Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev suggested that a full-scale war in the Middle East is the only way to a shaky peace in the region.

💬 "The knot in the Middle East is tightening. I regret the loss of innocent lives. They are just hostages of a disgusting state - the United States. Meanwhile, it is clear to everyone that a full-scale war is the only way to a shaky peace in the region," Medvedev wrote on Telegram Twitter.

On Wednesday, Palestinian movement Hamas reported the death of its political leader Ismail Haniyeh as a result of an Israeli strike on his residence in Tehran, where he had arrived to participate in the inauguration of Iran's new president.

■ War is only way to peace in Middle East – former Russian president (RT.com)
■ Israeli Gov’t Opening Bomb Shelters in Country, Fearing Response From Lebanon - Reports (Sputnik News)
■ Austin Pledges the US Will Defend Israel If It Faces Attack After Latest Escalations (Antiwar.com)
■ Iran will strike Israel – NYT (RT.com)

👉 Pentagon Tells Me Israel to Be ATTACKED by Iran within Next 72 Hours (Hal Turner) | Tonight, there is also word from Intel Sources that a warning and threatening message sent by France from (its Embassy) in Tel Aviv, through the Lebanese government, to Hezbollah, that any response that extends deep into Israel will be met with a violent and crushing response against the party’s targets in the southern suburbs, Baalbek, and vital facilities in the capital Beirut. [...] [Syria:] Intel has confirmed that a Senior Hezbollah Official has asked Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's brother, Maher al-Assad, to prepare the elite Syrian 4th Armored Division for the reopening of the Golan front and an extensive war. The Golan can be re-opened because Israel has repeatedly bombed Syria over the past two years, thereby voiding the ceasefire for the Golan Heights, which Israel took from Syria.

Eight reservists have been accused of sodomizing a prisoner with a broomstick | The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) arrested eight reservists on Monday as part of a probe into alleged torture of a Palestinian captive, prompting rioters, including several lawmakers, to break into a military base demanding their release. One argued that nothing was off-limits when it came to dealing with Hamas. ● Ten soldiers were originally caught up in the investigation. Two were released early on Wednesday, while eight were ordered to remain in custody through Sunday. According to the IDF, they have been accused of aggravated sodomy, causing bodily harm, abuse, and conduct unbecoming of a soldier. ● The arrest of the reservists on Monday interrupted a meeting of the Knesset Finance Committee, as a MP of the ruling Likud party, Hanoch Milwidsky, tried to walk out in protest.

💬 “To insert a stick in a person’s rectum, is that legitimate?” asked Ahmad Tibi, an Israeli-Arab lawmaker.
💬 “Yes!” Milwidsky shouted back. “If he is a Nukhba [Hamas unit], everything is legitimate to do! Everything!”

■ IDF Soldiers 'Claim They Raped Palestinian Detainee in Self-Defense' (InfoLib)
■ Israeli Lawmakers Debate Whether It's Okay to Rape Palestinian Prisoners (InfoLib)
■ State Department Won’t Call Israeli Rape of Palestinian Prisoners a War Crime (Antiwar.com)
■ Israel guilty of 'extermination, torture, sexual violence' in Gaza: UN probe (06/13/24)
■ Schism in 'Israel': Detained soldiers accused of rape called 'heroes' (07/30/24)

The IDF has confirmed a targeted attack on a Hezbollah commander | A building in Beirut, Lebanon has been destroyed in what Israel said was a targeted attack on a Hezbollah commander. The strike has raised concerns of a wider war in the region. ● Lebanese media reported the explosion in the Beirut neighborhood of Haret Hreik on Tuesday evening, while Israeli outlets identified the targeted area as Dahieh. It was unclear whether airplanes or drones were involved. ● At least one person has died and ten have been injured, according to RT Arabic.

■ Two martyred in Israeli aggression on Southern Suburb of Beirut (Al Mayadeen)

Western countries intensified their warnings and contacts with Lebanese and Israeli officials to prevent the eruption of a broader conflict in Lebanon in wake of the Majdal Shams attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that left 12 youths dead. | Hezbollah has refused to offer any assurances, reiterating that it will “respond to any Israeli strike”. Israel wants to hurt Hezbollah but not drag the Middle East into all-out war, two Israeli officials said on Monday according to Reuters. Two other Israeli officials said Israel was preparing for the possibility of a few days of fighting following Saturday's rocket strike at a sports field in a Druze town that it blamed on the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Hezbollah has denied its involvement in the attack.

■ Iran's new president warns Israel against attacking Lebanon (Naharnet/Agence France Presse)

Two MQ-9 Reaper drones recently came dangerously close to a Russian Su-24M strike fighter in the skies over Syria, as reported by the Russian Defense Ministry’s Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria.

💬 “On July 27, two coalition MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance and combat drones perilously approached Su-24 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces during a scheduled flight over Syria. This encounter happened at an altitude of about 6,500 meters near the settlement of Al Sukhnah in the Homs Governorate,” the Center explained.

In addition, two pairs of U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters and A-10 attack jets reportedly violated Syrian airspace in the Al Tanf area eight times on the same day. Reaper drones have repeatedly flown close to Russian fighters over Syrian airspace, with one such episode involving a Russian Su-35 fighter occurring in the second week of July. An MQ-9 was reported to have closely approached a Su-35 on June 27, 15 days ago—a day marked by 12 sustained violations of Syrian airspace by Western combat aircraft.

Following Erdogan's threat of military intervention in Palestine, Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Israel Katz threatened the Turkish President with the same fate as Saddam Hussein. | Katz took to X to threaten Erdogan with a similar fate to that of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who was executed in 2006, if he moved forward with his threat to intervene in Palestine. "Erdogan follows in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein and threatens to attack Israel. Just let him remember what happened there and how it ended." Katz wrote.

■ Israeli Foreign Minister Compares Erdogan to Hussein, Commenting on Readiness to 'Enter' Israel (Sputnik News)
■ 'End of genocidal Netanyahu will be like Hitler’s': Turkish Foreign Ministry (Anadolu)

The Majdal Shams strike resulted in the tragic loss of 12 lives, all natives of the occupied Golan. What insights can we recover from the evidence gathered following yesterday's incident? | Israeli regime authorities claimed on Saturday afternoon that Hezbollah launched a rocket at the occupied town of Majdal Shams, killing twelve civilians, including 10 children, in the process. ● The Israeli military command even specified the type of rocket artillery shell used in the alleged attack, which it claimed was the Falaq-1 rocket. ● On the other hand, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah fully denied any involvement and responsibility for a deadly strike on the village in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan. ● A brief analysis of the impact site and the video capturing the moment of the strike dismantles the Israeli narrative, bolstering Hezbollah's account.

■ Israeli defense system responsible for Majdal Shams blast: Eyewitnesses (IRNA)
■ Is Hezbollah behind Majdal Shams strike? (Naharnet/Agence France Presse)
■ Damascus Condemns Deadly Majdal Shams Strike, Holds Israel Responsible (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Israel and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah are on the brink of a full-blown war | Several NATO members including the US have issued travel warnings for Lebanon, urging their citizens to immediately leave the country in the face of a potential full-blown war between Israel and the pro-Palestinian armed group Hezbollah. ● Tensions rapidly escalated on Saturday when a rocket strike killed 12 children in the Druze city of Majdan Shams, in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the projectile was an Iranian-made Falaq-1 rocket fired by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon. The militants, however, denied any involvement in the strike. ● The US Embassy released a travel notice on Saturday, urging Americans to “strongly reconsider travel to Lebanon.”

■ US, France issue travel advisories for Lebanon amid regional tensions (07/28/24)

Tension further escalates after Israeli army presents government with scenarios for possible attack on Lebanese group Hezbollah | The US, UK and France Sunday issued a security alert for their citizens, advising them not to travel to Lebanon, citing potential disruptions in air travel due to heightened regional tensions. The US Embassy in Lebanon advised its citizens traveling to or from Lebanon to "monitor their flight status closely" as changes could occur with little notice. It also emphasized the need for travelers to "make alternate plans" if necessary. In addition, the embassy underscored the "complex and rapidly changing" security environment in Lebanon, urging its citizens to see the current travel advisory, which recommends reconsidering travel to the country.

■ Erdogan says Turkey might enter Israel to help Palestinians (The Staits Times)
■ Erdogan threatens military intervention in Palestine (Albawaba)
■ Iran sternly warns Israel against ‘adventurism’ in Lebanon as tensions flare after Golan Heights incident (PressTV)

Two US military bases in Eastern Syria are on fire right now after being hit with rockets and drones!! The Base at Al-Omar, near the CONOCO Oil Field, and Mission Support Service (MSS) Euphrates are burning. | U.S. Aircraft and Helicopters can be heard over the City of Deir ez-Zor in Eastern Syria, following the Targeting of American Troops at both the U.S-Coalition Base in the Al-Omar Oil Fields and MSS Euphrates in the Conoco Gas Field earlier. Rockets and Drones fired by locals who demand the US leave Syria, which the US is NOT authorized to be in, are being blamed. That blame is being labeled "Iran-proxies." Hal Turner Comment: But the simple truth is that the United States entered Syria without permission and without UN Security COuncil Resolution, and has been STEALING Syrian Oil for years. The Syrians are tired of it and have repeatedly told the US to leave. The US won't leave and won't stop stealing the Syrian oil. Now, they're paying for it in blood. It's a shame the US chose this course of action. Our troops should be at home. Here, in our own country.

The airstrikes came after Israel accused Hezbollah of killing 12 civilians in the Golan Heights | The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has confirmed that it carried out airstrikes against multiple targets in southern Lebanon. This came after Israeli officials vowed to retaliate after 12 people were killed when a rocket hit a football field in the occupied Golan Heights. ● The attacks were reported by multiple news outlets in the early hours of Sunday. According to Al Jazeera, explosions were heard in the coastal city of Tyre and several villages along the Israel-Lebanon border. ● Later, the IDF said in the statement that its air force struck a series of "Hezbollah terror targets” overnight, “both deep inside Lebanese territory and in southern Lebanon, including weapons caches and terrorist infrastructure in the areas of Chabriha, Borj El Chmali, and Beqaa, Kfarkela, Rab El Thalathine, Khiam, and Tayr Harfa.”

■ Hezbollah Denies Israeli Allegations of Targeting Majdal Shams (Al Manar TV)
■ Iran sternly warns Israel against ‘adventurism’ in Lebanon as tensions flare after Golan Heights incident (PressTV)
■ Israel strikes Lebanon as Western diplomats warn of escalation (PressTV)
■ Lebanon Condemns Attacks on Civilians in Golan as US Fears Wider Conflict (Sputnik News)
■ "Missile" Hits Golan Heights - 11+ DEAD Israelis! War Cabinet Convening; Invasion of Lebanon Begins tonight?

Hebrew media reports that the army is urging Tel Aviv that ‘now is the right time’ for escalation against Hezbollah and Lebanon | Former Israeli intelligence and security official Yuval Malka told Hebrew media on 25 July that Washington has greenlit a wider war on Lebanon. “According to the information I received from the delegation and what I know, Netanyahu has received full legitimacy in the United States to wage a war in Lebanon,” Malka told Israel’s Channel 14. [...] “The Israeli army is prepared for a major ground maneuver in Lebanon and warns: Any delay will be in Hezbollah’s favor when there is progress in the background in negotiations to release the hostages,” said Amir Bohbot, military editor and senior defense analyst for Israeli news site Walla, on 24 July.

■ US armed Israel with 25,000-plus bombs, missiles since Oct. 7: Report (PressTV)

Mike Whitney | Chinese diplomats expect the path to peace to be implemented in three phases [...] China should be applauded for bringing the rival factions together and making such a courageous effort to bring the 10 month-long bloodbath in Gaza to an end. They should also be commended for understanding that the broader crisis cannot be resolved without internal reconciliation, which is why China’s foreign ministry arranged to bring all the factions together at one time. Fortunately, the three-day confab helped the leaders to iron-out their differences on key issues including the creation of a provisional “national reconciliation government that will be formed according to the consensus of Palestinian factions and the current Basic Law of the Palestine.” [...]

The Saudi Ministry of Defense has reacted to the reports released by Israeli media sources regarding the country's alleged involvement in the Zionist regime's attack on Yemen last night. | Reacting to the claims, Defense Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki said on Sunday that his country did not participate in the Israeli raids targeting the Yemeni city of Hodeidah on Saturday. He further stressed that Saudi Arabia would not allow any party to violate its airspace. ● Israeli war jets launched a series of airstrikes on Saturday targeting Yemen's province of Hodeidah on the Red Sea coast. The aggression targeted an oil refinery, leading to a massive fire that can be seen kilometers away. ● After the Israeli attack on Yemeni soil, the spokesperson of the Arab country's Army Yahya Saree said that Yemeni armed forces would not hesitate to retaliate the Israeli strikes on Hudaydah Port.

■ UN warns of escalation risk after Israeli attacks on Yemen (TRT World)
■ Cairo Says Concerned About Israeli Airstrikes on Yemen’s Hudaydah (Sputnik News)
■ Israeli attack against Yemen signals ‘dangerous’ new phase: Hezbollah (Anadolu)
■ Yemen successfully hits occupied Eilat, US ship in Red Sea (Mehr News Agency) | Local sources reported a massive explosion in the Israeli-occupied Eilat early on Sunday. Zionist media sources reported that alarm sirens sounded after a loud explosion was heard in Eilat. The incident occurred just hours after the Israeli regime attacked Yemen's Al-Hudaydah Port.

Washington and London have launched dozens of airstrikes inside Yemen without congressional or parliamentary approval | The commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael Erik Kurilla, has urged authorities in Washington to take a more forceful approach against Yemen, saying current efforts to deter the nation’s pro-Palestine operations are “failing.” ● In a private letter addressed to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Kurilla calls for a “stepped-up ‘whole of government’ effort against the Houthis, employing economic, diplomatic, and potentially military pressure to discourage attacks on ships in the Red Sea,” according to officials who spoke with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

The Houthis used a novel UAV dubbed Jaffo which, according to the rebels, is capable of bypassing air defense systems [...] According to a statement published on his Telegram channel, the Houthis carried out a "military operation which involved delivering strikes on one of important targets" in Tel Aviv. The Houthis used a novel UAV dubbed Jaffo which, according to the rebels, is capable of bypassing air defense systems. ● The Houthis noted that Tel Aviv is "no longer safe and will become the main target" of the rebels within the range of their weapons. The rebel movement has determined a number of targets in Israel, "including important military facilities," and will continue to deliver strikes on them in response to Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip, the statement noted.

■ Yemen's Houthis claim deadly drone attack on Tel Aviv (MEE)
■ ‘Suicide drone’ explodes near US consulate in Tel Aviv – reports (RT.com)

Oman’s Maritime Security Center announced, on Wednesday, the rescue of nine out of 16 crew members from an oil tanker that capsized off the coast of the Sultanate earlier this week. | Oman’s Maritime Security Center announced, on Wednesday, the rescue of nine out of 16 crew members from an oil tanker that capsized off the coast of the Sultanate earlier this week. [...] A warship from the Indian Navy rescued the nine survivors after an all-night search around the tanker’s last known location off the coast of Duqm, a coastal province in Oman.

Six months after the ICJ's provisional measures, torture allegations continue unabated in Syria. | A UN expert has urged Syria to implement the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and take steps to eradicate all forms of torture and ill-treatment in the country. [...] The top UN court issued provisional measures on November 16, ordering Syria to take all necessary measures to prevent acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment while also instructing the regime to ensure that no one under its control can commit such acts and that evidence related to torture allegations is preserved.

Georges Malbrunot | Le chef de la milice chiite pro-iranienne accuse l’île de servir de base arrière à l’État hébreu. « Il faut bien avoir en tête que Chypre est une sorte de hinterland pour Israël », selon un diplomate jadis en poste à Nicosie, « on voit les côtes libanaises des hauteurs de Chypre ». [...] Moins affirmative, une source militaire française, qui connaît Chypre, le Liban et Israël, estime qu’il faut être attentif aux menaces du Hezbollah. « Nasrallah a en grande partie raison sur ses accusations », ajoute-t-il, avant de détailler la coopération sécuritaire israélo-chypriote. D’abord l’ouverture de l’espace aérien chypriote aux avions de combat israélien. « Après avoir décollé de leurs bases, et afin de prendre un axe d’attaque depuis la mer pour éviter tout système de défense antiaérienne, les chasseurs israéliens effectuent un virage large, quitte à traverser l’espace aérien gréco-chypriote pour réaliser leurs missions », précise le militaire français. ● L’île est depuis longtemps au carrefour d’influences multiples au Moyen-Orient. Pendant la guerre civile, de nombreux Libanais y avaient trouvé refuge. Depuis, d’autres s’y sont établis : des maronites notamment qui disposent d’un évêque, mais aussi les Palestiniens de l’OLP, après les accords d’Oslo de 1993, qui y ont établi – en accord avec la France notamment – un centre de renseignements et de repli de sa Force 17, l’unité d’élite autour de Yasser Arafat. Puis le Hezbollah, l’Iran, et la Russie. ● « Israël s’est aperçu que Chypre était une très bonne base d’observation de ce qui se passait au Moyen-Orient », précise une source française du renseignement. « Israël a travaillé avec les services de renseignements chypriotes avant d’implanter au moins une base du Mossad, forte de plusieurs dizaines d’hommes », ajoute l’espion. [...]

Officer in Hezbollah’s Artillery Division, Hajj Mohammad Ali, affirmed that what has been displayed so far is a very little bit of the efforts that have been made for 17 years.

💬 “This is on the levels of quantity, accuracy, and ranges of fire. The enemy is to face major surprises on the level of the ground battle,” the officer added, explaining that “the weapons which were displayed in the latest episode, and other ones, will be deployed in the battle.”

The Artillery Division officer emphasized that the current stage of the battle might expand into a war, and might also remain in the current regulations and circumstances until the end. Yet, according to the Resistance leadership, once the war in Gaza ends, the battle in Lebanon ends. ● In an episode of the program entitled “But It Was Allah Who Did So” aired on Al-Manar TV, Hajj Mohammad Ali insisted that hadn’t this battle been limited, then the scene would have appeared differently on the levels of weapons and ammunitions that will be used in the battle be it on their destructive level of ranges of attacks.

The Israeli military says 18 soldiers were wounded, including one seriously, in a drone attack conducted by the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement in the occupied Golan Heights. | n a statement released Sunday on its X account, Israel’s Army Radio said the casualties came after “the explosion of a Hezbollah drone launched from southern Lebanon.” Hezbollah also announced that it had targeted the headquarters of the 91st Brigade north of the occupied territories in response to Israeli strikes against the resistance group. Earlier on Sunday, Hezbollah said three of its fighters were killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit a two-story building in the village of Houla.

"Iran deems as psychological warfare the Zionist regime’s propaganda about intending to attack Lebanon", the Iranian mission to the UN said | The Iranian mission to the UN issued a stern warning to Israel that a full-on attack on Lebanon would kick off a war of annihilation. ● "Albeit Iran deems as psychological warfare the Zionist regime’s propaganda about intending to attack Lebanon, should it embark on full-scale military aggression, an obliterating war will ensue. All options, including the full involvement of all Resistance Fronts, are on the table," the mission said on X. ● In mid-June, the Israeli military approved an operational plan for an offensive in Lebanon. Following the ongoing operation against Hamas in Gaza, the military plans to the forces of Hezbollah, which, like Hamas, is acting against Israel, occasionally shelling the Jewish state from the north.

■ UK has sent 74 warplanes from Cyprus to Lebanon since March (MATT KENNARD)
■ Israeli Defense Minister Vows to Return Lebanon to ‘Stone Age’ (06/28/24)

The UN's secretary general calls on both sides to commit to Security Council Resolution 1701, and adds that efforts by UN peacekeepers are being made across the Blue Line to defuse tensions. | Following threats by "Israel" to invade Lebanon, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a warning against a larger conflict in the Middle East. ● In remarks to reporters in New York, the UN chief mentioned the daily exchanges of fire and verbal spats between the Lebanese Resistance and the Israeli occupation as evidence that there is a genuine chance for the crisis in the region to worsen. He expressed feeling “compelled” to voice his concerns about the situation between “Israel” and the Lebanese Resistance.

■ New war is coming – UN (RT.com)
■ Former Ombudsman Warns Netanyahu: ‘Israel’ Attack on Hezbollah Will Be Mass Suicide (Al Manar TV)
■ Ambassadors EVACUATING Lebanon; Outbreak of War Deemed "Imminent" (Hal Turner Show)
■ Israel will be the ‘ultimate loser’ in war with Hezbollah, Iran says (Al Jazeera)

A senior administration official tells CNN that US officials emphasized that the Biden administration would provide "Israel" with the necessary security assistance. | Senior US officials assured a delegation of top Israeli officials visiting Washington this week that the Biden administration is fully prepared to support its ally in case of a full-scale war with Hezbollah, CNN reported, citing a senior administration official. ● The Biden administration has consistently claimed that it wants to avoid a war between "Israel" and Hezbollah, advocating for diplomatic de-escalation. This week, US envoy Amos Hochstein was sent to the region in an attempt to supposedly help ease tensions. ● The media outlet noted that top Israeli officials, including Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and "National Security" Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, held meetings with Biden administration officials such as National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and White House Middle East Coordinator Brett McGurk. Sources revealed that the Israeli and American officials discussed various topics, including the situation along the border with Lebanon, Iran, and ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations.

■ New war is coming – UN (RT.com)
■ Former Ombudsman Warns Netanyahu: ‘Israel’ Attack on Hezbollah Will Be Mass Suicide (Al Manar TV)
■ Ambassadors EVACUATING Lebanon; Outbreak of War Deemed "Imminent" (Hal Turner Show)
■ Israel will be the ‘ultimate loser’ in war with Hezbollah, Iran says (Al Jazeera)
■ Is Cyprus about to be dragged into a war between Israel and Hezbollah? (Al Jazeera)
■ US State Dept. official on Israeli-Palestinian affairs resigns: WashPo (Al Mayadeen)
■ Hezbollah drones constitute 'new generation of unconventional threats' (06/20/24)

A new Washington Post report highlights how Hezbollah's drones can evade Israeli air defences and gather sensitive intelligence, significantly altering the strategic balance. | In a new report on Hezbollah's drones and the threat they pose to "Israel's" security, The Washington Post stressed their particular ability to evade Israeli air defense systems without being detected. ● The report stated that "For years, the standoff on Israel’s border was between the massive rocket stockpile" of Hezbollah and the "vaunted Iron Dome antimissile system that ably handled most incoming rockets and artillery." However, this equation changed after Hezbollah deployed drones that successfully bypassed Israeli air defense, which also constitutes the cornerstone of "Israel's national security strategy." These drones are characterized by their high speed and low altitude flight, allowing them to gather intelligence and drop explosives. ● In its coverage of the Hoopoe mission video released by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon's Military Media on Tuesday, The Washington Post noted that "Israel" was shocked by what the drone captured of sensitive installations and sites in "Israel," and by the advanced military capabilities that the video showed Hezbollah possesses.

👉 Video| About Hezbollah’s Undetected Drones: All Israeli Installations Within Sight, Reach + HERE
👉 Resistance to know no bounds if Lebanon attacked: Sayyed Nasrallah (Al Mayadeen)
■ ‘No place’ is safe if Israel starts war – Hezbollah (RT.com)

Israel’s military said it has “approved and validated” operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon as months of fighting with Hezbollah threaten to spiral into a full-blown war. | The military statement did not promise an imminent Israeli offensive in Lebanon — any plans must still be vetted by Israel’s leaders. But it appeared to indicate that after months of tit-for-tat fighting, the army wants to show it's prepared for tougher action. The military did not specify what the plans entailed. ● It came as the US tries to broker a diplomatic solution to the cross-border conflict and avert a major escalation. Amos Hochstein, a senior advisor to US President Joe Biden, was meeting with officials in Beirut Tuesday in an attempt to quell tensions. ● Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah have exchanged fire across the border almost daily since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October.

■ Israel ready for ‘all-out war’ in Lebanon (Al Jazeera)
👉 Video| About Hezbollah’s Undetected Drones: All Israeli Installations Within Sight, Reach + HERE
👉 Resistance to know no bounds if Lebanon attacked: Sayyed Nasrallah (Al Mayadeen)
■ White House cancels meeting, scolds Netanyahu in protest over video (Al Mayadeen)
■ Διαταγή στον IDF για στρατηγική νίκη επί της Χεζμπολάχ (War News 24/7)

A bulk carrier sank days after an attack by Yemen's Houthi militias believed to have killed one mariner on board, authorities said early Wednesday. | The Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned-and-operated Tutor sank in the Red Sea, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said in a warning to sailors in the region. ● “Military authorities report maritime debris and oil sighted in the last reported location,” the UKMTO said. “The vessel is believed to have sunk.” ● The Tutor came under attack about a week ago by a bomb-carrying Houthi drone boat in the Red Sea. John Kirby, a White House national security spokesman, said Monday that the attack killed “a crew member who hailed from the Philippines.” ● The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, killing four sailors. They've seized one vessel and sunk two since November, according to the US Maritime Administration. A US-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January. In March, the Belize-flagged Rubymar carried a load of fertilizer sank in the Red Sea after taking on water for days following a militia attack.

Western naval missions have failed dramatically at stemming Yemen's pro-Palestine operations, with officials describing the battle as the 'most sustained combat that the US Navy has seen since World War II' | The leader of Yemen's ruling Ansarallah resistance movement, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, revealed on 13 June that the Yemeni armed forces targeted 145 ships linked to Israel, the US, and the UK since the start of Sanaa's pro-Palestine operations in November. ● The number includes 11 naval operations and two military operations “deep inside Israel” conducted over the past week, which used “31 ballistic and winged missiles, drones, and military boats.” ● The most recent of these operations took place on Thursday, when Yemeni cruise missiles struck the M/V Verbena commercial bulk cargo carrier in the Gulf of Aden, reportedly setting it on fire and wounding at least one crew member.

Yemeni forces are attacking Israeli commercial ships and US and UK naval destroyers in the Red Sea in response to Israel's genocidal war on Palestinians in Gaza | The US military says it has spent about $1 billion in an unsustainable campaign to fight the Ansarallah-led Yemeni armed forces in the Red Sea, the Wall Street Journal reported on 15 June. Since November, Yemeni forces have attacked Israeli-linked commercial ships traveling through the Red Sea, the world’s most important commercial sea route, in response to Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. After US and UK naval warships began carrying out attacks on the Yemeni navy and sites in the capital, Sanaa, Yemeni forces began attacking the warships as well. To defend against Yemeni attacks, the US Navy has conducted more than 450 strikes and intercepted 200 drones and missiles in a campaign that US officials worry is not sustainable.

BRICS countries are abandoning the greenback because it is being used as a political tool, Vyacheslav Volodin has said | Washington has completely undermined trust in the US dollar as a global reserve currency by using it as a political tool to impose “illegal” sanctions on Russia, State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin has said. ● The US government announced a new batch of sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, targeting the energy, metals, and mining industries, as well as the Moscow Stock Exchange and major lenders Sber and VTB. The measures, which cover 300 additional individuals and entities, are aimed at impacting trade between Russia and its partners in China, Türkiye, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as other nations in Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.

■ The Collapse of the Petrodollar: Exposing the End of U.S. Dollar Dominance and the Rise of BRICS Power (MEDIA)
■ The Petrodollar Ended On June 9th; Sauds No Longer Ally w. U.S. (Eric Zuesse/Paul Hoffman)
■ Do the new US sanctions mark Russia’s final divorce from the dollar? (Henry Johnston)
■ U.S. Empire Is Now Falling Apart (Eric Zuesse)