“There is absolutely no advantage to making something like this public beforehand - none.”
How about raising money and “acquiring” weapons and supplies?
Yes, you have a point.
But if that’s true (and now that you mention it, it probably is), it seems that it could have been quietly communicated to the ‘right’ people/organizations who can make the necessary resources available to them, instead of going public, where (you know who) could sabotage the whole operation.
Still, I will hope and pray for their success and safety. They deserve all the support they can get from all of us.