The US presence in the Middle East is intensifying, the United States has deployed a group of A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft from the 124th Wing of the US National Guard.
The transfer was made in the context of a large-scale operation against the Yemeni Houthis, notes the magazine Air & Space Forces. The number of aircraft departing from Idaho over the weekend was not reported. It is only indicated that a squadron of the air regiment is involved, which will remain in the region for six months.
And again the aircraft carrier CVN70 Carl Vinson and several other ships of Carrier Strike Group 1 (CSG-1) were seen in satellite imagery transiting west through the Sulu Sea in the Philippines en route to the Middle East. CSG-1 is composed of the guided-missile cruiser CG59 Princeton and the destroyers DDG104 Sterett and DDG110 William P. Lawrence.
The news is confirmed by the Pentagon which in a note said: “We are moving additional squadrons and air units to the Middle East, extending the deployment of the CVN 75 Harry S. Truman carrier strike group and deploying the CVN 70 Carl Vinson carrier strike group to the region”.
According to rumors from overseas, it seems that the Americans have taken the Iranian threats seriously, there are videos showing the movements of US Air Force aircraft, mainly military transports, between Europe and the Persian Gulf in the last week. The aircraft used mainly are C-17, C-130 and C-5M, used for the transport of goods and personnel.
Confirming the massive US deployment is Haaretz: “On the analysis of air navigation data: The US reinforcements in the region are the largest since October 2023. The US military has transported equipment to the Gulf countries with 140 heavy cargo planes. The US military has deployed a squadron of A10 fighters in Jordan, a squadron of F35 fighters in Saudi Arabia and six B2 bombers in the Indian Ocean. The US has placed between a quarter and a third of its bombers in areas near Iran and Yemen.”
The UN Under-Secretary-General for Security and Safety: “Since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza, 288 of our personnel have been killed, including 11 since the ceasefire collapsed.”
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned the ascent of Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to the Temple Mount: “This represents a dangerous escalation, an unacceptable provocation and an attack on the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the historical and legal status quo of the site. It is a flagrant violation of international law and Israel’s obligations.”
The Press Office of the Resistance Committees in Palestine joined in the voice: “The assault on the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Ben Gvir is an extension of the Zionist aggression and war of extermination committed by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people for more than 18 months to complete the conspiracy of spatial and temporal division, Judaization, expulsion of Jordanian endowments and their replacement with the alleged criminals of the Temple.”
The Israeli military expelled worshippers from the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque as Ben Gvir arrived at the mosque.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz explicitly said what was previously implicit: “Expanding the operation will increase the pressure on Hamas and the residents of Gaza to achieve our goal.” Pressure on Hamas with the goal of “prisoners.” Specifically, the goal is “displacement.” We are putting pressure on the population to achieve the goal (displacement)”. “Israel”, with American guidance and support, is implementing the project of displacement, and the attack on Egypt in the recent period is aimed at making it accept American conditions in this regard.
Israel complains about the sending of the Turkish army and air defense systems to Syria but the IDF military remains on Syrian territory. Israeli army officials say that the IDF intends to expand its ground operations in the near future; occupy 25% of Gaza for weeks to exert “maximum pressure” on Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages. Although everyone knows that in this way the prisoners will all be executed.
And now a look at the military scenarios. Tomahawk missiles are launched against Houthi military and infrastructure targets in western Yemen from the destroyer DDG 68 The Sullivans, located in the Red Sea. The death toll from US airstrikes is now around 250. In response, the Houthis say they fired on the aircraft carrier Truman in the Red Sea. On April 2, the UK Maritime Trade Centre received reports of ships experiencing GPS interference in the Red Sea.
The Turkish military has begun measures to take control of the T4 base in the Palmyra area of Syria. According to Syrian sources, this Turkish step is aimed at strengthening the fight against ISIS and deterring Israeli attacks on Syria. The S-400 and Hisar-O+ air defense system batteries will be deployed at the bases along with the Akinci and Aksungur long-range attack drones, senior Turkish military officials said, as Turkey plans to step up its attacks against ISIS and deter further Israeli attacks on Syria. At the political level, Israel has scrapped the idea of bringing Druze workers from Syria to the Golan Heights. The Israeli military is conducting an investigation into whether Rabbi Shlomo Aviner and his assistant actually entered Syrian territory on Monday without obtaining the necessary permission. Israeli planes flying over the airspace of the southern governorate of Daraa.
The Lebanese Army said: “Hostile forces fired into the air near our personnel to force them to retreat. Our personnel continued their work, strengthened their deployment and reopened the road to one of the hills of Odaisseh, in southern Lebanon.
In the evening of April 1, Israeli attacks targeted several border areas: Machine gun bursts targeted the southern outskirts of Aitaroun town; Machine gun bursts from the vicinity of Birkat al-Naqqar towards the outskirts of Sheba town; Two artillery shells targeted the “Jneam” area east of Sheba town. Mopping-up operations with machine gun fire, with the sounds of Israeli tanks moving, heard in Jabal al-Bat on the outskirts of Aitaroun town.
During the night of April 2, Israeli vehicles stationed in the “Labouneh” area advanced inside Lebanese territory towards Ras al-Naqoura and worked to build an earthen berm, cutting off the road connecting the two opposite sides to the “Jal al-Alam” position.
Israeli warplanes flew over the villages of the Bekaa, while a Hermes reconnaissance drone flew over the villages west of Baalbek. The Lebanese Army reported on the afternoon of April 2 that an army unit closed two illegal crossings in the areas of the Dora-Hermel and Al-Qaa projects. Finally, a large-scale operation with medium machine guns by the Israeli garrison started from the Assi position towards Mays al-Jabal.
The number of dead and dozens wounded due to Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 60. According to the authorities, no Israeli ground action is planned at this time. The UNRWA clinic in the Jabalia camp, in the north of the Gaza Strip, was hit. The raid, which left 10 people dead and wounded among the displaced who had previously taken refuge there.
Israeli aircraft bombed Palestinian police officers in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip. Three people killed and wounded in an Israeli attack in Bureij camp, in the central Gaza Strip.
Gaza reports intense Israeli attacks in Rafah, At least 41 Palestinians have been killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 1,042 since March 18 and over 50,000 since October 7. Most of the victims are displaced people, including over 100 children per day (UNICEF). Israel has ordered residents to evacuate the Al-Nasr and Al-Shouka areas of Rafah. Similar warnings have been issued in Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia.
The Jewish Broadcasting Society reported that the Israeli army imposes a siege on Tel al-Sultan in Rafah. A large number of people were injured following the attack in the Abu Nusair neighborhood on Abu Hamid Street in Bani Suhaila, east of the city of Khan Yunis.
According to Channel 12, the Israeli aim of the ground operation in Rafah is to exert maximum pressure on Hamas to repatriate detainees.
An Israeli army armored vehicle, “Eitan”, was targeted with an explosive device, near the entrance to the town of Silat al-Harithiya, west of Jenin. Four people were injured by Israeli shells during heavy clashes at the entrance to the town of Silat al-Harithiya, west of Jenin
Israeli forces have gas bombs near the government hospital in Jenin, in the West Bank. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the incursions of Israeli ministers Katz and Smotrich into the West Bank, calling them a defiance of international norms. IDF forces storm the town of Kafr Qalil, east of Nablus, and they hand out demolition orders.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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