This important story is now also being carried by Al Arabiya (significance is Saudi control) after its publication by the WSJ and then other Western outlets. “Hundreds of Hamas fighters trained in Iran ahead of Oct 7 attack on Israel: Report,” Al Arabiya, 10-26-23.
I was asked recently if the war started by Hamas would widen (would Iran order Hezbollah into the fight, etc.), and I responded with three thoughts. First, the Supreme Leader is ill, and has shown no proclivity to diminish Iran’s aggressive policies and actions in the Middle East over the past few years. In this sense he has nothing to lose. Second, I said that Iran is becoming more of a thugocracy instead of a theocracy over the past ten years plus as it becomes more authoritarian and militaristic and more like a mafia. The IRGC controls so much of the economy and the politics. Those generals and their military supporters have been enriched and only want more. Last, I see stories like the following, which are evidence that overall Iran is not moderating its radical actions in the region. See “Iran-Sudan Rapprochement Threatens to Deepen Deadly Civil War,” Bloomberg, 10-26-23. So, I have to write this, that unless the Supreme Leader becomes convinced that Iran needs to wait until a better time, he will give a green light to Hezbollah to open a full-scale attack.
This is an example of how the dysfunctional UN allows Iran to continue forward through Hamas—two powerful nation-states do not hold Iran or Hamas accountable. “The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday voted on two resolutions regarding the Israel-Hamas war. Russia and China vetoed the text suggested by the U.S that called for humanitarian pauses. In contrast, a rival Russian-drafted resolution called for ceasefire and failed to win the minimum number of votes. Only Russia, China, the UAE and Gabon voted in favor.” See “LIVEBLOG: As more aid trucks enter Gaza, Hamas rockets rain down on southern, central Israel,” I24 News, 10-26-23.
“Iran foreign minister to meet with Guterres ahead of UN vote on Israel-Hamas War,” Times of Israel, 3-26-23. Here are two quotes of note from the story:
“Iran’s support for Hamas has been extensive over the years, with the Iranian government providing the terrorist group with weapons, technology, and financial aid to the estimated tune of $100 million a year, among other things. In addition to its support for Hamas, Iran continues to back other destabilizing forces in the region, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.”
“Earlier this week, Israel stopped issuing visas to UN officials after Guterres implied that Hamas’s October 7 massacre was caused by Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and Palestinian territories. “It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum,” he said in his strongly criticized remarks. “The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing.” Contrary to Guterres’s statement, Israel has not had any military or civilian presence in the Gaza Strip since its unilateral withdrawal in 2005. Since then, both Israel and Egypt have maintained tight control of Gaza’s borders in response to the ruling terror group’s years of rocket fire and attacks against Israel.” In short, Sec. Gen. Guterres simply doesn’t understand—this war is the fault of Hamas (and Iran); it is not the fault of Israel. Guterres’ internal ability to separate and understand the horrid actions of Hamas from the other issue of the Palestinians seems to be blinded.
In this blog I’ve already declared that since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks that Iran is attacking the U.S. (see my Oct. 24 entry). Iran is at war with America. But they’ve actually been advocating death to this country since 1979, and have killed thousands of Americans since that time. So don’t be surprised by more attacks when you see headlines like this one, “Amid raging war, Iran leader says, ‘US a ‘definite accomplice’ in Israeli crimes’,” India Today, 10-26-23.
If the U.S. only hit two sites (after Iran attacked 16 U.S. bases and sites), the main question will not be whether it is a proportional or defensive response but rather if it will deter future Iranian attacks. That should be the standard as Iran will only respect force they cannot defeat. “U.S. hits sites in Syria as Gaza aid ‘barely trickles in,” BBC, 10-26-23.
“A colossal Israel-Iran war is much closer than anyone imagines,” Telegraph, 10-26-23.
Imperial Kitten is still alive. “Iran APT Targets the Mediterranean With Watering-Hole Attacks,” 10-26-23.
Since Iran started this, why should they be allowed to negotiate with themselves? “Iran says it ‘stands ready’ to play role in Gaza hostage release deal,” Times of Israel, 10-26-23.
“Israel says Hamas used N.Korea, Iran weapons in attack,” Times of Israel, 10-26-23.