7/16 Middle East Live Thread

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1666163/posts ^ | 7/16/06 | me

[BurbankKarl]

09:19 MDA: More than 20 people hurt in Katyusha rocket strike in Haifa (Channel 2)

09:16 Residents of Acre, Haifa and its suburbs told to enter bomb shelters (Israel Radio)

09:15 Tenth Katyusha rocket lands in Haifa (Israel Radio)

09:15 Explosions heard in Rosh Hanikra (Israel Radio)

09:11 Katyusha rockets hit Acre and suburbs around Haifa Bay (Channel 2)

09:06 Report: Three to five explosion heard in central Haifa (Israel Radio)

08:47 Chirac: Forces threatening Lebanon`s security, sovereignty must be stopped (AP)

08:41 Sgt. Tal Amgar killed on Navy ship to be buried 16.00 Sun. at Ashdod cemetery (Itim)

08:39 Chirac calls for `show of moderation` in Lebanon, says cease-fire needed (Reuters)

08:37 IDF denies report of air raid on power station south of Beirut (Haaretz)

08:36 Hezbollah says it fought off attempt by IDF ground forces to cross Lebanese border (AP)

08:35 Bush urges Israel `to be mindful of the consequences` of its military actions (AP)

08:19 Jewish man arrested after threatening to stab Palestinians in J`lem`s Old City (Itim)

08:15 Al Manar: Nasrallah to give an interview later Sunday to prove he`s well (Israel Radio)

[mystery-ak]

Geraldo is heading there too......both drama queens...

[prairiebreeze]

Captains quarters blog has this: (maybe a repeat for those keeping up with the thread)

After a rocket attack on Haifa killed eight civilians and narrowly missed a fuel depot, the Israelis have decided to launch a ground offensive into Lebanon to take out Hezbollah rocket sites. They have mobilized a reserve infantry division for the new effort:

The IDF on Sunday mobilized a reserve infantry division in preparation for a possible ground incursion into south Lebanon, The Jerusalem Post has learned. The move was intended as the beginning of a new effort to push Katyusha rocket launching cells away from the Israel-Lebanon border. The division was setting up command posts along the northern border, while tanks and armored personnel carriers were being transported northward.

A senior IAF officer revealed to the Post on Sunday afternoon that the IDF was using bunker-buster bombs to strike at senior Hizbullah officials in hiding throughout Beirut and Lebanon. According to the officer, several of the bunker hideouts were hidden under civilian parking lots.

The officer also said that the air force had encountered some resistance, including the firing of anti-aircraft shells at IAF aircraft.

[BurbankKarl]

The Iwo Jima group is the closest assets in the area, not sure what else there is in the 6th fleet inventory.

The battle group was training in the Med up until a few weeks ago, and were transiting the Red Sea last I heard.

There is no carrier group in the Med. There were three off NK during those launches, but now there are two in that general area, one in Indonesia, 2 in So Cal, one in the Atlantic, and one in the Persian Gulf. I think one carrier is in dry dock also.

[Southack]

"Yes, but the war never would have happened in the first place if Sharon was still in power or if Bibi had been elected." - jhp

Incorrect.

Al Qaeda is losing, and losing badly around the world. Chechnya is surrendering to Russia. Taliban do little more than toss hand grendades out of remote, rural caves. Hussein's in jail. Zarqawi's dead. Basayev is dead. Khalid Sheikh Mohamed is in jail. Hamas is getting smashed in Gaza...

To relieve this pressure on Hamas in Gaza, and to aid Al Qaeda in the war, Hezbollah opened up a new front in Southern Lebanon. Their gamble was that Israel wouldn't want to deal with a two front war, and that if Israel invaded Lebanon that Syria and/or Iran (perhaps even Egypt!) could be drawn into this war.

Didn't happen. Won't happen. But the attacks on Israel would have occured regardless of who was Israel's PM.

[Txsleuth]

No...but I believe someone is going to post the transcript of the interview, here on this thread when it is posted.

[mystery-ak]

the Israelis have decided to launch a ground offensive into Lebanon to take out Hezbollah rocket sites. They have mobilized a reserve infantry division for the new effort:



God Speed boys!

[Hunble]

they are being told to still stay 'stuck' in the south

That is the wisest thing that they can do at the moment. Stay away from any terrorist locations and be patient.

Israel, like America, does not intentionally target civilians. However, if they are located too close to a terrorist strong hold, then all bets are off.

[mathluv]

He has always been on Fox. If he has gone elsewhere, that might explain why we have not seen him.

[Allegra]

Very good idea to take a break.

We had been monitoring it intensely for three days straight, using contacts in Lebanon, Arabic news channels and FR, of course, and last night, it just caught up with us.

So, we took a "war burnout" break, sat by the pool just chatting about things and sipping beer and the damn terrorists decided to get into it with explosions and a firefight. We were groaning and saying "Oh, that's right...there's one here, too. Can't freakin' get away from it." We were laughing, though.

[prairiebreeze]

Isn't is interesting how silent the world has become about the issue of treatment of prisoners since the kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers.

{{{crickets}}}

[Allegra]

I think he means he is in Israel. Get ready for histrionics.

Hurricane Katrina revisited?

[BurbankKarl]

Ships and Submarines
Deployable Battle Force Ships: 281

Ships Underway (away from homeport): 130 ships (46% of total)

On deployment: 98 ships (35% of total)

Attack submarines underway
(away from homeport): 23 submarines (43%)

On deployment: 11 submarines (20%)
Ships Underway

Carriers:
USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) - Pacific Ocean
USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - South China Sea
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - Pacific Ocean
USS George Washington (CVN 73) - Atlantic Ocean
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) - Pacific Ocean

Hospital Ships
USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) - Pulau Simeulue, Indonesia

Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG):
USS Peleliu (LHA 5) - port visit, Phuket, Thailand
USS Ogden (LPD 5) - port visit, Phuket, Thailand
USS Germantown (LSD 42) - port visit, Phuket, Thailand

Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG):
USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) - Red Sea
USS Nashville (LPD 13) - Red Sea
USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) - Red Sea

Amphibious Warfare Ships:
USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Boxer (LHD 4) - Pacific Ocean
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) - Pacific Ocean
USS Cleveland (LPD 7) - Pacific Ocean
USS Dubuque (LPD 8) - Pacific Ocean
USS Denver (LPD 9) - Pacific Ocean
USS Trenton (LPD 14) - North Arabian Sea
USS San Antonio (LPD 17) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) Atlantic Ocean
USS Comstock (LSD 45) - Pacific Ocean
USS Tortuga (LSD 46) - port visit, Sarabaya, Indonesia
USS Rushmore (LSD 47) - Pacific Ocean
USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) - port visit, Yokosuka, Japan
USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) - port visit, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

Aircraft (operational): 4000+


Reagan is in San Diego and Stennis is off shore California getting battle ready.

[MinorityRepublican]

2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis

Part of the 2006 Arab-Israeli conflict

Israeli Naval Officers survey the coast of Lebanon from the Israeli naval blockade.

Date:	12 July 2006 – present
Location:	Lebanon and Israel
Result:	Conflict ongoing
Casus belli:	Cross-Border attack by Hezbollah's military wing abducting 2 Israeli soldiers and killing 8, followed by Israeli retaliation

Combatants

Israel

Hezbollah
Lebanon

Commanders

Dan Halutz (Chief of Staff)
Udi Adam (Regional)

Hassan Nasrallah
Michel Sulaiman

Casualties

12 civilians killed
500 civilians injured ^[1]
12 soldiers killed
6 soldiers wounded^[2]
2 soldiers abducted^[2][3][4]
1 warship damaged
1 tank destroyed^[5]
(Israeli media accounts)

99 Lebanese killed ^[6]
262 Lebanese wounded
3 soldiers killed
(Lebanese government accounts)^[6]

Source: Wikipedia

[janetjanet998]

22:19 Airport sources: IAF attacks fuel tanks at Beirut international airport (AP)

22:18 Rocket lands in Kibbutz Shumra, in western Galilee; no injuries (Haaretz)

[mtbopfuyn]

Shep it there?!? I must have zoned out on that one. He was such a doofus during Katrina and we were rooting for Rita every time his hat blew off. It'll be a toss up whether to get out the blood pressure meds or nuke some popcorn and enjoy his antics.

[prairiebreeze]

Allegra, the stories you are going to have to tell your grandchildren....!

:^)

[mystery-ak]

I have no hope that those soldiers are still alive.....

[MinorityRepublican]

Why is there not one carrier near the Persian Gulf?

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

wants to know what he needs to do to extend his stay in Israel...

---

Good deal, sounds like my son's in spite of everything I could do they still grew up to be Men, not that being a man is a bad thing. LOL

[Txsleuth]

I think that is about the 3rd time that I have seen him give a report among gunfire!!

That man is really risking his life...

BTW..I read on the Sunday thread..that Shep Smith is on his way over there....sigh