tehran on Wednesday after leading the Eid al-Fitr prayers, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the Israeli regime "must be punished and will be punished" for its deadly strike on the Iranian diplomatic premises.

The Leader added, "The evil Zionist regime committed another mistake ... and that was the attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria. The consulate and diplomatic missions in any country are considered to be the territory of that country. When they attack our consulate, it means they have attacked our soil."
3) As a parallel, the US bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade:
On May 7, 1999, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia (Operation Allied Force), five U.S. Joint Direct Attack Munition guided bombs hit the People's Republic of China embassy in Belgrade, killing three Chinese state media journalists and outraging the Chinese public.[2] According to the U.S. government, the intention had been to bomb the nearby Yugoslav Federal Directorate for Supply and Procurement (FDSP). President Bill Clinton apologized for the bombing, stating it was an accident.[3][4][5] Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director George Tenet testified before a congressional committee that the bombing was the only one in the campaign organized and directed by his agency,[6] and that the CIA had identified the wrong coordinates for a Yugoslav military target on the same street.[7] The Chinese government issued a statement on the day of the bombing, stating that it was a "barbarian act".[8]
The Chinese still remember this action, judging from recent documentaries commemorating the 25 year anniversary of the bombing of Yugoslavia. At the time the Chinese sucked it up, they had no choice perhaps, but Iran of today in relation to Israel does have options.

4) See also:
SOTT Focus: NewsReal: It's Armageddon! Iran Strikes Israel, World Trembles!
Huge Iranian counter-strike on Israel expected within hours - US
Israel getting punished with 'Operation Truthful Promise'
'Islamic world will celebrate the destruction of Israel': Is war inevitable between Tehran and West Jerusalem?
Israel's defence against Iran attack overnight 'likely cost over $1bn'
More ships attacked as Houthis claim danger area 'expanding'
Hezbollah fires dozens of missiles towards Northern Israel
Iran seizes Israel-linked ship MCS Aries in Gulf

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Gingerbread

EU power - German leader greeted in China by deputy mayor


RT
Mon, 15 Apr 2024 07:25 UTC
Scholz in China
The German chancellor is greeted by the vice mayor of Chongqing, Zhang Guozhi, and China's ambassador to Germany, Wu Ken.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes to meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang later this week

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz embarked on a high-profile visit to China on Sunday in an effort to strengthen economic relations between the two nations, amid growing tensions between Western countries and Beijing over trade and political issues.

The сhancellor, accompanied by a large delegation of ministers and top executives from companies including Siemens, BMW, and Mercedes, arrived in the southwestern city of Chongqing, an industrial hub with a population of over 30 million.

Scholz went to China at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang - though at the airport, his delegation was greeted by the vice mayor of Chongqing, Zhang Guozhi, and China's ambassador to Germany, Wu Ken.

Comment: It appears that China is not impressed with the German leaders but is of course happy to reinforce business ties, knowing full well that there will be a time after the current leaders have left power. Scholz was last time in China 18 months ago.

See also:

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Car Black

German transport minister under fire for weekend driving ban threat

Riham Alkousaa and Markus Wacket
Reuters
Fri, 12 Apr 2024 15:46 UTC
German Transport Minister Volker Wissing
© REUTERS/Liesa JohannssenGerman Transport Minister Volker Wissing answers lawmakers' questions during a session of the lower house of parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, April 10, 2024.
German Transport Minister Volker Wissing attracted backlash on Friday after threatening to impose weekend driving bans in the summer to abide by the climate protection law, in the latest dispute within Berlin's ruling coalition over decarbonising.

Greenhouse emissions of Europe's biggest economy fell to the lowest level in 70 years in 2023, but the transport sector has been consistently failing to meet its climate targets.


Comment: Naturally. The targets have no basis in the reality of the situation.


According to the current climate protection law, the ministry responsible for underperforming sectors must launch an immediate program to put them back on track.

The transport minister has so far resisted introducing such a program for the sector, saying incoming amendments to the climate protection law would allow the sector to miss its CO2 cuts target if Germany's total emissions target is met.

Comment: What about electric cars? Oh wait, they will have to ban those too when there's an energy shortage as their green alternatives are nowhere near enough to meet demand.

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Dollars

DNC paid Biden's legal bills during Hur investigation

Alex Gangitano
The Hill
Fri, 12 Apr 2024 21:48 UTC
joe biden robert hur classified documents dementia
President Joe Biden and Special Counsel Robert Hur
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) paid for President Biden's legal fees surrounding the investigation into his handling of classified documents even as his own campaign railed against former President Trump for using campaign donations to pay for similar services.

Axios first reported that Biden used campaign donations for the fees, citing two people familiar with the matter and campaign finance records. It found the DNC paid more than $1.5 million to the president's personal lawyer, Bob Bauer, and the firm Hemenway & Barnes LLP.

Federal Election Commission records show the first payment to Hemenway & Barnes LLP was $15,000 in January 2023, after the news that classified documents were discovered first broke. The first payment to Bob Bauer PLLC was $150,000 in July of that year.

Comment: Four different trials on ludicrous charges, all being adjudicated in the most biased fashion.

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SOTT Logo Radio

SOTT Focus: NewsReal: It's Armageddon! Iran Strikes Israel, World Trembles!


Sott.net
Sun, 14 Apr 2024 00:00 UTC
iran israel armageddon newsreal
© Sott.net
Nah, not really. Although, that's what they'd all LIKE you to believe. Trust us, you'll know Armageddon is here when it actually happens, and you won't need the media to tell you so.

Following Israel's barbaric attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus two weeks ago, Israel and its Western stooges have practically goaded Iran into 'taking revenge' (while warning its government to 'keep it proportionate'). This finally happened last night, and both sides are claiming 'victory' from it. In reality, US-Israeli air defense did not block "99%" of the airstrikes, but nor did Iran do much damage. As Joe and Niall explain, this follows the pattern of 'strike and mediated counter-strike' we've seen in the Middle East since the assassination of Iranian general Soleimani in 2020.

In the meantime, the Russian government is pressing its Western counterparts for answers to its questions about the funding and logistics that went into the Moscow concert hall massacre in March, unusual seismic events recently took place in New York City and off southern Africa, and questions remain about what has happened to UK royal Kate Middleton.


Running Time: 01:38:46

Download: MP3 — 67.8 MB

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Footprints

The arrival of Russian troops in Niger will reshape the US' regional calculations

Andrew Korybko
korybko.substack.com
Sat, 13 Apr 2024 00:00 UTC
africamap
While the possibly impending withdrawal of US forces from Niger is definitely a victory of sorts, the proverbial "Battle for the Sahel" in the New Cold War is likely far from over.

It was wondered last month whether the US could salvage its Nigerien base deal after the military authorities scrapped their partnership pact upon being disrespected by visiting American officials. The news that Russian instructors just entered the country on a training mission likely spells the end of the Pentagon's influence there. The departure of US troops might soon follow, though it's unclear whether it'll [be] due to the military authorities explicitly demanding it or voluntary to avoid Russia spying on them.

In any case, this is a monumental development since it means that Russian forces are now present in all three of the Sahelian Alliance/Confederation's states after deploying to its Malian core several years back and then entering Burkina Faso in January. Their bloc also withdrew from ECOWAS later that month too, which bolstered their credentials as a new regional integration framework for others to join if they're interested. The combined effect of all this is that Western influence in the Sahel was dealt a deathblow.

Comment: See also:

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Chalkboard

J.D. Vance: The Math on Ukraine Doesn't Add Up

J.D.Vance
The New York Times
Fri, 12 Apr 2024 00:00 UTC
artilleryshells
© Brendan McDermid/ReutersIn Scranton, Pa., 155-millimeter artillery shells are being manufactured.
President Biden wants the world to believe that the biggest obstacle facing Ukraine is Republicans and our lack of commitment to the global community. This is wrong.

Ukraine's challenge is not the G.O.P.; it's math. Ukraine needs more soldiers than it can field, even with draconian conscription policies. And it needs more matériel than the United States can provide. This reality must inform any future Ukraine policy, from further congressional aid to the diplomatic course set by the president.

The Biden administration has applied increasing pressure on Republicans to pass a supplemental aid package of more than $60 billion to Ukraine. I voted against this package in the Senate and remain opposed to virtually any proposal for the United States to continue funding this war. Mr. Biden has failed to articulate even basic facts about what Ukraine needs and how this aid will change the reality on the ground.

The most fundamental question: How much does Ukraine need and how much can we actually provide? Mr. Biden suggests that a $60 billion supplemental means the difference between victory and defeat in a major war between Russia and Ukraine. That is also wrong. This $60 billion is a fraction of what it would take to turn the tide in Ukraine's favor. But this is not just a matter of dollars. Fundamentally, we lack the capacity to manufacture the amount of weapons Ukraine needs us to supply to win the war.
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Russian Flag

US citizens backing Russia - Zelensky


RT
Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:55 UTC
Zele
© Chris McGrath/Getty ImagesUkraine Presidendt Vladimir Zelensky
Moscow's lobby has pierced American politics, the Ukrainian president has claimed...

Russian influence has penetrated the US political system and warped the information field around the world, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky claimed in an interview with Politico on Tuesday.

Zelensky was asked to comment on recent statements made by two Republican lawmakers: Mike Turner of Ohio and Mike McCaul of Texas. They claimed that "pro-Russian" propaganda has filtered into the minds of some of the members of Congress, which has failed to greenlight the $60 billion aid package for Kiev.

The Ukrainian leader stated:
"Russia has succeeded in distorting the information field of the world. They have their lobbies everywhere: in the United States, in the EU countries, in Britain, in Latin America, in Africa. When we talk about the Congress — do you notice how they work with society in the United States?"
Zelensky added that the scale of Russian influence in the US has been underestimated. He claimed that US citizens were helping Russia by spreading its ideas in the American media.
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