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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 its terrorist proxies.
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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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Ukrainian intelligence details new low-cost Russian cruise missile
A new missile called the Filin adds to Russia’s growing arsenal of low-cost, long-range munitions, placing strain on Ukraine’s overstretched air defenses. Ukraine is expected to scale production of faster interceptor drones, but this addresses only part of the challenge of countering Russia’s evolving missile and drone capabilities.
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Protests break out in Syria against ‘Israeli incursions and attacks’ as tensions rise
Protests erupted across southern Syria and Damascus on October 23 against Israeli military operations in the buffer zone along the Golan border, following reports that a Syrian man with disabilities was killed during an IDF raid. The protests come amid growing Syrian condemnation of Israeli incursions, as well as diplomatic efforts by Syrian officials to…
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FBI arrests alleged Islamic State supporter accused of plotting to assassinate Texas congressman
A 17-year-old Texas teenager allegedly plotted to assassinate Republican US Representative Keith Self at a veterans’ fundraiser as part of a broader Islamic State-inspired terrorist plot. Federal agents arrested the suspect after he acquired a firearm.
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Worst Case Scenario: Hezbollah’s Conventional Forces
The Israeli Defense Forces and Hezbollah have fought pitched battles over the past two days in the region around Avivim. Ynet News reports nine Israeli soldiers were wounded during the fighting, and two were killed in the nearby town of Maroun al-Ras. “Attempts to rescue some of the injured were carried out under relentless fire,” according to the Ynet News report. Six Hezbollah cells were engaged during the attack. Israeli forces have withdrawn from the area.
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Basayev video commemorates his death
Banner announcing Basayev’s commemoration video. Basayev’s commemoration video. Click image to view video, file size is ~5M, in Windows Media Viewer format [.mwv] Two Islamist websites have posted a video commemorating the life and death of Chechen al Qaeda commander Shamil Basayev (AKA Abdallah Shamil Abu-Idris), who was killed by Russian security forces on July 10, 2006. Counterrorism Blog expert Daveed Gartenstein-Ross examines The Death of Shamil Basayev and How Jihadists Are Made and Lorenzo Vidino looks at How Chechnya Became a Breeding Ground for Terror.
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Another limited IDF incursion into Lebanon; Evacuating Lebanon
Israeli troops have entered southern Lebanon for the second time in two days. Like the last raid, this one had the limited objective of destroying Hezbollah strong points on the Lebanese border, as well as “searching for tunnels and mines” in the region.
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IDF enters Lebanon, a new buffer zone?
Range of Iranian built missiles possibily in Hezbollah’s arsenal. Map & graphics courtesy of Kathryn Cramer. Click map to view. After a weekend of repeated Hezbollah missile strikes into Israel, including hits in Afula and the surrounding communities, and Haifa, the Israeli Defense Force has launched a ground incursion into Lebanon. The IDF “briefly entered southern Lebanon to target Hizbullah bases along the border in order to push the terrorist group out of rocket-firing range,” according to the Jerusalem Post.
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Counterterrorism Roundtable at Global Crisis Watch
This afternoon Richard Lafayette of Global Crisis Watch hosted a counterterrorism roundtable, attended by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Douglas Farah, Nir Boms of the Center for Freedom in the Middle East, and myself. The main topic was the crisis in the Middle East, including the mood in Israel, Israel’s response to Hezbollah’s attack, and Iran, Syria, and Imad Mugniyah’s roles in the conflict. Nir Boms joined us live from Haifa, Israel, which just today was struck by a Hezbollah rocket attack that killed 8 and wounded dozens. Mr. Bom describes Haifa as a “ghost town” after the rocket attacks. The podcast also…
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Hezbollah missile sea strikes: UAV or ground based?
The Iranian C802 / Chinese Jing YJ-82. Click photo to view. In last evening’s post, “The War Widens, Hezbollah Strikes Egyptian, Israeli Ships with UAVs,” we reported the Israeli warship and an Egyptian civilian vessel were likely hit with missiles launched from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and not a UAV packed with explosives. The Egyptian vessel was sunk. The latest reporting indicates missiles did indeed strike both ships. “We can confirm that it was hit by an Iranian-made missile launched by Hezbollah. We see this as very profound fingerprint of Iranian involvement in Hezbollah,” Brigadier General Ido Nehushtan of the Israeli…
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The War Widens, Hezbollah Strikes Egyptian, Israeli Ships
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has escalated, as Hezbollah has conducted two sea strikes against an Israeli warship and an Egyptian civilian ship, possibly a cruise liner. While initial reports are stating an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was used to ram the ships, an anonymous intelligence official indicates the Egyptian ship was struck by a UAV launched antitank missile. According to the intelligence official, the Egyptian ship was hit with a Raad anti-tank missile (this is a different weapon than the Raad rockets fired against the city of Haifa.)
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Iranian manufactured Raad 1 missiles launched at Haifa (Updated)
The Raad. Click image to view. The rocket attack on the northern Israeli city of Haifa has raised the stakes in the very hot war between Israel and Hezbollah, and increases the possibility of widening the conflict with Syria and Iran. Haifa, the country’s third largest city, is home to over 250,000 Israelis, and Hezbollah has proven it can now strike the city with its rockets. Israel can no longer countenance Hezbollah’s presence on its border.
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Hezbollah escalates the war in Lebanon, launches rocket attacks in Haifa
Map of Hezbollah rocket strikes in northern Israel. Click map to view. Since the Hezbollah raid on an Israeli outpost on the Lebanese border and kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers, and the follow on Israeli raids into Lebanon attacking Hezbollah targets and road, bridge and air infrastructure, several events increased the prospect for a wider war in the Middle East.
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Imad Mugniyah likely behind the capture of Israeli soldiers
Imad Fayez Mugniyah Hezbollah has conducted a highly successful raid into Israeli territory, attacking a Israeli Defense Force outpost along the Israel-Lebanese border, killing three soldiers and capturing two after they were wounded. Four Israeli soldiers were killed when their tank ran over a land mine in Lebanon during follow-up operations to free the captured soldiers. An additional soldier was killed when attempting to recover the bodies of the four tankers.
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Multiple Bombs Detonated on Bombay Rail System
Map of the Bombay rail system. Orange dots indicate bombing sites. click image to view. Last Update at 4:20 pm ET. The railway system and rush hour commuters were the targets of a series of bombings in the Indian city of Bombay (Mumbai), the country’s financial capital. According to an updated Associated Press story, “Tuesday evening’s first explosion hit a train at a railway station in the northwestern suburb of Khar, said a police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. Other blasts followed down the line of the…
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Fighting resumes in Mogadishu; Shariah Law enforced
The Islamic Courts Union, al Qaeda’s affiliate in Somalia, is consolidating power in the capital city of Mogadishu. The ICU is conducting military operations against rival warlords who sat out of last month’s fighting. Over 140 Somalis have been killed in the past two days of fighting, with over a hundred estimated wounded. The ICU is attacking warlords Abdi Hassan Awale Qeydiid and Hussein Aidid. Hussein Aidid is the son of Mohamed Farrah Aidid, the target of the United Nations and U.S. operations in October of 1993 during the Battle of Mogadishu. Qeydiid’s militia has surrendered to the Islamic Courts,…
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Chechen Terrorist Shamil Basayev Killed by Russian FSB
Shamil Basayev in Dagestan, in 1999. Click image to view. Chechen terrorist leader and al Qaeda commander Shamil Basayev (AKA Abdallah Shamil Abu-Idris) has been killed by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), according to the chief of the security. Basayev was killed in an explosion during a raid in the Federal Republic of Ingushetia, which neighbors Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated Basayev “deserved retribution” for his multitude of terror attacks in the Russian Federation. “Basayev’s body has been identified through some of the fragments, including his head,” Ingush Deputy Prime Minister Bashir Aushev told the Interfax news service. Up…
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Iraqi Police take another shot at Sadr’s militia
Map of Baghdad, click to view. Image courtesy of Global Security The Shiite militia of Moqtada al-Sadr appear in the cross hairs of the Iraqi government for the second time in three days. Following up on Friday’s raid on Sadr’s allies in the Sadr City section of Baghdad, Iraqi Security Forces conducted an operation against the Sadrain mosque in Zafaraniya district in southeastern Baghdad. Twenty suspects were arrested and six AK-47 assault rifles were seized.
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Iraqi, U.S. Forces strike at Sadr’s Militia
Map of Baghdad, click to view. Image courtesy of Global Security The new Iraqi government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has taken a step to fulfill the pledge to dismantle the militias, including Shiite run militias within his own governing coalition United Iraqi Alliance. An “Iraqi-planned, Iraqi-led and Iraqi-executed operation,” supported by U.S. forces in an “overwatch role” made a foray in Sadr City in northeastern Baghdad (Tharwa on the map.) Nine of Moqtada al-Sadr’s militiamen in his Madhi Army were killed, and thirty-one were wounded, according to the Iraqi Interior Ministry.
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The Kabul Bombings: Taliban or AGE?
Aftermath of a bombing in Kabul on July 5, 2006. Images courtesy of Walt Gaffney. Click photo to view gallery. The string of four bombings over two days in Kabul, Afghanistan, have raised the tension level in the city and stoked media speculation of a Taliban resurgence in the capital. On July 4, two roadside bombs were detonated; one in front of the Ministry of Justice, another several hundred meters from President Hamid Karzai’s palace. Eleven were wounded in the attacks. On July 5, two more bombs were detonated, one near the “Pigeon Mosque,” about 500 meters west of the…
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al Qaeda releases tape commemorating the 7/7 London bombings
As-Sahab banner announcing upcoming al Qaeda tape commemorating the 7/7 London bombings. Banner courtesy of Rita Katz of the SITE Institute. Last evening, ABC News’ Brian Ross reported, via the Blotter, that al Qaeda would soon be releasing a tape commemorating the one year anniversary of the 7/7 London bombings. Al Jazeera is currently airing the tape.
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al Qaeda in Somalia
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Sheik Yusuf Indohaadde during a news briefing, Saturday, June 17, 2006. AP photograph, click to view. Just days after Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, the chairman of Somalia’s Islamic Courts Union attempted to distance his movement from Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, a senior member of the ICU has appearaed on a video with foreign Arab fighters engaging in combat with Somali clans of the
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ICU attempts to distance itself from bin Laden; Ethiopia Army pushes into central Somalia
Osama bin Laden’s endorsement of the Somali al Qaeda affiliate Islamic Courts Union has caused some consternation within the organization. Osama bin Laden referred to the Islamic Courts as “our kinfolk and brother mujahidin,” and implored them to “Seek God’s help and prepare the necessary means, especially tank mines and anti-armor RPG’s. Be patient like your brothers in Iraq and Afghanistan in this world crusade against our Islamic nation. You have seen several years ago the defeat of the United States and its allies on your land.”
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Somalia’s Terror Camps
16 of 17 known locations of terror training camps. Map is from 2002. Click map to view. As the situation in Somalia deteriorates and the al Qaeda backed Islamic Courts Union (or al-Ittihad Mahakem al-Islamiya) consolidates power in the capital city of Mogadishu, the Ethiopian military has crossed the border into Somalia. Approximately 200-300 Ethiopian troops, about two companies including two armored platoons, have pushed upwards to 100 miles into Somali territory. It is unclear if their goal is to secure the lawless border, make a land grab or engage the militias of the Islamic Courts. The Ethiopian government denies…
