Al Mayadeen – October 15, 2024
Hezbollah warns of more rockets unless Israel ends air and ground attacks
In its latest war update, the Israeli military said that Hezbollah fired approximately 95 projectiles from Lebanon into Israel today.
In a televised speech, Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary General talks about the dimensions of the current battle, the plans of the Israeli occupation for the region, and the new equations imposed by Hezbollah.
“Lebanon cannot be separated from Palestine, nor can the region be separated from Palestine," Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem emphasized.
In a televised speech on Tuesday, he affirmed that "Sayyed Nasrallah has not left us, as we have fighters conducting battles through his will and his people continue to stand strong out of love for him."
"Our trust that we will be victorious knows no bounds," he said
In his speech, Sheikh Qassem discussed the broader dimensions of the ongoing war and the Israeli occupation’s plans for the region, underscoring that "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood came after 75 years of occupation, which makes it a legitimate right."
He then explained that the "Al-Aqsa Flood was aimed at delivering a message to the world after more than 75 years of occupation, massacres, and assaults."
"Our [Resistance] support for Palestinians is a support for justice; as they have been wronged, as such, we are capping the Israeli expansionist project by doing so," he said.
He addressed those talking about the damage Lebanon has suffered, by saying, "Who is causing it? Is it not the aggression? Is the person defending [the land] causing this destruction?"
Israeli project extends beyond Palestine
Sheikh Qassem explained that the [Israeli] occupation only left Lebanon because of the Resistance, asserting that "our country lies within the scope of Israel's expansionist project."
He stressed that "Israel" as an occupation represents a significant danger to both the region and the global community and that it is "an expansionist occupation that does not stop at Palestine."
Sheikh Qassem further revealed that Hezbollah "was asked to put an end to the war and move more than 10 km from the border so as not to provoke Israel, yet, we still insisted on a ceasefire in Gaza."
He continued, "We did not respond to their request to separate Lebanon from Gaza, as the current project is expansionist."
Responding to the allegations that the Resistance and the defense of Palestine serve an Iranian agenda, a narrative being propagated by the West, Sheikh Qassem asserted, "We are amid a Palestinian project, not an Iranian project at all, and this is a matter of pride for Iran to support Palestine."
Regarding Lebanon, he highlighted that the Israeli occupation seeks to undermine Hezbollah by targeting its leadership and military foundation, aiming to diminish its capacity to resist and to reshape the country.
He further explained that by standing firm and enduring sacrifices, causing pain to the enemy, they are safeguarding future generations, stressing that while confrontations come at a price, they ultimately pave the way to freedom.
Sheikh Qassem went on to say, "Were it not for the US, the Greater Satan, Israel would not have been able to gain control like this, pursuing a 'New Middle East'."
He also clarified that "the genocide being conducted by Israel and the US means they are both partners in implementing a new Middle East, in the Israeli fashion."
Battlefield expands
With the battle entering a new phase and shifting dynamics, Sheikh Qassem maintained that Lebanon is no longer in the support front phase, "rather, we are now facing an Israeli war against us."
In light of this, he declared that in this new equation, Hezbollah is now targeting Tel Aviv, Haifa, and even beyond Haifa, in accordance with the directives of the great martyred leader Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
"Since the enemy has targeted all of Lebanon, we have the right to target any location within the entity, which we will choose as we see fit," asserted the Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah.
He also warned that the Resistance would focus on targeting Israeli occupation soldiers, their positions, and military barracks.
Sheikh Qassem clarified that the solution to end the war lies in a ceasefire, asserting that Hezbollah is not speaking from a position of weakness.
The Deputy SG also mockingly pointed out that "Israel" is inadvertently assisting the Resistance in its operations, as failed Israeli anti-air defenses send debris falling onto settlements.
He urged the Israeli settlers not to trust their government's claims regarding Hezbollah's capabilities, citing the example of Gaza's Resistance and reaffirming that the new equation set by Hezbollah is to "hurt the enemy."
Resistance will not be defeated
Addressing the people and support base of Hezbollah, Sheikh Qassem reassured that the party has recovered and is reorganized, filled any leadership vacancies, and prepared replacements for all positions. He affirmed that Hezbollah remains strong, despite the damage inflicted, and that the battlefield serves as testimony to this strength.
While acknowledging the pain caused by the Israeli occupation's strikes, he highlighted that the enemy has not progressed beyond the first step on a strategic level. The achievements of the Resistance over the past two weeks have exceeded expectations, he explained, adding that "the mission of the Resistance has not only been to halt the [Israeli] advance, but to pursue it [the enemy]."
He stressed that "Israel" will be defeated, while the Resistance will not, as "it is defending its own land" and its members and fighters are prepared to offer the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, in defense of the dignity of this land and its people.
He added that the Resistance's steadfastness and its people's solidarity "are the only path to reclaim land and halt aggression."
"We, in the Resistance, are fighting with honor, but they [Israelis] are targeting civilians, women and children and hospitals," Sheikh Qassem emphasized, adding that the Israeli occupation has also targeted the Lebanese Army, UNIFIL forces, and places of worship, including mosques and churches, "because the Israeli project is a destructive one."
He questioned the role of the United Nations and Western countries in the face of "Israel’s" request for UNIFIL to withdraw and slammed the absence of any action in terms of the set international resolutions.
Sheikh Qassem concluded this part by asserting that it will be Hezbollah that "grabs the reins" and forces the enemy back into its barn. He added that "Israel", backed by its supporters, continues to kill and commit massacres, and it is time to take a stand against such actions.
Martyred leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah remains ever-present
Addressing martyred leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Sheikh Qassem said, "We, in the resistance, were raised by the great leader, His Eminence the Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah," assuring that his positions throughout his life stand as the “constitution” based on which Hezbollah acts.
"Your words light up our path and your speeches are the pegs of our journey, he added.
"Your enemies fear your lingering presence, and [continue to] see you in every freedom fighter and supporter," Hezbollah’s deputy chief affirmed.
"Sayyed Nasrallah has not left us, [he is present] though the freedom fighters confronting [the enemy] with utmost strength through his will and through his people who continue to stand strong out of love for him," he added.
"Our trust that we will be victorious is limitless."
Patience, victory is near
Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem addressed the supporters of the Resistance, emphasizing that "victory comes with patience," citing a verse from the Holy Quran.
He reassured them of the promise of Hezbollah Secretary-General martyred Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, vowing that the displaced Lebanese would return to their homes and that these homes would be rebuilt better than before. He acknowledged the sacrifices of the people and expressed appreciation for their steadfastness, reminding them that they are in this struggle together.
He affirmed that the Resistance remains strong, backed by its fighters, resources, and the unified efforts of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement. He reassured the supporters that their sacrifices would not be in vain and that they would never be abandoned, saying, "We will rebuild together, and you will not be left behind, just as we know that you will not abandon us [armed Resistance] either."
In his closing remarks, Sheikh Qassem reinforced the unity and strength of the Resistance’s support base, promising that together, they will overcome the current hardships and emerge victorious.
Al Mayadeen – October 15, 2024
From Qana to Riyaq, Israeli massacres in Lebanon continue ruthlessly
The Israeli occupation army continues its brutal attacks on several regions across Lebanon, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries, as well as significant material damage.
Israeli occupation forces persist in their brutal raids on civilians throughout various regions of Lebanon, having expanded their attacks in the past three weeks to encompass not only the villages of South Lebanon but also towns in the Bekaa and northern areas.
The violent raids also reached the heart of the capital, Beirut, and its suburb, resulting in deaths and injuries, with most casualties being women, children, and the elderly.
Israeli occupation aircraft carried out a series of raids today on the Riyaq area in the Bekaa Valley, leading to the martyrdom of five individuals, including three children, and injuring six others, according to a statement from the Public Health Emergency Operations Center of the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, as reported by the National News Agency.
Meanwhile, ten were killed in the Israeli aggression on the town of Qana. More than 15 injured individuals were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
The Israeli raids in the Tyre District also targeted al-Qasmiyeh, as well as the towns of Ayn Baal, Qana, Ayta al-Jabal, Majdalzoun, al-Mansouri, and the outskirts of Ma'arakeh and Yarin al-Dhayrah.
Israeli warplanes conducted an airstrike on the area between the towns of Froun and Ghandouriyeh in the Bint Jbeil District, South Lebanon, igniting fires in the targeted area. The raids also targeted the town of Basaliya.
The outskirts of the towns of al-Bayada and al-Naqoura were also targeted by Israeli artillery shelling, along with the outskirts of the town of Shebaa in the Hasbaya district, which saw similar attacks.
Moreover, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that five were martyred in an Israeli raid on the town of Srebbine and three others in an Israeli attack on Toulin.
Hours ago, Hezbollah's media relations issued a statement confirming that "the Israeli occupation forces bombed areas in Wadi al-Khanazir in Wadi al-Hujayr, and Khallet Raj between the towns of Alman and Deir Siryan, using rockets equipped with internationally banned cluster bombs."
Last June, Human Rights Watch released a special report confirming that "Israel" had used white phosphorus in its bombings of 17 towns in southern Lebanon since its attacks began in October 2023.
Al Mayadeen – October 15, 2024
Hezbollah downs 2 Hermes 450 drones, destroys 4 IOF vehicles in one go
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon has conducted 24 operations against the Israeli occupation as the confrontations along the southern Lebanese borders with occupied Palestine continue.
The confrontations along the southern Lebanese front persist as the Israeli occupation continues its attempts to infiltrate Lebanese territory, despite repeated failures and the significant military toll incurred.
In a series of 24 statements, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon has announced the targeting of occupied Palestinian cities, Israeli occupation troops, military sites, and barracks. Notably, today's operations included the downing of two Hermes 450 drones that were surveilling Lebanese cities and villages.
Below is a list of the operations announced today:
- At an unidentified time, on Monday (statement released Tuesday), Hezbollah fighters launched a barrage of missiles toward the suburbs of Tel Aviv in response to "Israel's" brutal assaults on Lebanese cities and civilians.
- At 11:45 pm, on Monday (statement released Tuesday), Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli troop formations at the al-Baghdadi site with a barrage of rockets.
- At 12:30 am (Tuesday midnight), Hezbollah fighters from the air defense units shot down an Israeli occupation drone, type Hermes 450.
- At 1:00 am on Tuesday, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli troop formations at the al-Marj site with a barrage of rockets.
- At 1:00 am, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli forces in the al-Siddana and Birket al-Naqqar area in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with a barrage of rockets.
- At 1:20 am, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli troops formation at Khallet Wardeh with a barrage of rockets.
- At 4:30 am, Hezbollah fighters targeted an Israeli occupation forces gathering in the al-Marj site with a rocket barrage.
- At 5:30 am, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli occupation troop formations and vehicles at the Khallet al-Farashat site in the town of Rub al-Thalathin with a barrage of rockets and artillery shells.
- At 6:00 am, Hezbollah fighters launched a barrage of rockets at the Kiryat Shmona settlement.
- At 6:20 am, Hezbollah fighters confronted, using machine guns and rockets, an Israeli infantry force attempting to infiltrate the outskirts of the town of Rub al-Thalathin from the eastern side, with the Resistance confirming that the confrontations lasted for a while.
- At 6:25 am, Hezbollah fighters targeted a movement of Israeli forces in the vicinity of the al-Marj site with a barrage of rockets.
- At 1:30 am, Hezbollah fighters launched a barrage of rockets at the Kiryat Shmona settlement for the second time.
- At 1:50 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli occupation troop formations and vehicles at the Khallet Wardeh site with a rocket barrage.
- At 2:20 pm, Hezbollah fighters launched a large barrage of rockets at the occupied city of Haifa.
- At 4:30 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted three Israeli occupation bulldozers and a Merkava tank on the outskirts of Ramiya with guided missiles, setting them ablaze and killing and injuring their crew members.
- At 5:30 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli troop formations near the Ramya site with artillery shells.
- At 6:00 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted a Merkava tank advancing toward the outskirts of Ramya with a guided missile, setting it ablaze and causing casualties among its crew.
- At 6:00 pm, Hezbollah fighters from the air defense units shot down a second Israeli drone, the Hermes 450, and it was seen burning in the airspace of occupied Palestine.
- At 6:10 pm, Hezbollah fighters launched a barrage of rockets at the occupied city of Safad.
- At 7:00 pm, Hezbollah fighters launched a large barrage of rockets at the Naftali base near Safad.
- At 7:00 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted the Zaoura base with a barrage of rockets.
- At 8:00 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted the Zaoura base again with a barrage of rockets.
- At 8:00 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted the Israeli artillery base in Dishon with a barrage of rockets.
- At 9:45 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted an Israeli occupation forces gathering in the vicinity of Ayta al-Shaab with a rocket barrage.
In a related context, the Military Media of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon released footage of the operation targeting the suburbs of Tel Aviv with "Qader 2" missiles.
The Military Media also released footage of the operation targeting the Karmiel settlement in northern occupied Palestine on October 14, 2024.
Al Mayadeen – October 15, 2024
Palestinian Resistance: Ambush in Rafah, confrontations in Jabalia
One year into the war, the Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip continued to intensify its operations, effectively targeting Israeli occupation vehicles and soldiers.
The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced that its fighters successfully detonated a barrel bomb targeting an Israeli occupation special force east of the Rayan area, east of Rafah city in southern Gaza, resulting in casualties among the Israeli occupation soldiers.
The Brigades also released footage, from October 13 confrontations, of an Israeli occupation force hiding inside a house being targeted with a TBG shell, east of the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. The footage showed the monitoring of Israeli occupation soldiers entering the house, followed by the direct hit.
Simultaneously, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's military wing, the al-Quds Brigades, confirmed that its fighters targeted an Israeli Merkava tank near the Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha Mosque in the Qasasib neighborhood in central Jabalia with an RPG.
It also reported targeting Israeli soldiers and vehicles stationed at the civil administration, east of the Jabalia camp, with 60mm mortar shells.
Meanwhile, the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades announced that its fighters shelled the same Israeli positions near the civil administration in Jabalia with mortar fire.
The Omar al-Qasim Forces, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, reported laying an ambush for an Israeli Merkava tank in the Salam neighborhood, east of Rafah city, using a powerful explosive device. They followed up by firing an anti-armor missile and engaging the tank crew with automatic rifles and anti-personnel grenades, damaging the tank and causing casualties among its crew.
The group emphasized that its fighters, along with other Resistance forces in northern Gaza, continue to fiercely resist Israeli forces, particularly around Jabalia city and its refugee camp, aiming to disrupt Israeli movements north of Netzarim to cut off their supply routes in the northern region.
'Generals' Plan' for northern Gaza doomed to failure: Hamdan
Hamas political bureau member Osama Hamdan urged all Muslims and Arabs, including governments, organizations, and movements, to “take immediate and urgent action by all means” to exert pressure and influence to halt the Zionist occupation’s aggression that continues to kill and displace Gaza residents.
He emphasized the urgent need to address the ongoing Israeli massacre against civilians in the northern part of the Strip, which has persisted for 11 consecutive days as part of what is referred to as the “Generals’ Plan".
During a press conference on Tuesday evening, Hamdan addressed the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, urging active engagement "in mobilizing the community to confront Zionist aggression and US support for it."
He emphasized that "what is happening today in the northern Gaza Strip, particularly in Jabalia and its camp, is a complete genocide." He described how occupation forces are bombarding residential homes and targeting civilian infrastructure, including streets, neighborhoods, bakeries, hospitals, and water wells.
Furthermore, he highlighted that many bodies remain trapped beneath the rubble or are abandoned in the streets of Jabalia and its camp, as rescue teams are unable to retrieve them or reach the injured because of the ongoing siege.
The Hamas leader stated that the occupation's massacres in the northern Gaza Strip continue "amid reports confirming that the occupation government has begun implementing what is referred to as the 'Generals' Plan' to separate the northern Gaza Strip and displace its residents."
All the facts on the ground confirm that "we are facing one of the dirtiest military plans known to modern history, devised by fascist generals (...) in flagrant violation and disregard for all international laws, charters and humanitarian norms," he maintained.
Hamdan affirmed that the plan is "doomed to failure" and that "all the attempts of the occupation government and its fascist army have been shattered after a year of genocide and criminal activity." He emphasized that Hamas will continue its efforts and engage in Arab and Islamic contacts to "stop this massacre and support the steadfastness of our people."
He called on the international community and the United Nations to rise above what he referred to as “the shackling American will” and to implement effective measures that protect civilians, stop the genocide campaign, and challenge the occupation’s plans in northern Gaza.
Hamdan stated that the international community and the UN's disregard for the situation in Gaza would signify “an unprecedented setback in the values and foundations of this system,” further highlighting the community's inability and failure to rein in the arrogance of the occupation.
The Hamas held the US administration fully responsible for the massacres, crimes, and genocide in Gaza, citing its role in escalating the siege and the killing of civilians in northern Gaza. He emphasized that “the US positions that daily call for an end to this genocide, without any practical action or pressure on Netanyahu and his fascist government, have become part of the arsenal in this brutal war against our Palestinian people.”
He urged Arab and Islamic countries and their organizations to "fulfill their role in supporting our people and bolstering their resilience, ensuring the delivery of relief and essential aid to all areas of the Strip, particularly to those in the north."
Hamdan also called for strengthening the resolve of the people of Gaza in the face of Israeli plans that not only target Palestine but also threaten all nations in the region.
Al Mayadeen – October 15, 2024
Israel employs a 'surrender or starve' strategy in Northern Gaza: WP
While the Israeli regime has not officially confirmed adopting the strategy, reports indicate that parts of it are being implemented.
The Washington Post report on Monday detailed the worsening humanitarian crisis in northern Gaza, as the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) intensify their aggression on the Strip.
The report sheds light on the emerging strategy reportedly being employed by "Israel", described as a "surrender or starve" approach, which has drawn international condemnation.
The IOF have encircled the Jabalia refugee camp and issued evacuation orders to approximately 400,000 residents in northern Gaza, directing them south to already overcrowded and bombarded areas.
The report notes that humanitarian workers on the ground describe the situation as catastrophic, with airstrikes continuing to batter civilian areas, including refugee camps.
"It is like hell, to be honest," Fares Afana, head of ambulance services in northern Gaza, told The Washington Post.
The report also touches on the controversial plan initially proposed by retired Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland, which suggests evacuating northern Gaza and treating anyone who remains as a legitimate military target.
While the Israeli occupation government has not officially confirmed adopting the strategy, reports indicate that parts of it are being implemented.
Humanitarian groups have raised concerns over the tactic, with Doctors Without Borders warning that thousands of people are trapped in the Jabalia camp, facing starvation and being targeted by IOF forces.
In light of rising escalations with the Lebanese Resistance, and following retaliatory strikes by Iran on Israeli targets, the report warns of the broader regional implications of the ongoing war.
With the prospect of a ceasefire diminishing, he argues that the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, and calls for urgent international intervention to protect civilians remain largely unanswered.
Day 374 of Israeli genocide in Gaza
According to the latest estimates from the Gaza Health Ministry, the death toll has now risen to 42,289 since October 7, 2023, in addition to 98,684 injuries.
The death toll is believed to be significantly higher, as thousands of bodies remain buried under the rubble from widespread destruction across the enclave.
Dozens of Palestinians were killed and others were wounded, on Monday, as Israeli warplanes and artillery shelled various locations across the northern and southern Gaza Strip.
Invading Israeli forces targeted civilians at a supply center in Jabalia camp, located in the northern part of Gaza, as per WAFA news agency. This attack resulted in the killing of eight people and injuries to over 80 others, who were transported to Al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia.
Additionally, 13 people were taken to the Kamal Adwan Hospital after Israeli drones fired at displaced civilians sheltering in al-Fawqa school near Abu Rashid Pool in Jabalia, WAFA added.
Eyewitnesses stated that the bodies of people were scattered inside and around the area, with ambulances unable to reach them due to Israeli fire targeting those attempting to help the wounded and retrieve the bodies.
In southern Gaza, four bodies were recovered from the vicinity of the al-Rahma Mosque in the Al-Shaboura camp, Rafah, and transported to the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, according to WAFA.
Anadolu Agency – October 15, 2024
Israel prevents delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza: UN
The U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Israel was obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian situation has reached catastrophic levels, threatening the Palestinian people's access to vital supplies for survival.
Across Gaza, "less than a third of a total 285 humanitarian movements coordinated with Israeli authorities during the first two weeks of this month were facilitated," Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, citing Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
"Almost half were denied access, 17% were impeded, and the rest were canceled," he told reporters.
Dujarric said only one out of 54 coordinated movements was facilitated by Israeli authorities in northern Gaza, adding that "85% were denied, with the rest impeded or canceled due to security or logistical issues".
The spokesman further reported that "there is barely any food left to distribute," due to increasing forced displacement from North Gaza to Gaza governorate.
Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
Nearly 42,400 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 99,000 injured, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.
https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/israel-prevents-delivery-of-humanitarian-aid-into-gaza-un
Daily Sabah – October 15, 2024
US to deploy THAAD anti-missile systems, troops in Israel
The United States announced Sunday it will deploy troops and an advanced anti-missile system to Israel to strengthen its air defenses after missile strikes from Iran.
U.S. President Joe Biden said the move was meant "to defend Israel," which is weighing an expected retaliation against Iran after Tehran fired more than 180 missiles at Israel on Oct 1.
The United States has been privately urging Israel to calibrate its response to avoid triggering a broader war in the Middle East, officials say, with Biden publicly voicing his opposition to an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites and his concerns about a strike on Iran's energy infrastructure.
Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder described the deployment as part of "the broader adjustments the U.S. military has made in recent months" to support Israel and defend U.S. personnel from attacks by Iran and Iranian-backed groups.
But a U.S. military deployment to Israel is rare outside of drills, given Israel's own military capabilities. U.S. troops in recent months have aided Israel's defense from warships and fighter jets in the Middle East when it came under Iranian attack.
But they were based outside of Israel.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, is a critical part of the U.S. military's layered air defense systems and adds to Israel's already formidable anti-missile defenses.
A THAAD battery usually requires about 100 troops to operate. It counts six truck mounted launchers, with eight interceptors on each launcher, and a powerful radar.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned earlier on Sunday that the United States was putting the lives of its troops "at risk by deploying them to operate U.S. missile systems in Israel."
"While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests," Araqchi posted on X. Still, experts say Iran has sought to avoid a direct war with the United States, making deployment of U.S. forces to Israel another factor in its calculus going forward.
https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/us-to-deploy-thaad-anti-missile-systems-troops-to-israel
Deployment of US Thaad anti-missile system marks a significant escalation
By Alice Sepri
The deployment of an advanced United States anti-missile system to Israel, along with 100 troops to operate it, marks a significant escalation in US entanglement with a widening Israeli war that Washington has already heavily subsidised.
But the deployment – in anticipation of an Iranian response to an expected Israeli attack on Iran – also raises questions about the legality of US involvement at a time when the administration of US President Joe Biden is facing growing backlash over its unwavering support for Israel. It also comes as US officials are seeking to project authority and threatening to at last enforce US law prohibiting military aid to countries that block humanitarian aid, as Israel has regularly done in Gaza.
Two recent developments — the Sunday announcement that the US would deploy troops to Israel and a letter sent by US officials the same day calling on Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face unspecified consequences — underscore the inconsistent approach of an administration that has effectively done little of substance to rein in Israel’s ever-widening war.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller declined to say what the consequences of Israel failing to comply with US requests would be, or how this differs from an earlier, unfulfilled threat by the Biden administration to withhold military aid to Israel.
“I’m not gonna speak to that today,” Miller told reporters when pressed for details of how the US would respond to Israel’s failure to comply.
Empty threats
In the private letter, which was leaked on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called on Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer to implement a series of “concrete measures”, with a 30-day deadline, to reverse the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. The US briefly paused the delivery of thousands of bombs to Israel earlier this year as Israeli officials planned to expand their operations in southern Gaza, but it quickly resumed and continued supplying Israel with weapons even as it escalated its assault in Gaza and later in Lebanon.
“A letter jointly signed by both the secretary of state and secretary of defence indicates a heightened level of concern, and the not-so-subtle threat here, whether the administration carries through with it or not, is that they will actually impose consequences under these various legal and policy standards,” Brian Finucane, a former legal adviser to the US State Department and senior adviser with the US programme at the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera.
Whether the administration would carry through with it remained very much in question.
“It’s important to note that there were legal standards during the entire course of this conflict, and the Biden administration has just not enforced them. It may be the situation is so dire in northern Gaza that the political calculations have changed, and that they may actually finally decide to implement US law. But it’s really long past the point at which they should have done so,” Finucane said.
Finucane also noted that the 30-day deadline would expire after the US presidential election next month. “So they may feel that whatever political constraints the administration may have felt it was operating under, they may feel less constrained by,” he said.
Miller, the State Department spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday that the election was “not a factor at all” — but Annelle Sheline, a former State Department official who resigned earlier this year in protest of the administration’s Israel policy, disagrees.
“I interpret it as being intended to try to win over Uncommitted [National Movement] voters and others in swing states who have made clear that they are opposed to this administration’s unconditional support for Israel,” Sheline told Al Jazeera. “I do not expect to see consequences.”
Deeper entanglement
Whether the US would carry through with its threats, the deployment of troops to Israel sent a much more concrete message of ongoing US support no matter how dire the humanitarian situation.
The US-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, an advanced missile defence system that uses a combination of radar and interceptors to thwart short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, adds to Israel’s already extraordinary anti-missile defences as it weighs its response to an Iranian missile attack earlier this month. Biden said its deployment is meant “to defend Israel”.
The announcement of the deployment came just as Iranian officials warned that the US was putting the lives of its troops “at risk by deploying them to operate US missile systems in Israel”.
“While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi wrote in a statement on Sunday.
In practice, the deployment further drives the US into war at a time when US officials continue to pay lip service to diplomacy.
“Rather than force de-escalation or act to rein in Israeli officials, President Biden is redoubling efforts to reassure Israeli leaders that he is in lockstep with them as they deliberately barrel towards regional war and escalate a genocidal campaign against Palestinians,” Brad Parker, a lawyer and associate director of policy at the Center for Constitutional Rights, told Al Jazeera.
Parker and other lawyers argue that the Biden administration is relying on narrow and stretched legal arguments in an attempt to justify a seemingly unilateral move under US law. The US is also already implicated under international humanitarian law for the support it has given Israel as it violated the laws of war.
“So far, the Biden administration has tried to characterise the fortification of existing deployments and authorisation of new deployments as fragmented or individual incidents. However, what emerges is a comprehensive and robust introduction of US forces into situations where involvement in hostilities is imminent without any congressional authorisation as required by the law,” Parker said.
“All Americans should be seething that a lame duck president is clinging to narrow legal interpretations that cut against the clear intent of existing US law to justify the massive deployment of US forces into a regional conflagration that was in part created as a result of his own destructive, genocide-supporting policies.”
No congressional approval
Experts say that deploying US troops equipped for combat anywhere in the world and without congressional approval, as Biden is doing now, could trigger US laws that require reports to congressional committees. Should the deployed troops engage in certain actions – in this case, using the THAAD missiles – it would start a 60-day clock for their removal, or for Congress to sign off on further engagement.
“This does, in my view, constitute the introduction of US armed forces ‘into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances’,” Oona Hathaway, director of the Center for Global Legal Challenges at Yale Law School, told Al Jazeera, citing the federal law regulating the president’s authority to commit the US to an armed conflict. “And therefore [it] ought to be authorised by Congress”.
But the US has been quiet about the legal implications.
“The Biden administration has gone out of its way to avoid acknowledging the application of this law,” said Finucane. “Because one, this law imposes constraints, the 60-day limit on hostilities; and two, if the Biden administration acknowledges that this law is in place and the constraints apply, it doesn’t have attractive options. It can either stop the activity or go to the US Congress for a war authorisation. And it doesn’t want to do either of those.”
This wouldn’t be the first time the administration has downplayed its legal obligations as it entangles the US in conflicts abroad. The US has, for instance, been fighting Yemen’s Houthi rebels since October 7 without congressional approval.
The Biden administration has justified those military operations as “self-defence” — something it may try to do again. The US Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Thus far, Congress has not required the administration to explain how exactly Iran firing on Israel undermines US security,” said Sheline, the former State Department official. “It’s possible that Biden anticipates that Iran will attack and Congress will then be eager to declare war.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/10/15/us-threatens-israel-but-deploys-troops-revealing-policy-inconsistency
