THE COLONEL

 

THE COLONEL

 

I really wanted to write about the demise of Colonel Hassan Sayad Khodayari.

He was one of the commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force. Over the past decade, Khodayari was involved in planning attacks against Israeli targets in Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

The Guardian quoting an AP report from Tehran said, “Two unidentified gunmen on a motorbike shot Col Hassan Sayad Khodayari five times in his unarmoured Iranian-made vehicle.” The attack took place in a high-security area close to Iran’s parliament.”  The assassination bore the hallmarks of previous deadly shooting attacks Iran blamed on Israel, such as those targeting the country's nuclear scientists, though no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Times (London) said the latest assassination illustrates Iran’s hollow threats, and the regime has so far shown it has few ways to directly respond. Reports of Israel’s penetration have also grown, giving Israel more of a spotlight than in the past. That can humiliate Tehran – which can cause it to be more chaotic and risky in its response.

The Tehran Times said in a press release eulogising Colonel Sayad Khodaei -

 “The necessary action to identify and arrest the assailant or assailants is anticipated and underway.” Don’t bank on it. Known Iranian regime dissidents will probably be hanged for the assassination regardless of whether they were actually involved in it,

The Israel government press office GPO neither denied nor confirmed allegations that Israel was responsible for Colonel Khodaei’s death   

 

At this juncture let’s return to where I left off a few days ago concerning the shooting of Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh. I quoted Israeli ambassador to the U.S Mike Herzog’s claim. “That IDF troops would never intentionally target members of the press.” Notwithstanding that, an investigation by CNN offered what it termed “new evidence” — including two videos of the scene of the shooting — claiming that there was no active combat, nor any Palestinian militants, near Abu Akleh in the moments leading up to her death. Videos obtained by CNN, corroborated by testimony from eight eyewitnesses, an audio forensic analyst as well as an explosive weapons expert, suggest that Abu Akleh was shot dead in a targeted attack by Israeli forces.

Footnote: The eight eyewitnesses are all local residents. The other unnamed “experts” state their findings unequivocally without supporting forensic evidence,

Nonetheless, a statement issued after an initial autopsy conducted by Ryan al-Ali of the Pathological Institute at the a-Najah University in Nablus said that they could not determine who had shot Ms. Abu Akleh.

Speaking at the Israel Bar Association’s annual conference in Eilat on Monday, The IDF’s Military Advocate-General, Brig.-Gen. Yifat Tomer -Yerushalmi said that the IDF is “making every effort” to investigate the circumstances that led to Ms. Abu-Akleh’s death in order to understand how she was killed.

But, the Palestinians' refusal to allow Israel access to the bullet ‘leaves doubt’ as to the circumstances of her death,” she said.

“The fog of war does not relieve us of the duty to strive for the truth and act to clarify any doubt,” Tomer-Yerushalmi concluded.

The fog of war is often described as the uncertainty in situational awareness experienced by participants in military operations. The term seeks to capture the uncertainty regarding one's own capability, adversary capability, and adversary intent during an engagement, operation, or campaign.

Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi is the second woman to hold the rank of major general in Israel's history.

Back to the main text: 

If you recall Rep. Ilhan Omar complained that the US provides Israel with $3.8 billion in military aid annually with no restrictions. The other members of the “Squad” joined her in demanding accountability for these payments.

Israel is seen by the US as a crucial ally in the Middle East - with shared goals and a mutual commitment to democratic values.

The US Congressional Research Service says: "US foreign aid has been a major component in cementing and reinforcing these ties.

The US government's foreign assistance agency says: "US assistance helps ensure that Israel maintains its Qualitative Military Edge (QME) over potential regional threats."

U.S. military aid to Israel is money well spent. The F-35 multi-role fighter planes supplied to Israel have clocked more combat hours than any other Lockheed-Martin customer. The accrued battle experience, performance, and general know-how are shared with Israel’s benefactor.

Furthermore, components of Israel’s military industries such as the Iron Dome interceptors are manufactured by sub-contractors in the U.S.

Israel also bought eight KC-46A Boeing 'Pegasus' aircraft for an estimated $2.4bn. The KC-46A aircraft were purchased in the framework of the U.S. military aid agreement. They are capable of refuelling planes such as the F-35 in mid-air.

Need I say more?

Egypt is also a major recipient of U.S. foreign aid. coming in third place after Israel and Jordan

Egypt and Jordan benefit from the foreign aid programme which helps to ensure economic and political stability in both countries.

  

The IDF is currently conducting the largest military drill in its history The exercise simulates strikes on targets far from Israel’s borders with a large number of planes while simultaneously acquiring new targets on various fronts.

The drill is unique and unprecedented in scope and will enable the IDF to maintain a high level of readiness in an ever-changing region. It also aims to improve the military’s capabilities in an intense, multifront, and prolonged war on all its borders.

The IDF is planning several military options against Iran should the nuclear talks between the West and the Islamic Republic fail, and it will practice one of the possible options during the exercise.

 

Another margin note: Israel was ranked the 10th-largest international weapons exporter in the past five years by an independent global security think tank.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s latest report, measuring weapons trade from 2017 to 2021, said arms trade to Europe surged, the Gulf states were leading importers and Israel remains a major player.

Back to the main text:

Iran presents the greatest existential threat to Israel’s security.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied Israeli media reports claiming U.S. Air Force refuelling planes participated in an Israeli military exercise simulating a strike on Iran.

According to a report by The War Zone online magazine dated May 18, CENTCOM spokesman Col. Joe Buccino said a U.S. Air Force refuelling tanker had conducted a “dry refuelling mission” with American and Israeli jets, but that it was “not tied to” Israel’s ongoing “Chariots of Fire” exercise, which began earlier this month. 

According to Buccino, the fuel tankers simulated refuelling two U.S. F-15s and four Israeli F-16s, but the timing of the refuelling exercise was coincidental.

“There is no direct U.S. military involvement in that exercise,” Buccino said, referring to “Chariots of Fire.”

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Rob Lodewick also denied that the Department of Defense was “directly participating” in the exercise, 

“Some personnel from across U.S. Central Command are observing portions of the exercise,” Lodewick added.

On May 17, Channel 13 reported that as part of the month-long “Chariots of Fire” drill, Israeli fighter jets would simulate a strike on Iran together with U.S. mid-air refuelling planes.

On May 18, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi led an honour guard at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv to receive the new commander of CENTCOM, Maj. Gen. Michael Kurilla, on his first official visit to Israel.

On May 19, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who was on an official state visit to Washington.

According to the Pentagon’s readout of the meeting, Austin “reiterated the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and to maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge.”

The two also discussed ways to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and addressed Iran’s destabilising actions throughout the region.

What more can I say.

 

Have a good weekend.

 

Beni,                                                   26^th of May, 2022.