IAF strikes Beruit airport

[jhp]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3274810,00.html

Reports coming in about IAF striking Beruit airport, if this is confirmed this is another sizable escalation. I think this article ought to be pinned.

[tcrlaf]

Interesting observations from DEBKA:

The Syrian army has been put on a state of preparedness.

DEBKAfile’s military sources add that the Iranian air force, missile units and navy are also on high alert.

DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources report Hizballah acted on orders from Tehran to open a second front against Israel, partly to ease IDF military pressure on the Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This was in response to an appeal Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal made to the Iranian ambassador to Damascus Mohammad Hassan Akhtari Sunday, July 9.

DEBKAfile’s Iranian sources report Tehran’s rationale as composed of three parts:

1. Iran shows the flag as a champion and defender of its ally, Hamas.

2. Sending Hizballah to open a warfront against Israel is the logical tactical complement to its latest order to go into action against American and British forces in southern Iraq.

3. Tehran hopes to hijack the agenda before the G-8 summit opening in St. Petersberg, Russia on July 15. Instead of discussing Iran’s nuclear case and the situation in Iraq along the lines set by President George W. Bush, the leaders of the industrial nations will be forced to address the Middle East flare-up

Any Israeli decision taken at prime minister Ehud Olmert’s high level consultation in Jerusalem Wednesday night must take this turn of events into account before deciding on limited air strikes against Hizballah and Lebanese civil targets without delay.

Our sources also report that immediately after Nasrallah’s statement to the media, Hizballah’s leaders went into hiding, their bases were evacuated and their fighting strength transferred to pre-planned places of concealment. Ahead of the abduction, Hizballah ordnance and missile stocks were transferred to the Palestinian Ahmed Jibril’s tunnel system at Naama, 30 km south of Beirut, which was built in the 1980s by East German engineers.

The Israel navy has long tried to smash this coastal underground fortress from the sea without success.

Israel began calling up an armored division, air crews and technicians from the reserves Wednesday night.

[Slings and Arrows]

Yes - Natalie is still missing.

Breaking on FOX: Nifong to charge Duke LAX in Natalie Holloway disappearance.

[JSteff]

Both are already making unofficial incursions now. Both are already supporting cross border support of the terrorist already in Iraq.

Neither would risk making an official attack. Would be just what we would want. Them in the open en-mass. Curtains.

[Jack Black]

....in addition, China fights by proxy and with very weak opponents.... They had a little scirmish with the Vietnamese a while ago. I don't think the Viet gave up anything ...intersting insight, never thought of it that way.

[Doofer]

Do we have a Carrier group in the area?

We always do...

[Texasforever]

How large is the chinese army? Don't they have as many people in their military as we have population? We can't fight a war of attrition with them. That would mean only one thing.

There ya go. It would be all out, no toe to toe crap. The other problem China has is no sea or air lift to speak of so their enormous army really has no way to project force anywhere outside of greater Asia.

[FredZarguna]

But could he find someone else's fanny?

Maybe accidentally.

[jpsb]

How long would it take a column of tanks to go from Iran to the closest large concentration US troops? Could we bring massive air power in time? Just wondering, hope for the best, plan for the worst, hope we have a plan for a general mideast war cause one might just break out.

[justa-hairyape]

Hannibal precisely. Great Point. If the Israeli's are looking for any advice, perhaps they should not make the same historical mistake the Romans eventually made against 'Carthage'. Oh sure they did kill and destroy Hannibal's Army, and eventually all the Carthaginians in Carthage, and they did destroy Carthage and they did 'salt the earth'. But guess what. A group of people called the Vandals, who had been forced out of Eastern Europe's Southern Regions by the Huns, ended up settling in Carthage and rebuilding the city. Eventually they invaded the Italian peninsula and sacked Rome. Of course it was a late period Rome that had allowed itself to get soft and weak. Bottom line - You may need more then just salt to keep that meal down.

[La Enchiladita]

Yes, but it is a good thing.

I always thought Hezbollah is the worst of the worst of terrorist "organizations."

They want to fight? They take hits.

Not good for innocents, though, of course.

[conservativepoet]

"The Syrian army has been put on a state of preparedness.

DEBKAfile’s military sources add that the Iranian air force, missile units and navy are also on high alert.

DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources report Hizballah acted on orders from Tehran to open a second front against Israel, partly to ease IDF military pressure on the Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This was in response to an appeal Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal made to the Iranian ambassador to Damascus Mohammad Hassan Akhtari Sunday, July 9."

Here we go folks.

[Defiant]

I knew you knew that. How's the practice going?

[Texasforever]

How long would it take a column of tanks to go from Iran to the closest large concentration US troops?

Not long BUT any troop movement by Iran would be picked up immediately.

[Minus_The_Bear]

Remember, this is DEBKA.

[BurbankKarl]

In the Med?

[FredZarguna]

Do they get a red card?

No, they don't. But their mamas and sisters are terrorist whores.

[M. Espinola]

There are and this link will assist.

IDF

[Texasforever]

I am pretty sure we do have a Carrier group on permanent station in the area but I don't know where. We fly too much air support in Iraq for that not to be the case.

[John Lenin]

Live Radio And Video Broadcasts From Israel

[justa-hairyape]

What would happen if Iranian agents blew up the Dome ?