On October 9th 2023 a senior Hamas official announced it had ‘achieved all of its targets’ in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, and was open to negotiations to end the conflict. Yet the conflict continues. In this 2nd part of our examination of Al-Aqsa Flood, we will look at the causes for the current operations (there have been many, and on both sides) and what this will mean for Israel going forward. Continue reading “The Great Gaza Jailbreak of 2023”
The 2020 Beirut port explosion
At 15:08:18 UTC a massive blast rocked the city of Beirut, originating in the port. As of this writing 157 people were killed in the blast and over 6000 were injured, most from the blast wave and flying glass. It has also left upwards of 300,000 people homeless. The cause of the blast has been the subject of some wild speculation on the net, with fingers automatically pointed at Israel. The blast comes at the worst possible time for Lebanon, whose economy is cratering, which has been rocked by protests and is rife with corruption. Speculation is also that this event could spell the end of Lebanon as a state. To be certain, the blast and the crisis will be played to the maximum effect by all parties. The big question, especially if it was sabotage or an attack, is cui bono? We will look at that here, along with the causes of the blast and where it may be likely to lead Lebanon into the future. Continue reading “The 2020 Beirut port explosion”