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Syria’s counterterrorism dilemma: Who can Washington trust?
A deadly attack on a Christian funeral in Jordan and subsequent Jordanian airstrikes in Syria have sparked a diplomatic dispute between Amman and Damascus. Bill Roggio is joined by FDD Senior Research Analyst Ahmad Sharawi to discuss the Islamic State’s possible involvement, the deteriorating security situation in southern Syria, and the implications for US counterterrorism policy in the region.
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Syria hosts Iraqi PM for visit amid security challenges in north and south
Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa hosted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi in Damascus on October 28 for talks aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade, and reviving energy cooperation. The historic visit came as Syria faces continuing security challenges, including a deadly Jordanian airstrike in the south, clashes with foreign jihadists in Idlib, and tensions surrounding the return of displaced Kurds in northern Syria.
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Florida teenager arrested in an Islamic State-linked bomb plot
A 15-year-old student in Gainesville, Florida, allegedly sought guidance from Islamic State members and supporters on building drones and explosives to attack people at an unidentified indoor location.
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One war, many fronts: Iran and its proxies
The war with Iran is far from over, and the fight extends well beyond the Strait of Hormuz. Bill Roggio is joined by FDD Senior Fellow and former British Ambassador to Yemen Edmund Fitton-Brown to assess the status of the US-Iran conflict, Tehran’s efforts to break the American naval blockade, and the growing role of…
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Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes continue amid reported Pakistani outreach to anti-Taliban groups
Taliban and Pakistani forces have clashed at least three times since October 19, amid reports that Pakistani military and intelligence officials have met with members of Afghanistan’s anti-Taliban resistance to discuss possible support.
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Poland selected to host Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile maintenance facility
Poland will host Europe’s first dedicated maintenance facility for the Patriot air defense system’s PAC-3 missiles, reducing repair and servicing times while strengthening regional air defense readiness. The initiative comes amid growing shortages of critical munitions and Poland’s broader efforts to expand its role in US weapons production and maintenance.
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Jordanian Air Force strikes targets in Syria in retaliation for deadly church attack
On October 26, the Jordanian Air Force conducted multiple strikes against suspected Islamic State positions in southern Syria, targeting militants Jordan linked to an October 23 attack on a church in Karak that killed nine people and wounded dozens. Jordan said the strikes killed more than 20 militants, while Syrian authorities reported seven civilian deaths.
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Iraq juggles border security and ties with Iran, Syria, and Jordan
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi is seeking to strengthen border security and regional cooperation amid tensions with Iran over the closure of a key crossing in Iraq’s Maysan province, while also pursuing closer ties with Jordan and Syria. The developments come as Baghdad continues to face threats from Iranian-backed militias, concerns over instability along…
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Pakistani outreach presents a dilemma for Afghanistan’s anti-Taliban resistance
Pakistan’s reported outreach to anti-Taliban resistance groups reflects deteriorating ties with its longtime ally. But accepting Pakistani support could deepen divisions in the resistance and undermine its standing among Afghans who blame Islamabad for decades of bloodshed.
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Iraqi parliament approves most remaining cabinet appointments, including Iran-backed militia figures
After five months of negotiations, almost all remaining spots in Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi’s cabinet were approved by the parliament on October 15. Among the three deputy prime ministers is Laith al Khazali, whom the US State Department designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2020.
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The Houthis’ Red Sea power play
The Houthis are on the offensive in Yemen, threatening one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints and bringing the war back to Saudi Arabia’s doorstep. Bill Roggio is joined by FDD research analyst and Long War Journal contributor Bridget Toomey to discuss the Iranian-backed group’s renewed campaign to conquer Yemen, its advances along the…
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MNF-Iraq Update on Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Major General William Caldwell’s August 16th briefing on the state of counterinsurgency operations in Baghdad also includes an interesting, extended look at efforts to fight al Qaeda in Iraq and intelligence gleaned from the terror organization based on the capture of detainees (as well as the examination of documents, computers and other materials, which are not mentioned in the briefing). According to Maj. Gen. Caldwell, Coalition forces have obtained ” unique insight into the plans and operations of al-Qaida in Iraq and what they are doing to achieve their goals.” Al-Qaeda in Iraq remains a potent force behind the sectarian…
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Podcast at Global Crisis Watch
On Sunday afternoon Richard Lafayette and Nick Grace of Global Crisis Watch interviewed Daveed Gartenstein-Ross about the London Airline Plot and counterterrorism efforts. Also, I participated in a round table forum with Nir Boms of the Center for Freedom in the Middle East and Leah Soibel of the Israel Project. The topic was the war between Hezbollah and Israel, and the implications of the cease fire.
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After Action Report: Winners and Losers in the Hezbollah-Israel War
With the cessation of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel largely holding after 24 hours, it is time to look at the likely winners and losers of the Hezbollah-Israel war. Israel spent the weekend scrambling to reach the Litani River and consolidate their positions south of the river before the fighting ended, launching an attack which amounted to too little too late. The negotiated cease fire implemented by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, has lead to a major political victory for Hezbollah, Iran and Syria,and dealt Israel, Lebanon and the United States serious setbacks. The Winners: Hezbollah: Hezbollah achieved what…
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Matiur Rehman, the London Airline Plot and the Road from Pakistan and Talibanistan
Matiur Rehman, image from ABC News Like the 7/7 London Tubes bombing in 2005, the London Airline Plot to destroy over 10 airplanes transiting from London to the United States is being traced back to Pakistan. Pakistan’s Daily Times reports seed money was sent to Pakistan under the guise of earthquake relief and diverted to fund the airline attack. “Muslim Charity of UK remitted… a huge amount of money under the head of “earthquake relief” to the accounts of three individuals in three different banks – Saudi Pak Bank, Standard Chartered and Habib Bank Ltd.” According to B. Rahman of…
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To the Litani River; Heavy Fighting in Rashaf, Marjayoun
Southern Lebanon. Green indicates Israeli occupied town; red IDF warned towns of operations; yellow Israeli airstrikes; orange clashes. Click map to view. The government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has given the Israeli Defense Force the final approval to conduct the ground assault to the Litani River in southern Lebanon. “According to military sources, close to 70 percent of the Katyusha rockets raining down on Israel are fired just south of, and north of the Litani river. It is in these parts of Lebanon that the Hizbullah’s Nasser Unit is waiting with thousands of fighters and functioning command and control…
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London Airline Bombing Plot News, Day Two (updated at 2:40 pm)
Twenty-four Britons have been arrested in the London Airline plot, and the Bank of England has suspended the bank accounts of 19 suspects. Nineteen of the suspects are Muslim men between the ages of 17 to 35, and have been identified as “Abdula Ali, Cossor Ali, Shahzad Ali, Nabeel Hussain, Tanvir Hussain, Umair Hussain, Umar Islam, Waseem Kayani, Assan Khan, Waheed Khan, Osman Khatib, Abdul Patel, Tayib Rauf, Muhammed Saddique, Assad Sarwar, Ibrahim Savant, Amin Tariq, Shamin Uddin and Waheed Zaman.” At least two of the suspects “had converted to devout form of Islam.” Two of the suspects are reported…
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Israeli Cabinet Votes to Push Deeper into Southern Lebanon
The Israeli Cabinet vote on the authorization for the Israeli Defense Force to expand ground operations in southern Lebanon highlights the government’s lack of a cohesive plan at the war’s outset and the hesitation to take the fight directly to Hezbollah on the ground. At the start of the war, the initial plan was to establish a 1-2 kilometer buffer zone and patrol southern Lebanon via air. This morphed into a 6-8 kilometer buffer, which was basically the posture of the Israeli Defense Force up to the withdrawal from Lebanon in 2002. Hezbollah’s continuous shelling of northern Israel has shown…
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IDF Commando Raid South of Tyre; Abandoning the Litani?
Southern Lebanon. Green indicates Israeli occupied town; red IDF warned towns of operations; yellow Israeli airstrikes; orange clashes. Click map to view. Israeli Defense Force commandos have conducted another behind the lines raid in Hezbollah territory, this time in the town of Ras al-Biyada (Al Bayyadah on the map), which sits on the Lebanese coast about five kilometers north of the Israeli border. Reports indicate 30 to 40 commandos were inserted by helicopter near Ras al-Biyada, the target being an apartment complex. Five Lebanese are reported to have been killed and 8 IDF commandos were wounded. The Ras Al-Biyada raid…
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Doctored Reuters Photo of Beirut and the Manipulation of the Media
“We are in a battle, and that more than half of this battle is taking place in the battlefield of the media. And that we are in a media battle in a race for the hearts and minds of our Ummah.” – Ayman al-Zawahiri, in a letter to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Reuters’ faked photograph of Beirut burning, by Adnan Hajj. Click to view full size at Little Green Footballs. Ayman al-Zawahiri’s words do not only apply to his al Qaeda and affiliated groups, but to all terrorist organizations. Terrorists do not employ terror tactics because of their military strength, but…
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IDF Commando Raid in Tyre; Iranian Missile Resupply
Southern Lebanon. Green indicates Israeli occupied town; red IDF warned towns of operations; yellow Israeli airstrikes; orange clashes; dark blue IDF commando raid. Click map to view. The naval commandos of Flotilla 13, one of the Israeli Defense Force’s elite units, conducted a raid into the heart of Tyre, striking at what is described as “those responsible for the firing of strategic weapons from a vehicle inside a built-up neighborhood.” The target was a Hezbollah missile team located on the second floor of a 16 floor apartment building in the dense, urban environment of Tyre. The commandos from Flotilla 13…
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Israeli Cabinet Continues Debate Over Ground Campaign
The Israeli government continues the debate over the shape of the proposed buffer zone in southern Lebanon, as well as the shape of the campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Haaretz reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz are at odds over how deep the IDF should push into Lebanon. Peretz advocates all the way to the Litani River, while Olmert appears to support the current plan to maintain the 8 kilometer buffer zone.
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The Southern Lebanon Offensive and the New Buffer Zone
Southern Lebanon. Green indicates Israeli occupied town; red IDF warned towns of operations; yellow Israeli airstrikes; orange clashes. Click map to view. The Israeli Defense Force is probing hard across the entire Lebanese border, from Metulla to Marwahin. Eight Israeli brigades, at about 1,000 soldiers per brigade, plus supporting units (engineering, artillery, reconnaissance, communications, logistics) are currently engaged inside southern Lebanon. “IDF troops had established positions overlooking 11 south Lebanese towns and villages up to six kilometers north of the Israeli border,” according to Haaretz. The southern Lebanon battle map has been updated to include the position of Israeli troops…
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IDF Commando Raid in Baalbek, Deep in the Bekaa Valley; Hezbollah Members Captured
Location of Israeli airstrikes in the Bekaa Valley and Tyre, and the raid on Baalbek. Click map to view. Israeli commandos made a bold strike deep into Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, the heart of Hezbollah’s empire. Israeli helicopters, backed by the Israeli Air Force, inserted an unknown number of commandos, who proceeded to the target, a Hezbollah-run hospital which is believed to have sheltered senior Hezbollah commanders. This operation appears to have been carried out in conjunction with a series of air strikes in the Bekaa Valley, including attacks on Hermel, another Hezbollah strong hold and crossings at the Syrian border.
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A Change in Strategy: IDF to Expand Ground Campaign in Lebanon
Southern Lebanon. Green indicates Israeli occupied town; red IDF warned towns of operations; yellow Israeli airstrikes; orange clashes. Click map to view. The government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to “expanded ground operations in Lebanon,” after an early morning vote by the Israeli security cabinet. Senior officers in the Israeli Defense Force have pushed for deploying Israeli troops as far north of the Litani River, but the Israeli government has been vague on this point. If the IDF pushes to the Litani River, this would be a shift in strategy from a week ago.
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Mugniyah’s Hidden Hand in Lebanon
Imad Fayez Mugniyah At the outbreak of war between Israel and Hezbollah, I reported Imad Fayez Mugniyah, Hezbollah’s military commander, was likely behind the operation to snatch the Israeli soldiers, and documented Hezbollah and Mugniyah’s links to Iran and historical involvement in international terrorism. Dr. Magnus Ranstorp explained Hezbollah’s command structure and decision making processes, Mugniyah’s likely involvement with the capture of the Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah’s links to Iran and Hamas.
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Israel Loses the Initiative in Lebanon
Southern Lebanon. Green indicates Israeli occupied town; red IDF warned towns of operations. Click map to view. After the airstrike in the Lebanese town of Qana, which killed 57 civilians, Israel has enforced a unilateral 48 hour cessation of air strikes against targets in Lebanon. A new report indicates 28 more civilians were killed during Israeli air strikes against Hezbollah positions in villages in southern Lebanon. The fact that Hezbollah is firing from civilian centers to provoke an Israeli response is generally ignored by the media and international community, and subsequently the tide of international pubic opinion has turned against…
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Hezbollah’s Army Revisited
The skill and training of Hezbollah’s Army in southern Lebanon becomes clearer after details emerge about Wednesday’s fighting in Bint Jubayl, where the Israeli Defense Force’s elite Golani Brigade and Hezbollah fighters have been slugging it out since last week. The most recent combat in Bint Jubayl claimed the lives of 9 Israeli soldiers and wounded 27. The Jerusalem Post provides further information about the fighting in the town the IDF recently claimed was under their control.
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The Battle of Bint Jubayl and Hezbollah’s Army
As the smoke clears from the fighting in the Lebanese border town of Bint Jubayl, Hezbollah’s military capabilities become clearer. Today, 8 Israeli soldiers from the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion were killed and 22 wounded during a “well-planned Hezbollah ambush on the outskirts” outside of Bint Jubayl. This follows the 4 killed and 18 wounded during Sunday’s engagement in the town.
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IDF Operations; Buffer Zones; Operational Possibilities
Southern Lebanon. Green indicates Israeli occupied town; red IDF warned towns of operations, orange recent clashes. Click map to view. The Israeli Defense Force’s Golani Brigade has taken the town of Bint Jubayl, Hezbollah’s southern command center, and is moving towards the town of Aytarun, another of the towns the IDF has warned the Lebanese citizens to evacuate due to upcoming operations in the area. The Golani Brigade states it has killed up to 50 Hezbollah fighters, and indicates over 100 may still be holed up in Bint Jubayl. Also, the IDF reports Abu Jaafar, Hezbollah’s “commander of the ‘central…
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IDF, Hezbollah battle over the “Hezbollah Capital”
Southern Lebanon. Green indicates Israeli occupied town; red IDF warned towns of operations. Click map to view. The Golani Brigade continues to slug it out with Hezbollah between the towns of Maroun al-Ras and the Bint Jubayl on the Israeli-Lebanon border. Reports indicate 15 Hezbollah have been killed, and 4 IDF killed and 18 wounded during the fight. Two Israelis helicopter pilots were killed in an unknown incident (Hezbollah claims to have shot down the helo) and two tankers were killed. Two tanks were destroyed during today’s fight, one by a mine, another by an anti-tank missile. The “Golani Brigade…
