Israel on High Alert - Mideast Update 7-17-8
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Israel on High Alert For War
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Fears Hezbollah Attack Imminent
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Mideast News Update
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7-17-8
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Editor's Note: The A-O Insider Report is featuring a special intelligence update on the Israeli move to High Alert status. This intelligence report is avalialbe only for donors to The A-O Report, providing extra insight and analysis on the following related news stories.
Also NOTE: Major Earthquake Coverage in Separate Article. LINK HERE.
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Israel on High Alert
Imminent Hezbollah Attack
After Prisoner Swap
Israel's military has been placed on high alert as Israel's Intelligence agencies are tracking Hezbollah troop movements that appear to be readying for attacks on Israel's northern border with Lebanon. Israeli leaders believe that Hezbollah may launch new attacks once a prisoner swap is completed on Wednesday. For confirmation on this development check out an article from Israel Today - LINK HERE.
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DebkaFile Reports...
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Israel On High Alert
Potential War Ahead?
Debka.com is reporting that an Iranian radar and missile system has been stationed on a strategic mountain peak in Lebanon known as Mount Sannine with a total elevation of 8,622 feet above sea level.
Jerusalem Post ...also confirms Debka -- LINK HERE.
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Jerusalem Post Reports...
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Israel Raises Military Alert Level
Expecting Hezbollah Attacks
After the prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah on Wedndesay, Israeli military leaders have raised IDF alert levels in anticipation of Hezbollah launching retaliatory attacks against Israel as retribution for assassinating Hezbollah's top field commander last February in Damascus, Syria. Hezbollah blames Israel for the assassination. More details on the swap, LINK HERE.
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Jerusalem Post Reports...
IDF Closely Monitoring N. Border
Israeli forces are on a heightened state of alert and monitoring Lebanese Army activities, including paving a road near the border and constructing military posts in the Shaba Farms and Mount Dov areas. It is the first such activity of its kind since Israel withdrew from the region in 2000.
There are concerns that these developments will allow Hezbollah quick and easy opportunities for launching attacks into Israel. In the event of war, these improvements could be used to Hezbollah's advantage as they are in the same areas Hezbollah defended in 2006. This development comes amid other signs that Hezbollah is preparing to launch retaliatory attacks against Israel for the assassination of its top field commander last February. The only delay has been awaiting a prisoner swap with Israel, which is scheduled to occur on Wednesday.
Lebanese President Suleiman stated on Sunday that if diplomacy fails to return Lebanese soil seized by Israel, then the Lebanese Army would do so by force. More details on Israeli concerns, LINK HERE.
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Lebanese Confirmation on Hezbollah Activity
that something is up on Mt Sannine
Yet Another Lebanese Confirming Source
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IDF Defense Minister Postpones DC Trip
Cites Prisoner Swap Deal
Israel's Defense Minister, Ehud Barak has postponed his trip to Washington for 3 days of talks citing the need to remain in Israel to monitor the prisoner exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah. It appears to be a reasonable excuse, but it also serves to cover more menacing developments. Barak is expected to reschedule his visit for sometime in early August. More details, LINK HERE.
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Barak Says:
UN Resolution on 2006 War A Failure
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Ominous Foreshadowing?...
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US Moves Carrier Out of Gulf
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The US Navy's USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group was recently ordered out of the Persian Gulf. The publicly stated reason was to provide additional air protection for operations over Afghanistan. Most analysts believe that the publicly stated reason is merely a covering excuse for Navy concerns for the safety of the strike group.
Naval experts now believe that Iran's cruise missile capabilities are potent enough to pose a serious and major threat to any warship located in the Gulf. By moving the carrier group out of the Gulf and into the Arabian Sea, the strike group has greater maneuverability and defensive capabilities to withstand an assault by Iranian cruise missiles. In fact, the carrier and its supporting ships could move out of range of Iran's cruise missiles and still carry out assigned air operations.
The movement of the carrier group also suggests that either 'something' may be about to develop or concerns that Iran might attempt a provocation, which Washington would just as soon avoid, at least for the moment. In other words, the move may be designed to remove a temptation from Iran's options list. Details, LINK HERE.
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In Other Mideast News
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Olmert Survives Sudden
Olmert Survives Sudden"No Confidence" Votes
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Syria's Assad Warns Against Iran Attack
"Grave Mistake To Attack Iran"
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, warned Monday that any attack on Iran's nuclear program would have grave consequences for the US, Israel and the whole world. More details, LINK HERE.
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Iran To Strike UK
If US/Israel Attack Iran
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Political Crisis in Turkey
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Turkey's Islamic-rooted government was elected last year with a huge majority, continues to bask in popular support, has raised living standards across the nation of 70 million - and will probably fall within a month.
The strange state of affairs is not due to any internal revolt or opposition threat, but to a case in Turkey's Constitutional Court that seeks to ban the ruling party on charges of undermining secularism.
With the court stacked with members of the secular elite, Turkey faces the likelihood of seeing its democratically elected government booted out by forces seeking to preserve the nation's democratic values.
The consequences for Turkey's EU bid - and for stability in this strategically located country - could be grave. LINK HERE.
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Iran To Hold AF War Excercise
Iran's Air Force will hold large-scale war-games exercises in the near future according to Iran's state Press TV's website. More details, LINK HERE.
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US Envoy To Observe
EU-Iran Nuke Talks
U.S. envoy, William Burns will be present at the next round of talks between the EU and Iran concerning Iran's nuclear program. It will be the first time that the US has sent an envoy as an observer to the talks. The next meeting will be held, Saturday in Geneva, Switzerland.
CNN political analyst and former presidential advisor, David Gergen notes that the move is a "a big break from past policies." The move is seen in many circles as a genuine effort by the White House to ramp up diplomatic efforts to the next level. Various geo-political analysts and insiders have been reporting that the US and Iran have been heavily engaged in ultra-secret direct talks for the past several months, primarily dealing with resolving the Iraq war.
This latest move also signals a US departure from Israel. It leaves Israel left standing alone in advocating military strikes against Iran. This development may however be part of a master plan of deception against Iran, intended to draw Iran into a trap, as The A-O Intelligence Digest report for 7-13-8 detailed. For more details on this latest diplomatic news, LINK HERE.
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US Confirms
Iran Missile Threat To Europe
The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday, what many analysts have been saying for some time. Iran has a missile capable of reaching most of Europe. Pentagon confirms Shahab-3 missile has a 1,250 mile (2,000 km) range. More details, LINK HERE.
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US To Station Diplomats in Iran!
As the A-O Intelligence Digest reported recently, the United States State Department is now ready to station diplomats in Iran, according to various mainstream news media outlets. It would be the first step towards establishing a full embassy in Iran. America has not had an embassy in Iran since the 1979 Iranian revolution when radicals seized the embassy taking hostages that were not released until January 20, 1981 as President Reagan was sworn in as President. For more on this developing story, LINK HERE.
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Israel Figures It Gets Only 1 Shot At Iran
Here's an interesting analysis from an Israeli perspective on Israel's possible strategy for striking Iran. The author, writing in the Jerusalem Post provides an interesting analysis of the Israeli mindset in preparing for the possibility of an Israeli military strike against Iran. To read this analysis, LINK HERE.
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Israel & Russia Close
To Oil Pipeline Deal
Israel and Russia are close to clinching a deal for an oil pipeline to supply Israel with oil. More details, LINK HERE.
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Israeli Jews Turning To Jesus Christ
Reports are emerging from Israel that there is a growing move by Israeli Jews towards accepting Jesus Christ as their savior and Messiah. For more details, read here.
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Greece Helped Israel
Prep For Iran Strike?
Israel's massive air force exercises during the first week in June included testing the Russian S-300 air defense systems. The testing was done with the cooperation of Greece, which owns and operates the Russian air defense system for its own national security. Iran is now in the process of purchasing and installing a similar S-300 system to protect Iranian nuclear facilities from an enemy air strike.
According to a published report in the Jerusalem Post, Greece reportedly agreed to assist Israel in preparing for air strikes against Iran by allowing Israel to test the Greek-owned S-300 systems during the Israeli air excericses in June. The Israelis need to find out ways to neutralize the sophisticated Russian air defense system's capabilities. For more on this story, LINK HERE.
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Syria's Assad Walks Out on Israel's PM
At MU Summit Conference
Syria's President Assad and his staff exited the Mediterranean Union Summit hall as Israel's Prime Minister Olmert was about to enter. At another moment, when Assad and Olmert came face to face, Assad refused to shake hands with Olmert. The move was a public demonstration of Syria's rejection of Israel. It is also a further signal that Syria has been misleading Israel in false hopes for a peace agreement despite Assad's claims that Syria has no choice but peace. More details, LINK HERE. Additional coverage, LINK HERE.
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