“Israeli leaders originally discussed bombarding several military targets across Iran last week, including near Tehran, the Iranian capital, in retaliation for the Iranian strike on April 13,” say three senior Israeli sources. nytimes.com/2024/04/22/wor…

Russia goes to who knows what lengths to protect its secrets and the foreign minister is walking around wearing a smartwatch

I wonder if European militaries could solve or mitigate recruiting problems with a citizenship-for-service offer in countries that traditionally send a lot of migrants. This model would probably assimilate more effectively, too.

#BREAKING 5 rockets fired from Mosul in Iraq at an American base in Syria: security sources told Reuters

Spartz is an American, elected by Americans, to represent Americans in Congress.

The idea that she should maintain loyalty to her former country as an U.S. elected official - advanced below by a staffer of a conservative institution - is absurd and fundamentally anti-American.

'Two Iranian officials said the strike hit a Russian-made S-300 air defense system. They told the newspaper that #Iran had not detected intrusions into its airspace from drones, missiles or aircraft.' #Israel timesofisrael.com/israel-used-ra… via @timesofisrael

Highlights from Khamenei's meeting with military commanders:

“The focus on number of missiles fired or those that hit the target… is a secondary and minor issue. The main issue is the emergence of the power and will of the Iranian nation & its armed forces on global stage.”/1

Single source but interesting claim that the Iranians are suspicious the Syrians have been enabling Israel’s assassinations there. Bergman reported similar fears after they killed the elder Mughniyeh. jpost.com/middle-east/bl…

Mystery Weapon Appears In Iraqi Field After Israeli Strike

Based on the limited imagery available, the weapon is not an outright exact match to any known missile, but there is one likely possibility.

Story: twz.com/air/mystery-we…

.Emma Tsurkov to محمد شياع السوداني during an event held by Atlantic Council. She’s demanding the Iraqi government to help secure the release of her sister Elizabeth Tsurkov🌻 who has been kidnapped in Iraq by Kataib Hezbollah

US troops in Niger say they’re “stranded” and can’t get mail, medicine
theintercept.com/2024/04/18/nig… by the great Nick Turse

5 members of the ruling military junta in Niger received U.S. military training along with most of the lower-level troops who executed the coup that installed the current government.

U.S. CT policy in the Sahel has been a disaster.

Iran’s embassy in Russia hosted military and political attaches from more than 80 countries to celebrate Iranian Army Day. Iran’s military attaché also provided a presentation on the weapons used in Iran’s attack against Israel.

Durante la noche, Israel llevó a cabo un ataque contenido alrededor de la ciudad iraní de Isfahán y en el sur de Siria.

¿Y ahora?

John Allen Gay propone 10 claves para determinar la geografía, los medios y las armas de un ataque mucho más profundo. legrandcontinent.eu/es/2024/04/19/…

Israël a contre-attaqué dans la nuit. Quels sont les prochains scénarios d'escalade ? Lecture vivement recommandée de l'entretien conduit par Pierre Ramond avec John Allen Gay sur les formes possibles d'une future riposte👇

legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2024/04/19/…

This makes me think it’s not a full scale strike on the nuclear sites, at least not yet. Unless some of their systems like Rampage and Sparrow have somehow been modified to take out buried targets in a way comparable to big bunker busters dropped from above.

The Iranians have repeatedly signaled a new Israeli strike would be met with a large and immediate response.

Reminder re Israel’s options for hitting Iran’s nuclear sites.

Preview:

Congress isn't passing Ukraine aid - is that dysfunction or a closer following of the tradition of the Founding Fathers?

We spoke today with Reid Tillman Smith of Stand Together about his work on advancing a foreign policy of realism and restraint. Episode out soon!

180 days behind bars in Russia.. guilty of nothing. Alsu Kurmasheva is: A strong American woman; A loving wife of a good man; the Mom of two great children; a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist. Russia has the power to end Alsu’s unjust, unfair and wrongful detention. It’s time to #FreeAlsu .