Middle East on fire

Something big might be afoot.

4 mortar shells from Gaza hit Eshkol region; none hurt

Limited Israeli tank incursions into Gaza. Can hear the shelling from the office balcony.

Nicole Johnsto

Al Jazeera

Israel might be tempted to do as they said they would do... and launch a Cast Lead 2 operation.

Israeli Attack on Hizbullah Likely to Bring War with Syria, Israeli Official

If something huge and terrible doesn't happen in some other area, in the next elections the Likud will be depicted as the poodle of Shas and United Torah Judaism, Haaretz said.

The other arena Netanyahu and his aide Defense Minister Ehud Barak are eyeing, according to the senior official, is the Lebanese arena. In a few days they will have a "battle-hungry chief of staff after their own hearts."

He said incoming Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Yoav Galant proved in Operation Cast Lead that he is a real man's man no less than Kadima MK Shaul Mofaz was as Chief of Staff during the days of the second intifada - before he repurposed himself from the General Staff camp to the peace camp.

The risk that an attack on Lebanon will elicit a missile attack on Israel does not deter real men like them, who would have shown the Iranians who the boss is here were it not for the Americans, the official added.

He predicted that this time an attack on Hizbullah will not end without a war with Syria. The way Damascus has been behaving -- since the start of the investigation into the Hariri assassination and up until the collapse of the Lebanese government on the eve of the filing of the indictments -- shows the close connections between the Alawite minority regime and the Shiite organization, the official believed.

Well many in the Israeli government said countless of times that if war broke out with Hezbollah, it would end up a war with Syria and Iran because they had been supplying Hezbollah with missiles.

Once war starts in the middle-east... it might be the last one for a while...and the US will be involved.

Report: Israel to Protect Army Equipment from Hizbullah Missiles in Mountain Bunkers

The Israeli army has drawn up plans to dig massive bunkers inside mountains throughout Israel to prevent missile fire from targeting sensitive equipment and advanced munitions, The Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.
The multi-million-dollar plan was set up by the army's Logistics and Technology Directorate, and is set to receive a dedicated budget from the General Staff in the military's next multi-year plan – expected to go into effect in 2012, it said.

Me thinks they already have a few of those bunkers.

Seems the fight in Gaza might have started.

Israeli tanks, military vehicles and bulldozers were seen entering two areas of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, prompting an armed faction to fire on a force in the south, and two saying a joint operation fired on the northern force.

Shortly after the reports surfaced, a statement was received by Ma'an from the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades, the armed wing of the PFLP, and Fatah's Al-Aqsa Brigades, in which the groups announced a joint attack on an Israeli bulldozer.

The brigades said the attack caused the bulldozer to catch fire, and said immediately after the "sky filled with planes" looking for the attackers.

Not looking good.

Skirmishes are still going on, IDF tanks have been firing on Hamas militants.

Israeli tank shelling east of Beit Hanoun- artillery shelling in eastern Jabalia

IDF fire rocket at explosives-carrying operatives

IDF troops launched a tank rocket at two terrorists that came near the border fence in the north of the Gaza Strip, apparently carrying explosives. At least one of the operatives was hit.

Israel/Gaza 7 Israeli tank and bulldozer went into Gaza. Claims 1 militant with explosives was killed. Earlier a rocket fired into Israel.

A 17 year old Palestinian was killed today and three other young Palestinians wounded by Israeli fire in northern Gaza

For now it has not escalated...which is good.

7:58pm Hizbullah sources to MTV: What happened this morning is a direct message to the local and foreign forces. Hizbullah is inclined to make a series of escalatory steps.
7:54pm High-ranking Hizbullah source to MTV: Time for talking is over, it is time for action now. The other camp wants confrontation, so be it.

This doesn't sound good at all. Hezbollah just said this because the Lebanese newspapers leaked the names of those who are going to be indicted... and it would have stayed a rumor if it were not for those idiots at the UN saying that they are angry that confidential information was leaked... meaning that they just confirmed that Hezbollah will be indicted.

So it's like the indictment is public... that's why there's now an escalation.

Beirut back to normal after morning crowds
Good.
STL trial might start in September
With or without the accused.
Hariri still believes in Syrian-Saudi efforts, says source
That would be great if it could be achived.
LDP: Reject the STL to save Lebanon
Might be the only way at this point.

With each day passing and new information of scaling conflicts around the world, full fledged wars become more and more probable.
Will it be WW3 time soon? Hope not. This world is crazy as it is.

reply to post by flk1331


Yeah well this ain't looking good.

New reports coming in of armed men in Beirut.... no shooting yet...hopefully will stay that way.

Now this is real real real real bad.

Report: Hezbollah simulated Beirut takeover

Arab media outlets report Shiite group held drill simulating takeover of Lebanese capital, surroundings after Hariri indictments are filed. Among the targets – United Nations headquarters in Lebanon

According to a Kuwaiti newspaper and Lebanese media, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah is preparing for the possibility Hezbollah will be indicted, and not just on the political level.

Sources close to the group said that the drill was "a real and weaponless maneuver meant to test the plan to take over Beirut and its surroundings including the port and airport. The sources said the exercise was scheduled to last four hours, but eventually ended after two, and hailed a success.

The drill was conducted in the early morning hours on Tuesday. When word of the drill spread across Beirut panic took over and many residents pulled their kids from their schools.

"This maneuver illustrates the fact that Hezbollah has moved on to a new stage in dealing with the indictments," a Lebanese source said. "Nasrallah has already stressed that the stage after the indictments are filed will not be as same as the previous one." The sources added this was not the last drill.

Basically they are saying to Hariri to back off with the tribunal or they will take over... bluff or truth... we'll know in time.

Saudi Arabia abandons Lebanon mediation efforts (Reuters)

Not good news...

Riyadh Describes Lebanon Situation as 'Dangerous,' Announces End of Mediation

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said Wednesday that Riyadh has abandoned mediation efforts in Lebanon, where he described the situation as "dangerous."

Saudi King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad had been in contact "with commitment to end the whole Lebanon problem," said the foreign minister in an interview with Arab satellite TV network al-Arabiya.

"When that did not happen, the custodian of the holy mosques said he was pulling his hand out" from the effort, he told the Saudi-owned TV channel.

Describing the situation in Lebanon as "dangerous," Faisal expressed fears of division in the multi-confessional nation.

"If the situation reaches full separation and (regional) partition, this means the end of Lebanon as a state that has this model of peaceful cohabitation between (different) religions and ethnicities," he added.

Very bad.

10:58am Hizbullah statement: Nasrallah discussed the “proposed solutions” with the foreign ministers of Turkey and Qatar.
11:18am Belgium’s ambassador after meeting with Caretaker Minister Butros Harb: The situation in Lebanon is unstable because the country is in an unstable region.
11:29am Israeli warplanes overflew Nabatiyeh, Iqlim al-Tuffah, Kfarkila and Khiam and staged mock raids.
2:02pm The March 14 general-secretariat described the resignation of March 8 ministers as an escape from their national responsibilities.
2:05pm March 14 vowed to continue to defend Lebanon against the coup that aims at turning it into an Iranian base on the Mediterranean shores.

More Israeli violations... while the situation is escalating by the day...

Washington: We Are Encouraging Syria to Respect Lebanon's Sovereignty
Meaning DO NOT MOVE IN or let Hezbollah take over.

Report: Syria Rejected Egyptian Proposal to Form Arab League Committee on Lebanon
Not good.

Politics - Zahra: Crisis in open to all possibilities and government formation is ruled out now
Government formation is ruled out... bad bad news.


This is sad... it's just bad news on the middle-east front today...

A few news of the past regarding the military aspect...

From 2010 : Syria warns Israel: `Next war will come to your cities

Remember October 2009 :
Clashes erupt in north Lebanon between pro-Hezbollah, pro-parliament activists (DPA)

January 4 2010 :
Hamas official in Beirut: If Israel attacks, Hamas will stand by Hezbollah (Ch. 10)

January 23 2010 :
Likud Min. Peled: Israel is heading toward confrontation with Hezbollah (Ch. 10)

February 25 2010 :
IDF wraps up Northern Command drill simulating war with Hezbollah, Syria (Ch. 10)

April 18 2010 :
`Israeli minister said Syria will return to stone age if Hezbollah attacks Israel` (Ch. 10)

May 25 2010 :
Hezbollah's Nasrallah threatens to attack Israel-bound ships in future war (Reuters)

August 3 2010 :
Nasrallah: Hezbollah will respond if Israel assaults Lebanese army in the future (Reuters)

August 12 2010 :
Lebanon PM: Hezbollah showed serious evidence against Israel in Hariri killing (Ch. 10)

August 28 :
Kuwaiti newspaper: Israel planning to strike Hezbollah weapons depots in Syria (Army Radio)

September 18 :
Report: Israel complains to UN, claiming ties between Lebanon army, Hezbollah (News Agencies)

September 21 :
Next Israel-Hezbollah war will be worse, says U.S. analyst (Haaretz)

November 10 :
IDF: Hezbollah refused Hamas request to bomb Israel during Gaza war (Haaretz)

The next war is gonna be worse.

An important event coming up is the anniversary of the assassination of Hezbollah commander Mughniyah on February 12.

Reports from Lebanon suggest a steadily escalating confrontation between Iran's Hizbullah and pro-Western gov't

From JPost...

Even worse news...

8:10pm Hizbullah sources to MTV: Opposition factions are on alert and Hizbullah’s cadres have been informed that a state of emergency is in effect.

This is very dangerous.

Hezbollah may carry out more intimidating steps, says source

The source added that this is one of the steps toward carrying out a complete coup against the government.

This could happen at any time.

This is really really really bad.

8:08pm Hariri sources to MTV: The stances he has informed Bin Jassem and Davutoglu of will not be affected by “street messages.”

+1

7:51pm OTV: Groups from two Arab countries, which are at odds with the Opposition and the Resistance, have been deployed in the vicinity of several hotels.

Now that is not good. Could be Saudi groups, Qatar groups, Kuweiti groups...

It's basically ``outside help`` coming to help Hariri... are those armed? Are they really Iranian troops?

So many questions so few answers.

Unconfirmed for now...

Apparently Hezbollah is planning imminently to do a coup, blaming Hariri for bringing in foreign help to stay in power.

Hopefully this is NOT TRUE, otherwise civil war/US-Israel invasion will probably happen and many innocents will die.

Situation is very very dangerous and getting worse.

Riot Police deployed at Grand Serail

Grand Serail is the headquarters of Hariri.

Al Balad : a source close to the gov't fears clashes this weekend throughout

Al Balad : barbed wires have been installed around the serail (headquarters of the Prime Minister of Lebanon)

Future News: PM Saad Hariri will make a speech to the Lebanese at 7 p.m. to discuss recent developments

Hopefully and probably will call for peace.

3:34pm MP Hussein Moussawi: Bellemare’s signature on the slanderous indictment prepares the ground for a war on Lebanon and the Resistance; the U.S. administration’s welcoming of this signature confirms the collusion between the STL and that administration.

Not good.

Albalad: bulldozers working to set up concrete barriers around the Grand Serail (headquarters of the Prime Minister of Lebanon)

prospective deputy Walid Jumblatt to speak at 6 pm

Albalad: possibility of holding a summit Lebanese - Syria - in the country during the next few hours

Lebanese Army arrested "Arab security personnels" in Habtoor metropolitan hotel, Jadeed TV said they are more than 250 most of them saudi

siyese : Jumblatt will support Karami as prime minister

Tanks were seen around the palace and the headquarters of the Lebanese government minister after the reference sources close to Hezbollah followers to be ready to go to the street.

AnNahar confirms reports of Jumblatt taking opposition´s stance due 2 heavy pressure exerted on him; will vote 4 Karami as PM.

Hisham Youssef, Arab League Chief of Staff:Situation in LEB could explode any time if parties insist on their position

MP Antoine Zahra told Al Arabiya television on Thursday that “Hezbollah party aims to take over the country, not divide it.”

March 8 source: Saudi abandonment is due to the American veto

Lebanese troops tightened security around Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri's office and other government buildings Thursday as a political crisis deepened over the international tribunal.

Special Sources told me that Druze Leader Walid Jumblatt decided to vote for Lebanese opposition candidate for prime minister

Sakr: Anything could happen now that foreign envoys have left

Aaraji: Assad will meet with King Abdullah soon

Davutoglu says Lebanese agreement unlikely

A Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) unit raided the Habtoor Hotel in Sin al-Fil on Wednesday night on suspicion that “security groups [had come] from two Arab countries,” New TV reported on Thursday.

Jumblat added that matters "have become greater than him and his ability to maintain the middle ground in a harsh battle in which Hariri's regional and international backers only resort to statements, while his opponents turn to all manners of military and popular pressure."
Indeed. If Hariri doesn't bow down to pressure, war will ensue.

Iran Is Preparing To Fill Power Vacuum In Lebanon
We'll see about that.

source tells albalad "chances are the new gouv't be formed next week, karami as PM"

Which means Hezbollah would win... which means Israel/US won't like that at all.

That is if the Hariri coalition agrees to give the power.

Albalad: sources confirmed that the leadership of the army to "Full attention" of any action on a field as possible and strengthened units operating in Beirut

“The opposition wants to decide matters in the Tunisian way and has no other choice,” Al-Markaziya news agency quoted an “anonymous opposition parliamentary source close to Damascus” as saying on Thursday.

The opposition has planned ten “scenarios for future mobilization that will be announced subsequently,” the source said.

So... Syrian source confirming that Hezbollah wants to take over using a coup?


The Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) – headed by MP Walid Jumblatt – denied on Thursday reports that it had informed its youth adherents to depart Beirut.
Hopefully this is not true... as they say... otherwise...

Al-Arabiya quoting March 14 source: PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt completely joins opposition

That means the Hezbollah coalition now have the majority....and could legally take power... of course Hariri may oppose and try to stay by force... which is why Hezbollah is preparing for force.

Majdalani: Hezbollah planned to use its weapons

“As far as I am concerned, what is happening means that Hezbollah has decided to resort to military action and to pursue the coup it launched by withdrawing its ministers from the government last week,” Majdalani told AFP on Thursday.

We'll see about that.

Saudi's al-Watan: Efforts Cannot Continue in Light of Hizbullah's Organized Gatherings
Saudi Arabia is to gain from this... Israel and Hezbollah go to war... Iran may even be drawn in... which the Saudis want.

British ambassador to Lebanon heads to London
Bugging out?

OTV: Hariri might withdraw his candidacy

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE for the sake of peace!!!!!!!!

Coming up at noon eastern... in 25 minutes, Hariri will make a speech...

Hopefully he says he withdraws his candidacy for PM. That would help things...

March 14 Source forecast the future stream of benzene masses to the streets of the Lebanese capital Beirut after Hariri's speech

Probably.

UPDATE :

OTV: Hariri will withdraw his candidacy for the premiership

Hopefully this is true!!!!!!!

But that would mean Hezbollah taking over Lebanon... legally... what will Israel/US do then?

Good comment I've read... which sums it up.

Lebanon is in a catch 22, either side with Hariri and face the wrath of Hezbollah or side with Hezbollah and face the wrath of Israel

UPDATE 2 :

Head of the Intelligence Department of the Italian Army, Adriano Santini, arrived on Thursday in Beirut with an accompanying delegation, aboard a private jet.

The biggest contingent in UNIFIL is Italian.... probably having a discussion what to do with UNIFIL forces.

UPDATE 3 :

Sec Clinton says any decision about #Lebanon must be made by Lebanese; all international efforts must support Lebanese in their decisions.

Lying witch.

Hariri: strove to prevent sedition from Lebanon
hariri: "we will not resort to violence. we will respect the constitution and its institutions."
alihashem: Hariri's stance today is a preemptive strike, getting his supporter to the streets before the opposition can form their cabinet

If he respects the constitution, he will respect the Hezbollah coalition taking power.

Hariri: "we will take part in consultations with the president next Monday and we will commit to my candidacy as PM."

Damn.

UPDATE 4 :

Hariri Said: May Gods curse be upon civil strive (looking deep in the camera and making a gest with his head) AND ANY person that makes steps to civil strife!

That is a clear message to Hezbollah...

The whole speech will likely piss them off.

Thank you for all the updates.
Watching the situation closely.

Apparently from a reporter on the scene in Lebanon, Hariri changed his mind about abandoning his post as PM in the last hour because he received a call from the US to stay in power because otherwise Hezbollah would take power and Israel/Saudi Arabia/Egypt would invade Lebanon to destroy Hezbollah.

So he was basically screwed either way.

Quit, foreign country invade Lebanon... stay in power, Hezbollah might fight, turning the country into civil war.

Qatar and Turkey are following Saudi Arabia and Syria to stop their efforts on Lebanon - and the situation is serious

Not good.

Originally posted by Cherryontop
Thank you for all the updates.
Watching the situation closely.

What is the scariest thing about this whole thing is that all MSM in the west, even in Israel, are silent about this.

The whole region is on the verge of civil war/war and not a word.

Media blackout = order from the military/government = not good.

"...Lebanese sovereignty is really what is at issue. There is a feeling among the Lebanese of too much foreign meddling.

It is overly simplistic for the international media to make this recent collapse of the government only about Hezbollah. It is about the Lebanese struggle for independence, both militarily and ideologically."

+1

For now all is calm but there's an increase in military presence in the capital.

And now Iran :

"Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday issued a warning to Israel and the United States and some European countries, calling on them to "stop the incitement to sedition" in Lebanon if they do not want to turn people against it.

Nasrallah on wednesday :

It quoted Nasrallah as assuring the delegation that the Opposition has a "new approach" following the submittal of the indictment to pre-trial judge Daniel Fransen on Monday.

"What was proposed before issuance of the indictment is no longer applicable," Nasrallah was quoted as telling Davutoglu and Sheikh Hamad..."

Thanks for all your Work on this.

Seems like with everything going on around the World,this might be the "Beginning of the End" if its escalates More and more Nations getting involved...

reply to post by Vitchilo

They don't report on anything that's actually important and haven't for years, why start now?

Just so you know, my son's 19 yr old friend is sitting here now waiting to go take the ASVAB. I have been trying for the past few hours to tell him not to do this. Yours posts are helping me. For that I thank you.

ASVAB=Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).

The ASVAB is a timed multi-aptitude test, which is given at over 14,000 schools and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) nationwide and is developed and maintained by the Department of Defense.

The ASVAB is a timed multi-aptitude test, which is given at over 14,000 schools and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) nationwide and is developed and maintained by the Department of Defense.

Making a list for a draft uh?


Apparently now Jumblatt might change his support again to support Hariri.
UPDATE :

Democratic Gathering bloc leader MP Walid Jumblatt reportedly decided to side with the opposition during the upcoming parliamentary consultations to name a new premier.

Finally he stays with Hezbollah.

UPDATE : Michel Aoun, a former military commander and leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, a Hezbollah ally, said there is no reason Hariri should return to power. Aoun wondered after a meeting with U.N. special envoy to Lebanon Michael Williams "why the international community wants to bring back to power a man who is accused in leading the false witnesses in the U.N. investigation," Hezbollah's al-Manar reports.
Indeed.

UPDATE 2 :

Speaker Nabih Berri’s political aide, MP Ali Hassan Khalil, and Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s political aide, Hussein Khalil, travelled to Damascus on Thursday to meet with the country’s officials, New TV reported.

Agreeing on a strategy....

BREAKING : LOUD EXPLOSION IN SIDON..

Confirmed by several sources. They don't know what exploded...

10:08pm Future News: The sound of an explosion has been heard in Sidon and its suburbs.

More details to follow.

10:21pm Information obtained by NBN: Reports about an explosion in Sidon are groundless.

What? Hahahaha, LIE since many people on the ground heard the explosion.

10:35pm Future News: March 14 leaders stressed that the coalition will vote for caretaker PM Saad Hariri in the upcoming parliamentary consultations.

This won't be good.

UPDATE ON THE EXPLOSION. :

Update: Future TV reported that the Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier at a low altitude over Sidon and this may have been source of the noise that sounded like an explosion.

Some other news source say a naval mine exploded off the coast.

IAF doing a violation of Lebanese airspace isn't something uncommon... but at this time and hour... this is clearly a message to Hezbollah.

Also :

people being stopped by army at check points