Anti-Israel attacks to mount in sync with Syrian war, looming strike on Iran

The tactics Iran, Syria and Hizballah have set out for escalating their terrorist attacks on Israel differentiate between “local” and high-value “strategic” targets. They have now decided to up the assaults on the latter to keep pace with the worsening war situation in Syria and the approach of an attack on Iran’s nuclear program. This is reported by debkafile’s intelligence and counter-terror sources.

Iranian terror planners classify the blowing up of the Bulgarian bus Wednesday, July 18 as “local” notwithstanding its “success” in killing at least seven Israelis and wounding more than thirty.

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Israelis have learned in the three years of Netanyahu’s tenure as prime minister that expressions like “strong,” “forceful,” “determined” “we cannot tolerate” etc. mean just the opposite. Israel’s enemies also understand him to mean that he will sit tight and do nothing.

However, an escalation of attacks on Israeli “strategic targets” predicted by intelligence experts in the coming days may make this do-nothing policy untenable. After all, talking to Obama won’t deflect Iran, Syria and Hizballah from their resolve to vent their urge for revenge on Israel.

Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah has often managed to stay a step or two ahead of US and Israeli thinking – especially in his propaganda campaigns – ever since he surprised Israel by launching the Second Lebanon War in the summer of 2006.

A few hours after the attacks in Bulgaria and Damascus, Nasrallah had found his tongue and was crowing:

“We know what your [Israel’s] first strike will be and we promise you a big surprise.”

His words were a warning to Israel and a message to Washington that anyone trying to reach the bunker in which he has been hiding since 2006 was in for a big surprise.

Israel was painfully reminded of the Iranian C-802 shore-to-ship missile fired from the Lebanese coast which surprised and crippled the unready INS Hanit missile ship exactly six years ago.

Full article: Anti-Israel attacks to mount in sync with Syrian war, looming strike on Iran (DEBKAfile)

NYPD says Iran has conducted surveillance in NYC

Authorities have interviewed at least 13 people since 2005 with ties to Iran’s government who were seen taking pictures of New York City landmarks, a senior New York Police Department official said Wednesday.

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U.S. officials long have worried that Iran would use Hezbollah to carry out attacks inside the United States. And Iran was previously accused in a disrupted plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. here last year, a plan interpreted in the U.S. intelligence community as a clear message that Iran is not afraid to carry out an attack inside this country.

In January, James Clapper, the top U.S. intelligence official, said some Iranian officials are probably “more willing to conduct an attack in the United States in response to real or perceived U.S. actions that threaten the regime.”

Full article: NYPD says Iran has conducted surveillance in NYC (AP)

Iron Dome Foils 90 Percent of Missiles

Despite cost and lack of deployed units being the dominant issues, the Iron Dome proves it’s not only functional but effective during a real event.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stated Saturday night, “We will continue to improve home front defense including by means of additional Iron Dome systems, the effectiveness of which was shown again over the weekend.”

The Iron Dome system intercepted about 90 percent of the rockets fired at Be’er Sheva, Ashdod and Ashkelon, including three on Sunday morning.

Full article: Iron Dome Foils 90 Percent of Missiles (Arutz Sheva)

U.S. stops fighting, starts coordinating with Israeli plans for Iran strike

The coming war with Iran is inevitable. It’s been quite clear for some time now that Iran will not give up its nuclear ambitions and Israel will not sit idly while its existence is repeatedly threatened. The main question is, who will strike first and what will be the effect of war. Will it be Israel using a preemptive strike or Iran inducing the return of the 12th imam? Will the US assist Israel should it choose to strike first or will it only help should Israel get hit first? Will support be logistical or militarily? Either way, Iran is bent on destroying Israel and the US, and we could be seeing deadly terrorist attacks at home as they possess the capability and have sleeper cells within the country waiting for orders.

Furthermore, what will the role of Russia and China be? Will they sit idly or will they make good on their threats to protect both of their proxies at all costs, even WW3? In addition, being that Syria has a mutual defense pact with Iran, you can expect them to enter the fray — as well as their respective terrorist proxies such as Hezbollah. You can also expect strikes on countries such as Lebanon, Jordan or even on the Gaza strip as terrorist proxies are planted in each of those areas against Israel.

As you can see, an eventual war will open up a can of worms. One can be certain Israel likely won’t make a move until all aspects are covered and it’s fully prepared to withstand an assault on at least four fronts, its cost of war remains low, it’s shielded against retaliation and can complete its objective: The dismantling of Iran’s means of waging a nuclear war — at least for some time.

Western diplomatic sources said the administration of President Barack Obama has agreed to end open opposition to an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

They said the administration, which already reviewed military options against Iran, has instead focused on military and intelligence coordination with Israel as well as reducing dangers of a global oil crisis.

“Israel has to make its own decisions,” Anthony Blinken, a White House security official, said. “We are not in the business of telling our allies and partners what to do when it comes to their own national security.”

The diplomats said the administration’s new policy continued to caution publicly against any attack on Iran. But in private meetings, they said, U.S. officials and diplomats were discussing war scenarios on the assumption that Israel was prepared to destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure by the end of the year, Middle East Newsline reported.

Full article: U.S. stops fighting, starts coordinating with Israeli plans for Iran strike (World Tribune)

Iran Prepared To Launch Terrorist Attacks Inside US – Intel Chief

Iran is prepared to launch terrorist attacks inside the United States in response to perceived threats from America and its allies, U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said on Tuesday in testimony before the Senate Select Intelligence Committee.

An alleged Iranian conspiracy to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington, which was revealed last year, “shows that some Iranian officials — probably including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — have changed their calculus and are now more willing to conduct an attack in the United States in response to real or perceived U.S. actions that threaten the regime,” Clapper said in testimony submitted to the committee, which was holding a hearing on “World Wide Threats.”

“We are also concerned about Iranian plotting against U.S. or allied interests overseas,” Clapper said.

Also, Iran appears to be “keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons,” Clapper said, while noting that “we do not know” what the leaders inside the Islamic Republic will decide.

Continue reading article: Iran Prepared To Launch Terrorist Attacks Inside US – Intel Chief (Eurasia Review)