Things are continuing to evolve rapidly in the Middle East powder-keg and a couple of significant developments may be playing out. First of all, there seems to be increasing involvement from the north of Israel via Hezbollah. This isn't completely unexpected, but as stated a couple of days ago, the extent of northern involvement will be a key development in terms of heading towards the biblical wars of Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39. Any involvement from Iran is also key and this may be developing as well. We need to keep a very close eye on further involvement by Hezbollah or any of the other groups in the north (ISIS, Syria, etc.)
Additionally, it is beginning to appear that Hamas is baiting Israel to send in ground troops, and with the information contained below, this appears to be very very likely. Why would Hamas do this? Why would they bait Israel's presence in Gaza?
Those questions remain unanswered, but one thing is crystal clear - this entire scenario shows no signs of slowing down, and an Israeli "invasion" (as it will be portrayed by the MSM) is inevitable.
In the last 24 hours, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group reopened an operational room with Hamas to coordinate regional militant developments, including attacks against Israel, informed Middle Eastern defense officials told WND.
The operational room, commissioned at the direction of Iran, is located in Lebanon and is coordinating with the Hamas command and control in the Gaza Strip, the defense officials said.
Further, the defense officials said they are aware of Hezbollah plans to bring more weapons into the Gaza Strip in the coming days.
In another alarming development, the defense officials said the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad terrorist organization is not answering to Hamas and is shooting rockets into Israel at times without the approval of Hamas leaders. The move could complicate any cease-fire achieved between Israel and Hamas, and it gives Iran more discretion over the Gazan Palestinian arena.
The reopening of an operational room between Hezbollah and Hamas signifies the rapprochement of cooperation between Iran and Hamas under the current crisis in Gaza. In the last two years, Iran tempered its relationship with Hamas because the Islamist group failed to aid in any significant way the regime of Iran’s ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which has been facing a Sunni-led militant insurgency.
On the ground, the strengthening of Hamas-Iran ties could have two major implications for Israel.
The report of renewed Iran-Hamas ties comes as Hamas on Saturday stepped up its rocketing offensive at Tel Aviv. For the first time, Gazan groups fired a barrage of 10 rockets nearly simultaneously at Tel Aviv and other central Israeli cities. Hamas had announced beforehand it would launch a large rocket barrage at Tel Aviv starting at 9 p.m. local Jerusalem time on Saturday.
Operation Protective Edge entered its sixth day Sunday, with no end in sight. Hamas fired rockets throughout Saturday, hitting southern and central Israel, with a major barrage on the Tel Aviv area in late evening. An American tourist died of a heart attack after sirens wailed in Jerusalem, a day after a Haifa woman died in similar circumstances. Palestinian reports say at least 150 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes, including more than 15 in a strike late Saturday aimed at Hamas’s Gaza police chief. The Times of Israel is liveblogging events as they unfold. (Saturday’s liveblog is here.)
Gazans report gunfire, possible IDF ground presence in Gaza
Gazans on social media are saying they can hear machine gun fire near Gaza City in the northern part of the Strip.
It is not immediately clear if the reported gunfire means IDF troops are operating on the ground in the Strip.
The Israeli military says it has opened fire into Lebanon in response to rocket fire.
The military said two rockets were fired into Israel late Saturday from Lebanon. It said there were no injuries or damage.
The IDF confirmed that two rockets were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel and landed in open areas north of Nahariya on Saturday night. Rocket alert sirens sounded in the area of the attack in Nahariya and Shlomi.
There were no injuries or damage reported in the attack. In response, the IDF fired at the rocket launch zones in Lebanon with artillery fire.
Artillery fire was directed at the area from which the rocket was fired, a senior army source said.
The move is a possible prelude to a major offensive. IAF jets, helicopters and artillery pounding Gaza. Ten reported killed.
The IDF has begun dropping leaflets on certain parts of Gaza, telling residents to leave their homes, reported Channel 2 Saturday night. The move is being interpreted as a preparation for a possible ground offensive by the IDF.
Channel 2 also reported that the IDF is carrying out a combined large-scale operation by fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery in Gaza Saturday night. The artillery was being fired at open spaces that could serve as launch sites for rockets.
Medical sources told AFP that ten people had been killed in the aerial attacks.
Channel 2 also reported that the IDF is carrying out a combined large-scale operation by fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery in Gaza Saturday night. The artillery was being fired at open spaces that could serve as launch sites for rockets.
Medical sources told AFP that ten people had been killed in the aerial attacks.
Briefly, on Saturday morning, it had seemed that this round of the Israel-Hamas conflict might be drawing to its close. Rocket fire had tailed off for a few hours, and Hebrew media were reporting on the draft of an ostensible Egyptian ceasefire proposal.
But by Saturday evening, after heavy barrages of Hamas rocket fire on Jerusalem and across central Israel, it was clear that the conflict was emphatically still in full swing. The rocket attacks on multiple targets in southern and central Israel weren’t stopping, and Israeli air strikes in Gaza, including on the homes of members of the Hamas political leadership, had left a death toll of some 130.
What changed on Saturday night was a Hamas “show”. At 8pm, in an announcement timed to coincide with Israel’s main nightly news broadcasts, it boasted that, at 9, it would fire barrages of a new rocket, the J80 (the Al-Jabari, named for its terror chief, Ahmed Jabari, killed by Israel at the start of 2012′s Operation Pillar of Defense) at Tel Aviv. And, just a few minutes after the promised hour, the rockets indeed rained in.
There’s a consensus among all those who have been in contact with Hamas of late — Israelis (there are some), Egyptians, Europeans and Palestinians (emissaries of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas): Gaza’s Islamist leadership doesn’t want a ceasefire. A senior PA official who has been in contact with Hamas and Gaza told this reporter on Saturday: “There’s nothing to discuss with them.” And an Egyptian source dismissed the notion of an imminent Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. Egyptian efforts were continuing, he said, but they were getting nowhere.
Israel’s security establishment was also emphasizing that the conflict is far from over.
For the Palestinian and Arab public, the ability of a little Palestinian organization to attack Tel Aviv, Haifa and Dimona proves its heroic determination in the face of “the Zionists.” Hamas is not indicating any desperation to surrender, or even to halt the conflict. And thus the road to an Israeli ground incursion is shortening.
8 comments:
http://www.timesofisrael.com/as-hamas-war-goes-into-sixth-day-israel-steps-up-air-strikes-after-rocket-barrage-on-central-israel/
"03:29 Three Hamas fighters dead in beach battle
Reports of fighting on a beach near Gaza City are confirmed by Hamas, which says three of its fighters were killed in a confrontation with IDF troops on Sudaniya Beach.
Initial reports suggest what may have been the first entry of IDF ground troops into the Strip since fighting began on Tuesday, though only a small commando force appears to have been involved.
The army is asking residents of the northern Gaza Strip to leave the area tonight, sparking speculation in the media that the IDF may be considering sending in ground troops overnight"
IDF has not confirmed that it was them but, this is certainly interesting. Could this be it? Could we finally have the ground attack and set everything off? I pray that this is it. Come soon, Lord Jesus!
IDF has confirmed...
"Israel Navy commandos raid long-range rocket facility in Gaza"
"Four commandos with light injuries are evacuate to hospital; more than 100 rockets fired from Gaza over weekend.
Israel Navy commandos raided a facility from which Hamas fired many long-range rocket at Israeli cities, the IDF said early Sunday. During the raid, the commandos were shot at by Hamas gunmen, and returned fire. "The facility was hit and damaged," the army said.
Four commandos sustained light injuries during the special operation. They have been evacuated to a hospital in Israel."
http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Israel-Navy-commandos-raid-long-range-rocket-facility-in-Gaza-362532
Agree about the North Brother. But this also is a full on assault on Israel that I dont recall happening before all at once. The parachute they found (no further info on that), continuing by sea.
The attacks from the North are serious enough that this is now happening...
"Local authorities, mayors in northern Israel to open public bomb shelters"
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Local-authorities-mayors-in-northern-Israel-to-open-public-bomb-shelters-362521
Thats true this is s big one either way. For me, its hard to imagine something this big and growing, not to somehow serve as a significant role in terms if prophecy. One way or the other
Yes indeed Brother...Israel has always been surrounded...this time the multiple fronts are coordinated...A poster (apparently a Vet) commented on a article the other day. He noted that the so called paly commandos on the beach, had had professional training by their actions.Throw in paratroopers that obviously have infiltrated Israel. I suspect Iran did the training. Bibi knows that Iran is at the core of both Hezbollah and Hamas, and as you know, has said that Iran is the head of the snake that needs to be removed...
http://www.timesofisrael.com/as-hamas-war-goes-into-sixth-day-israel-steps-up-air-strikes-after-rocket-barrage-on-central-israel/
"07:38 Hamas denies firing from Lebanon
Hamas is not behind rocket fire on Israel from Lebanon, a member of political wing of Hamas in Israel’s northern neighbor says, according to Ynet, adding that the organization’s military wing respects Lebanon’s sovereignty and only operates in “the occupied territories.”
Interesting if this is true...
I just read Joel rosenberg's blog . It is an hourly account.. It underscores this apparent and dangerous orchestration that is becoming more and more obvious in this war. Thanks Scott for your faithful daily briefings of so much ufo. Personally ,it still feels unreal and far away. Less scary than the intifada. But the escalation is a heads up.
Perhaps today!!!!!
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