Tensions Increasing In The Middle East

It seems like everything is on the brink of boiling over in the Middle East and the momentum is shifting towards conflict far more than towards peace.

IDF Tanks Move Closer To Egypt Border

The IDF has deployed Armored forces near the Israel-Egypt border, moving tanks closer to the fence, Ynet has learned. The unusual move followed Monday's terror attack on defense contractor crews building the new security fence.

Ynet was able to document the presence of Israeli tanks in close proximity to the border – maneuvers which are barred by Jerusalem's peace treaty with Cairo.

Gaza Division Southern Brigade Commander Col. Tal Harmoni held a press briefing Monday, following the terror attack: "We are in a race against the clock to close the border," he told reporters. "We have to seal off the border as soon as we can to prevent exactly these kinds of attacks."

Militants Cross Into Israel From Egypt, 1 Killed

Militants crossed from Egypt's turbulent Sinai Peninsula into southern Israel on Monday and opened fire on civilians building a border security fence, defense officials said. One of the Israeli workers was killed, and two assailants died in a gunbattle with Israeli troops responding to the attack.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, which underscored the growing lawlessness in the Sinai desert since longtime Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was toppled by a popular uprising last year.

Several hours after the attack, an Israeli airstrike killed two men riding a motorcycle in the northern Gaza Strip near the Israeli border. The Islamic Jihad militant group said the men were members on a "reconnaissance" mission and vowed revenge. Military officials said the incident was not connected to the earlier infiltration from Egypt.

Israeli security officials have grown increasingly anxious about the security situation in the Sinai since Mubarak's ouster. Continued political turmoil in Egypt, weak policing in the Sinai and tough terrain have all encouraged Islamic militant activity in the area. The mountainous desert now harbors an array of militant groups, including Palestinian extremists and al-Qaida-inspired jihadists, Egyptian and Israeli security officials say. The tumultuous situation surrounding Egyptian elections, in which Islamic groups made a strong showing, has added to Israeli unease.

And possibly the biggest news of the day is found below:

Russia, China, Iran Plan To Stage In Syria "Biggest Mid East Maneuver"

Middle East military tensions around Syria shot up again Monday, June 18, with the news reported by the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars that a joint Russian-Chinese-Iranian exercise is to take place in Syria.

It was described as “the biggest of its kind ever staged in the Middle East” with 90,000 personnel, 400 air planes and 900 tanks taking part.

As part of its preparations, Beijing is reported to have asked Egyptian authorities to permit the passage through the Suez Canal in late June of 12 naval ships heading for the Syrian port of Tartus, where Moscow maintains a naval and marine base. DEBKAfile reported earlier this week that Russian naval vessels with marines on board were heading for Tartus. The Iranian media did not itemize their contribution to the joint exercise.

...this would be the first time that substantial Russian and Chinese military strength has ever been deployed in Syria or anywhere else in the Middle East. It means that the two powers are prepared to parade their unabashed partnership with the Iranian and Syrian armies for the shared purpose of obstructing US-European-Arab military intervention in Syria.

A large-scale Russian and Chinese military presence in the embattled country would expect to deter the United States from leading a military operation against Bashar Assad and his regime.

IAF Strikes Back At Gaza Terror Groups 3rd Time In 24 Hours

The Israel Air Force on early Tuesday morning struck a terrorist cell which was in the process of planting an explosivedevice near the border with Central Gaza, the IDF confirmed.

The IDF also said that the IAF had confirmed a direct hit on the terrorist target. This was the third airstrike in twenty four hours.

The third airstrike followed a continuing escalation between Israel and Gaza terror groups.

Only hours before the latest airstrike, terror groups fired two rockets, one at Sderot and one into the Ashkelon Regional Council area. Neither rocket caused casualties or damage.

Previously, on Monday, the IAF struck targets in the Gaza Strip in a series of airstrikes against what the military said were Islamic Jihad operatives engaged in anti-Israel terror activity.

Following the airstrikes, the IDF continued to maintain a high alert along the border with Gaza in expectation that Islamic Jihad will try to retaliate to the killing of four of its operatives.

Atmosphere In Moscow 'Not Positive', Says Iranian Delegation

Iran and world powers locked horns on Monday in hours of tense talks in Moscow seeking a diplomatic solutionto the crisis over Tehran's nuclear program, but there was no breakthrough.

A member of the Iranian delegation gave a downbeat assessment well into the second session in the afternoon, telling AFP, “So far the atmosphere is not positive. Setting up the framework (for negotiation) is the main problem.”

Chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili had gone into the talks in uncompromising mood, telling Iranian state television, “These negotiations are a big test to see if the West is in favor of Iran's progress or against.”