southfront--2020-08-28--U.S. Navy Sailor Being Questioned For Allegedly Setting the USS BonHomme Richard On Fire: Reports

A US Navy sailor is being questioned by investigators after being suspected of starting the massive fire on the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego in July , according to unnamed defense sources cited by ABC News .
The fire that took several days to put almost entirely destroyed the ship .
Repairs allegedly began on it , but debates are still on-going if it isn ’ t more reasonable to simply scrap it .
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service ( NCIS ) has identified the sailor , serving aboard the ship , as the potential suspect that may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official .
The investigation is still ongoing and no charges have yet been pressed , another official said .
The fire began on the morning of July 12th , in a storage area above where Marine Corps vehicles are usually stored on the large amphibious assault ship .
The fire quickly spread to the ship ’ s hangar deck , where it spread throughout most of the ship ’ s upper decks and kept going for 5 days , while attempts to quench the fire were on-going .
The Navy is carrying out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the extensive damage that it caused .
Following a tour of the damage in July , the Navy ’ s top admiral questioned whether it made sense to repair the ship that has been in service since the late 1990s .
“ I am 100 % confident that our defense industry can put this ship back to sea , ” said Admiral Mike Gilday , the chief of naval operations .
“ But , having said that , the question is : Should we make that investment in a 22-year-old ship ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ make any predictions until we take a look at all the facts and we follow the facts and we can make reasonable recommendations up the chain of command on the future steps , any repair efforts , future repair efforts of Bonhomme Richard.
” The Bonhomme Richard is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship , 844 feet in length and resembling a small aircraft carrier .
It is used to transport a Marine detachment , its equipment and aircraft .
The Bonhomme Richard was one of the first vessels being retrofitted to carry the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back plans to deploy the new stealth fighter jet on amphibious assault ships .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • US Navy Begins Repair Work On USS BonHomme Richard After Fire : Photographs

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A US Navy sailor is being questioned by investigators after being suspected of starting the massive fire on the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego in July, according to unnamed defense sources cited by ABC News.
The fire that took several days to put almost entirely destroyed the ship. Repairs allegedly began on it, but debates are still on-going if it isn’t more reasonable to simply scrap it.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) has identified the sailor, serving aboard the ship, as the potential suspect that may have started the blaze, according to one official.
The investigation is still ongoing and no charges have yet been pressed, another official said.
“The Navy will not comment on an ongoing investigation to protect the integrity of the investigative process and all those involved,” said Lt. Timothy Pietrack, a U.S. Navy spokesman. “We have nothing to announce at this time.”
The fire began on the morning of July 12th, in a storage area above where Marine Corps vehicles are usually stored on the large amphibious assault ship.
The fire quickly spread to the ship’s hangar deck, where it spread throughout most of the ship’s upper decks and kept going for 5 days, while attempts to quench the fire were on-going.
The Navy is carrying out four investigations into how the fire started and the extensive damage that it caused.
Following a tour of the damage in July, the Navy’s top admiral questioned whether it made sense to repair the ship that has been in service since the late 1990s.
“I am 100% confident that our defense industry can put this ship back to sea,” said Admiral Mike Gilday, the chief of naval operations. “But, having said that, the question is: Should we make that investment in a 22-year-old ship? And I’m not going to make any predictions until we take a look at all the facts and we follow the facts and we can make reasonable recommendations up the chain of command on the future steps, any repair efforts, future repair efforts of Bonhomme Richard.”
The Bonhomme Richard is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, 844 feet in length and resembling a small aircraft carrier. It is used to transport a Marine detachment, its equipment and aircraft. The Bonhomme Richard was one of the first vessels being retrofitted to carry the new F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, setting back plans to deploy the new stealth fighter jet on amphibious assault ships.
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southfront--2020-08-28--Russia’s Kronstadt Group Unveils Three Brand New UAVs At Army-2020 Forum

During the Army-2020 forum , unmanned aerial systems developer Kronstadt Group revealed its three brand-new UAVs to be used by the Russian Armed Forces , and likely sold abroad .
These include the Helios , Grom and Sirius .
The Grom , which made its debut at ARMY-2020 , is designed to provide support for the Sukhoi Su-35 and Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets , Nikolai Dolzhnekov , general designer at Kronstadt Group said .
The UAV weighs about 7 tonnes , and has a 500 kg payload , with its main mission being to help keep pilots and their aircraft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of enemy air defenses , and in carrying out other combat operations .
It should be noted that , according to a press release from the Kronstadt Group itself , the purpose of the Grom UAV is to strike ground targets : “ This is an unmanned attack aircraft that can use airborne weapons in an intense military collision .
Speed and stealth technology allow him to overcome air defenses and strike at ground and surface fortified and armored targets .
The Thunder drone is used as a “ slave ” in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups .
This will save the lives of the pilots while crossing the air defense zone .
This UAV can be armed with air-to-surface missiles and guided aerial bombs with caliber from 100 to 500 kg .
” “ Even today , the Defense Ministry understands that drones of this type should enter into service with the Aerospace Forces en masse , ” Dolzhnekov said .
According to the press release of the Kronshtadt Group , the Sirius UAV is the next stage in the development of the Orion UAV project with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the help of the satellite communication system currently being developed , the Sirius ’ range of application will be limited only by the fuel supply on board and will be at least 1000 km from the base .
The aircraft has several points of suspension for airborne weapons ( AAS ) and is capable of carrying up to 300 kg of payload.
” Regarding the UAV “ Helios ” , the press release says that the “ Helios-RLD ” apparatus is being revealed at the “ Army-2020 ” forum .
This drone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a wingspan of 30 meters is intended for long-term loitering ( up to 30 hours or more days ) at altitudes above 10,000 m. These characteristics , combined with a carrying capacity of 1 ton , will allow performing radar surveillance and surveillance missions .
For this , the UAV is equipped with an airborne radar located at the bottom of the fuselage .
Several such drones are capable of forming a continuous radar field in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation .
In addition , the Helios can also carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ON THE TOPIC :

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During the Army-2020 forum, unmanned aerial systems developer Kronstadt Group revealed its three brand-new UAVs to be used by the Russian Armed Forces, and likely sold abroad.
These include the Helios, Grom and Sirius.
The Grom, which made its debut at ARMY-2020, is designed to provide support for the Sukhoi Su-35 and Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets, Nikolai Dolzhnekov, general designer at Kronstadt Group said.
The UAV weighs about 7 tonnes, and has a 500 kg payload, with its main mission being to help keep pilots and their aircraft safe by providing support in the destruction of enemy air defenses, and in carrying out other combat operations.
It should be noted that, according to a press release from the Kronstadt Group itself, the purpose of the Grom UAV is to strike ground targets:
“This is an unmanned attack aircraft that can use airborne weapons in an intense military collision. Speed and stealth technology allow him to overcome air defenses and strike at ground and surface fortified and armored targets. The Thunder drone is used as a “slave” in the forward echelon of mixed manned-unmanned strike aviation groups. This will save the lives of the pilots while crossing the air defense zone. This UAV can be armed with air-to-surface missiles and guided aerial bombs with caliber from 100 to 500 kg. ” “Even today, the Defense Ministry understands that drones of this type should enter into service with the Aerospace Forces en masse,” Dolzhnekov said.
According to the press release of the Kronshtadt Group, the Sirius UAV is the next stage in the development of the Orion UAV project with a take-off weight increased to 2 tons.
With the help of the satellite communication system currently being developed, the Sirius’ range of application will be limited only by the fuel supply on board and will be at least 1000 km from the base. The aircraft has several points of suspension for airborne weapons (AAS) and is capable of carrying up to 300 kg of payload.”
Regarding the UAV “Helios”, the press release says that the “Helios-RLD” apparatus is being revealed at the “Army-2020” forum.
This drone with a takeoff weight of 4 tons and a wingspan of 30 meters is intended for long-term loitering (up to 30 hours or more days) at altitudes above 10,000 m.
These characteristics, combined with a carrying capacity of 1 ton, will allow performing radar surveillance and surveillance missions.
For this, the UAV is equipped with an airborne radar located at the bottom of the fuselage. Several such drones are capable of forming a continuous radar field in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation.
In addition, the Helios can also carry out reconnaissance and air strikes.
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southfront--2020-08-28--Jordan, Iraq and Egypt Try To Get Arab Peace Initiative Back On The Geopolitical Agenda

Following a trilateral meeting between the political leaders of the three Arab countries , they released a joint statement emphasizing their commitment to the stalled Arab Peace Initiative , originally proposed in 2002 by Arab nations as the only possible peaceful solution to the Israel-Palestine-Arab conflict .
While it has been either passed over or met with a great degree of scepticism in most quarters , the move seeks to reaffirm the Arab Peace Initiative , originally adopted by the Arab League in 2002 , as the only viable solution to the conflict between Israel and its neighbours .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international negotiations , as many of its core terms and demands are steadfastly opposed by Israel , and the US and other major international powers never offered substantive support to the initiative .
To this can of course be added the inability of the members of the Arab League to join forces to emphasize that the rights of the Palestinians can not be ditched or bargained with in order to curry favour with Israel and the US .
The trilateral statement could be interpreted as a belated attempt to regain some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arab nations in influencing major developments in the region , and also as a reaction to the announcement of the peace deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel which , if followed by other countries in the region , would pave the way to implementation of the ‘ deal of the century ’ and the end of Palestinian rights .
At the conclusion of the trilateral meeting on Tuesday , held in the Jordanian capital Amman , Jordan , Iraq and Egypt declared their intention to strengthen economic co-operation , renewed their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ foreign meddling ’ in the region .
The three countries also agreed to boost ties in health , education , trade and food security , and to reinvigorate efforts to reach political solutions to conflicts in the Arab world and formalise their growing alliance .
The participants also discussed ways to increase co-operation in a wide range of areas including trade , investment , energy , electricity , infrastructure , transport and health care .
Official sources said Libya was a major topic of the meeting , along with Turkey ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ethiopia ’ s Grand Renaissance Dam and the water security and rights of Egypt and Sudan were also discussed .
The three states also committed to working together to develop food security and using their collective manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors to produce personal protective equipment and a future Covid-19 vaccine for regional distribution .
The summit was the third of its kind within a year and reflects a growing interest in developing security , diplomatic and economic cooperation between the three countries which between them hold a third of the Arab world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources say the countries hope to use the bloc and their alliances to reassert Arab diplomacy and an Arab voice in the region at a time when major developments are increasingly being dictated by outside actors .
As part of an effort to develop institutional arrangements to formalize and enhance cooperation and joint actions , the leaders established an executive secretariat with an annually rotating headquarters , starting this year at Jordan ’ s Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
LINK All previous attempts to reinvigorate cooperation between the Arab countries have floundered without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be on the three countries to overcome widespread scepticism and demonstrate that the Arab world hasn ’ t completely lost its ability to be a proactive and influential actor in world events .
In particular , the move to reactivate the Arab Peace Initiative faces even greater challenges today after the agreement concluded between Israel and the UAE .
A report by last week comments that , in the wake of the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates , there are rumours that several other states could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Noting that there are still considerable hurdles to normalizing relations with some states in the Middle East , the report argues that there are others who view the UAE decision as a trial balloon and will adjust their official postures based on how the next weeks and months play out between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi .
While many Arab rulers have maintained secret relations and collaboration with Israel for many years in varying degrees of substance and significance , the official normalization of relations with Israel absent a conclusive and comprehensive peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has remained a step too far for most Arab and Muslim countries up until now .
LINK1 , LINK2 , LINK3 , LINK4 The UAE-Israel agreement is part of a broader effort to change that .
The report by the Jerusalem post further speculates that ‘ 5 countries that could be next to make peace with Israel ’ .
The countries identified as most likely to follow the decision of the United Arab Emirates are Bahrain , Morocco , Oman , Qatar and Saudi Arabia .
While Saudi officials have expressed that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this hasn ’ t prevented the expansion of informal contacts and ties in many areas .
The report provides a review of the likelihood of normalized relations with other countries throughout the region .
Some of the key conclusions and speculations include the following .
Bahrain was long thought to be the first country in the Gulf that might normalize relations with Israel .
The small kingdom has often made relatively positive comments about Israel over the years and appeared open to the Trump administration ’ s ‘ Deal of the Century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspects of it .
Bahrain has welcomed the UAE deal with Israel , and initial reports indicated it was working on normalizing relations after the UAE .
Last December , media reports in the Gulf noted that Bahrain was reaching out to Israel .
In May , Bahrain shut down a symposium aimed at supporting a boycott of Israel .
Last year , Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa supported Israel ’ s right to defend itself against Iran ’ s threats .
“ Iran is the one who declared war on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kingdom made similar statements in 2018 .
However , the report duly notes that Bahrain faced strong protests in the 2011 Arab Spring and , as such , it appeared wiser for it to let the UAE be the first to move regarding relations with Israel .
Morocco is reported to be one of the states on the short list of opening relations with Israel in the near term .
There is a Jewish community in Morocco , and the country has made some gestures in recent years that show warming , people-to-people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morocco has been supportive of the Trump administration ’ s efforts on peace issues .
In February , there were even rumours at Axios about Israel and the US recognizing Morocco ’ s sovereignty over the West Sahara ( presumably as a quid pro quo for supporting the ‘ Deal of the Century ’ ) .
Israel-Morocco ties go back to the 1960s .
King Hassan II played a key role in these warming relations , including working with Egypt ’ s Anwar Sadat before his historic 1977 visit .
Peres visited Morocco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rabin and foreign minister Peres met Hassan II in 1993 .
The Intifada in 2000 harmed relations , and they have been slow to return .
Nevertheless , since 2003 , there have been positive gestures , including the visit by foreign minister Silvan Shalom that year .
In October 2018 , Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a trip to Oman and met with Sultan Qaboos bin Said .
Oman ’ s minister responsible for foreign affairs , Yusuf bin Alawi , made positive comments about accepting Israel in the region during subsequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Omanis made similar comments in Jordan at a conference , saying it was important to assure Israel that it was not being threatened .
While Jordan slammed the comments , Oman continued to push forward with relatively positive views on Israel .
Oman , like other Gulf states , had actually been open to discussions with Israel in the 1990s .
Prime minister Shimon Peres visited Oman in 1996 .
Much of this was changed by the Second Intifada , when Israel saw a reduction in trade offices in the Gulf .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Israeli trade office .
It was closed in October 2000 .
Nevertheless , in the wake of Netanyahu ’ s 2018 visit , there was increased talk of more ministerial visits across the Gulf .
Oman , however , also hosts visits by top Iranian delegations and attempts to be neutral in other Gulf disputes , such as with Iran and the Qatar dispute .
Saudi Arabia has appeared to be more open to Israel in recent years .
That has come about as a result of several processes .
The kingdom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranian-backed forces in Yemen .
Riyadh also opposes the Muslim Brotherhood and has broken relations with Qatar .
The Muslim Brotherhood is linked to the ruling party in Turkey and to Hamas .
Saudi Arabia has tried to clamp down on the kind of extremism that roiled the kingdom in the 1990s and in the last decade has appeared to share more interests with Israel .
However , Saudi Arabia has preferred to let other Gulf states that it works closely with go first in discussions with Israel .
This includes Oman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has sought close relations with the Trump administration and has also made relatively positive comments on issues relating to the peace process in Israel .
This is a shift from the old days , when the Palestinian issue was seen as front and centre of everything in the Middle East .
Riyadh was a leader of the Arab initiative to recognize Israel in the 2000s in exchange for Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank .
This was proposed in 2002 , and Riyadh has thus shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this context .
Saudi Arabia doesn ’ t want Turkey to take over the mantle of being the main supporter for the Palestinians and thus displace Saudi influence .
However , that is a main concern in places like Jordan , namely , that Turkey is pushing influence in Jerusalem .
To stop that , Riyadh would like to work with Jordan and the Gulf and see shared interests across the region .
Toward that end , Riyadh has also hosted Evangelical delegations , and Arab News , a media outlet , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ron Lauder .
This is part of regional outreach to Jewish voices in the US , as well as rabbis who visited the UAE and the Gulf , and a burgeoning Jewish community in the UAE .
Riyadh is the more conservative of the Gulf group , however , recalling sensitivity in the ’ 90s over issues of having non-Muslims in the Kingdom .
Today , Riyadh is pursuing Vision 2030 to modernize the country .
Recent reports have indicated that key members of the Trump administration , including Jared Kushner , think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An Israeli blogger reportedly received a friendly reception in Saudi Arabia in February , and Israelis can ostensibly travel to Riyadh , according to Israeli media reports .
Saudis have been more open on social media in support of relations with Israel .
Some media , perhaps seeking to sabotage these positive signs , have tried to claim Riyadh is in ‘ secret talks ’ with Israel .
Another report notes that the Saudi foreign minister has stated that no diplomatic relations will be established until there is a broader peace agreement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel had historically warm relations in the 1990s , and it was thought years ago to be the first in line for normalization .
This happened after the Gulf War in 1991 .
There has been an Israeli trade office there since 1996 .
Qatar , Israel and the US formed a kind of tripartite relationship in light of this .
Doha sought to play an increasing role throughout the Middle East .
As part of this wider role , it also wanted to play a role in peace discussions with Israel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ met Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani in New York .
Qatar tried to cultivate pro-Israel supporters after a crisis developed between it and Saudi Arabia and the UAE in 2017 .
Working through lobbyists , it invited a long list of pro-Israel voices to Doha .
It appeared that both Qatar and the UAE were working at the time to cultivate closer ties with the Trump administration , and Qatar thought that Jewish insiders were key to this .
Qatar also tried to play an increasing role in discussions with Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gaza and kept Hamas afloat , part of a long-running attempt to be the paymaster for the Muslim Brotherhood across the region and to prop up Gaza .
“ The young emir of Qatar , Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani , is key to Qatar ’ s relationships across the region .
The 40-year-old leader came to power in 2013 .
Qatar had helped fuel the Arab Spring and used Al Jazeera to fan protests across the region to gain influence .
However , it saw many of these protests fail and regimes defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Qatar has Turkish troops in Doha after the 2017 crisis with Riyadh .
That means it must rely on Turkey , which , except for Iran , is the most hostile regime in the region to Israel .
Qatar is also close to Tehran .
This means whatever feelers Qatar once had for peace , and even attempts to cultivate pro-Israel voices through junkets to Doha , are largely on ice .
Nevertheless , Qatar does have discussions with Israel about Gaza , where it plays a key role .
Some Israelis see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Former defense minister Avigdor Liberman revealed a trip by the head of the Mossad to Qatar in February 2020 .
In 2018 , Liberman met the Qatari foreign minister .
Qatar ’ s emir once made a historic trip to Gaza in 2012 .
That seems like a bygone era now .
However , it is possible that Doha , thinking it could solve the Gulf crisis and get something from the Trump administration , would talk about normalizing relations .
With Turkish troops in Qatar and Iran able to destabilize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not likely be seen as a wise move .
Instead , Qatar prefers to be more open to moderate stances , such as hosting Israeli athletes and making itself a centre of meetings and intrigue rather than a peace partner… ” The report concludes that Sudan may also be considering normalization of ties with Israel , and notes that “ Netanyahu met Sudan ’ s new leader in February ” ( one of the key generals at the centre of the military coup that eventually overthrew the government in 2018 , Abdel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a proliferation of such secret and semi-secret meetings , other reports note that the military leadership has stepped back from taking the fateful step of establishing diplomatic relations as such .
LINK1 , LINK2 With respect to other key countries in the region : The report concludes that social and political forces , as well as historical factors , in other countries throughout the region , such as Tunisia , Algeria , Iraq , Lebanon ( which “ could be a peace partner if not for Hezbollah .
Hezbollah has only gotten stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hostage to Iran ’ s threats to Israel ” ) , and Libya will prevent their political leadership from normalizing relations with Israel , at least for a considerable period , or until a comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians is concluded .
The agency Middle East Eye has also reviewed the attitudes of governments throughout the region to the Israel-UAE agreement , and reaches similar conclusions in most cases .
With respect to Saudi Arabia , the report notes : The Arab Peace Initiative promises Israel full ties with Arab States if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestinians .
The report points out that Saudi state media has so far published views in favour of the UAE decision , which likely points to Riyadh ’ s own tolerance to such opinions .
The daily Okaz newspaper , for example , published a column that hailed the normalisation deal as reminiscent of the fall of the Berlin wall .
While Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is largely viewed as favourable to normalisation , his father , King Salman , has so far maintained a more moderate view nominally more supportive of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the difficulties caused by the ongoing double-track approach adopted by the new leadership in Sudan : The report notes that Kuwait , Lebanon and Algeria in particular are very unlikely to negotiate a separate peace agreement in the absence of a broader peace deal that accommodates the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Evolution of US Israel relations during Trump presidency

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Following a trilateral meeting between the political leaders of the three Arab countries, they released a joint statement emphasizing their commitment to the stalled Arab Peace Initiative, originally proposed in 2002 by Arab nations as the only possible peaceful solution to the Israel-Palestine-Arab conflict.
While it has been either passed over or met with a great degree of scepticism in most quarters, the move seeks to reaffirm the Arab Peace Initiative, originally adopted by the Arab League in 2002, as the only viable solution to the conflict between Israel and its neighbours.
The Arab Peace Initiative never gained traction in international negotiations, as many of its core terms and demands are steadfastly opposed by Israel, and the US and other major international powers never offered substantive support to the initiative. To this can of course be added the inability of the members of the Arab League to join forces to emphasize that the rights of the Palestinians cannot be ditched or bargained with in order to curry favour with Israel and the US.
The trilateral statement could be interpreted as a belated attempt to regain some of the ground that has been lost by the Arab nations in influencing major developments in the region, and also as a reaction to the announcement of the peace deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel which, if followed by other countries in the region, would pave the way to implementation of the ‘deal of the century’ and the end of Palestinian rights.
At the conclusion of the trilateral meeting on Tuesday, held in the Jordanian capital Amman, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt declared their intention to strengthen economic co-operation, renewed their commitment to a Palestinian state and denounced ‘foreign meddling’ in the region.
The three countries also agreed to boost ties in health, education, trade and food security, and to reinvigorate efforts to reach political solutions to conflicts in the Arab world and formalise their growing alliance.
The participants also discussed ways to increase co-operation in a wide range of areas including trade, investment, energy, electricity, infrastructure, transport and health care.
Official sources said Libya was a major topic of the meeting, along with Turkey’s role in the country and in Syria. Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam and the water security and rights of Egypt and Sudan were also discussed.
The three states also committed to working together to develop food security and using their collective manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors to produce personal protective equipment and a future Covid-19 vaccine for regional distribution.
The final statement called for the Arab Peace Initiative for the Palestine-Israel conflict to be reactivated, and emphasized that the only lasting resolution would be in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and “in a manner that fulfils all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.” It also called to “stop Israeli steps to annex Palestinian lands and any measures to undermine prospects to achieve a just peace or seek to alter the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem”. Jordan, Egypt and Iraq also called for greater efforts to reach political solutions to crises in Syria, Libya and Yemen in accordance to UN Security Council resolutions, and “strengthening Arab national security and ending foreign meddling in internal Arab affairs”.
The summit was the third of its kind within a year and reflects a growing interest in developing security, diplomatic and economic cooperation between the three countries which between them hold a third of the Arab world’s population.
Egyptian and Jordanian sources say the countries hope to use the bloc and their alliances to reassert Arab diplomacy and an Arab voice in the region at a time when major developments are increasingly being dictated by outside actors. As part of an effort to develop institutional arrangements to formalize and enhance cooperation and joint actions, the leaders established an executive secretariat with an annually rotating headquarters, starting this year at Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. LINK
All previous attempts to reinvigorate cooperation between the Arab countries have floundered without making significant headway, and the onus will be on the three countries to overcome widespread scepticism and demonstrate that the Arab world hasn’t completely lost its ability to be a proactive and influential actor in world events.
In particular, the move to reactivate the Arab Peace Initiative faces even greater challenges today after the agreement concluded between Israel and the UAE. A report by the Jerusalem Post last week comments that, in the wake of the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, there are rumours that several other states could be next to sign an agreement with Israel.
Noting that there are still considerable hurdles to normalizing relations with some states in the Middle East, the report argues that there are others who view the UAE decision as a trial balloon and will adjust their official postures based on how the next weeks and months play out between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi.
While many Arab rulers have maintained secret relations and collaboration with Israel for many years in varying degrees of substance and significance, the official normalization of relations with Israel absent a conclusive and comprehensive peace agreement that is acceptable to the Palestinians has remained a step too far for most Arab and Muslim countries up until now. LINK1, LINK2, LINK3, LINK4
The UAE-Israel agreement is part of a broader effort to change that. The report by the Jerusalem post further speculates that ‘5 countries that could be next to make peace with Israel’. The countries identified as most likely to follow the decision of the United Arab Emirates are Bahrain, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. While Saudi officials have expressed that they remain committed to the Arab Peace Initiative, this hasn’t prevented the expansion of informal contacts and ties in many areas.
The report provides a review of the likelihood of normalized relations with other countries throughout the region. Some of the key conclusions and speculations include the following.
Bahrain
Bahrain was long thought to be the first country in the Gulf that might normalize relations with Israel. The small kingdom has often made relatively positive comments about Israel over the years and appeared open to the Trump administration’s ‘Deal of the Century’ by hosting discussions about the economic aspects of it. Bahrain has welcomed the UAE deal with Israel, and initial reports indicated it was working on normalizing relations after the UAE. Last December, media reports in the Gulf noted that Bahrain was reaching out to Israel.
In May, Bahrain shut down a symposium aimed at supporting a boycott of Israel. Last year, Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa supported Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran’s threats. “Iran is the one who declared war on us,” he said. The Kingdom made similar statements in 2018.
However, the report duly notes that Bahrain faced strong protests in the 2011 Arab Spring and, as such, it appeared wiser for it to let the UAE be the first to move regarding relations with Israel.
Morocco
Morocco is reported to be one of the states on the short list of opening relations with Israel in the near term. There is a Jewish community in Morocco, and the country has made some gestures in recent years that show warming, people-to-people relations despite diplomatic ties being stagnated.
Morocco has been supportive of the Trump administration’s efforts on peace issues. In February, there were even rumours at Axios about Israel and the US recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over the West Sahara (presumably as a quid pro quo for supporting the ‘Deal of the Century’).
Israel-Morocco ties go back to the 1960s. King Hassan II played a key role in these warming relations, including working with Egypt’s Anwar Sadat before his historic 1977 visit. Peres visited Morocco in 1986, and prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and foreign minister Peres met Hassan II in 1993.
The Intifada in 2000 harmed relations, and they have been slow to return. Nevertheless, since 2003, there have been positive gestures, including the visit by foreign minister Silvan Shalom that year.
Oman
In October 2018, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a trip to Oman and met with Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Oman’s minister responsible for foreign affairs, Yusuf bin Alawi, made positive comments about accepting Israel in the region during subsequent discussions in Manama. In April, the Omanis made similar comments in Jordan at a conference, saying it was important to assure Israel that it was not being threatened. While Jordan slammed the comments, Oman continued to push forward with relatively positive views on Israel.
Oman, like other Gulf states, had actually been open to discussions with Israel in the 1990s. Prime minister Shimon Peres visited Oman in 1996. Much of this was changed by the Second Intifada, when Israel saw a reduction in trade offices in the Gulf. Oman, like Qatar, once had an Israeli trade office. It was closed in October 2000.
Nevertheless, in the wake of Netanyahu’s 2018 visit, there was increased talk of more ministerial visits across the Gulf. Oman, however, also hosts visits by top Iranian delegations and attempts to be neutral in other Gulf disputes, such as with Iran and the Qatar dispute.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has appeared to be more open to Israel in recent years. That has come about as a result of several processes. The kingdom is threatened by Iran and is fighting Iranian-backed forces in Yemen. Riyadh also opposes the Muslim Brotherhood and has broken relations with Qatar. The Muslim Brotherhood is linked to the ruling party in Turkey and to Hamas. Saudi Arabia has tried to clamp down on the kind of extremism that roiled the kingdom in the 1990s and in the last decade has appeared to share more interests with Israel.
However, Saudi Arabia has preferred to let other Gulf states that it works closely with go first in discussions with Israel. This includes Oman, the UAE and Bahrain. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has sought close relations with the Trump administration and has also made relatively positive comments on issues relating to the peace process in Israel. This is a shift from the old days, when the Palestinian issue was seen as front and centre of everything in the Middle East.
Riyadh was a leader of the Arab initiative to recognize Israel in the 2000s in exchange for Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank. This was proposed in 2002, and Riyadh has thus shown support for opening relations with Israel in this context. Saudi Arabia doesn’t want Turkey to take over the mantle of being the main supporter for the Palestinians and thus displace Saudi influence.
However, that is a main concern in places like Jordan, namely, that Turkey is pushing influence in Jerusalem. To stop that, Riyadh would like to work with Jordan and the Gulf and see shared interests across the region. Toward that end, Riyadh has also hosted Evangelical delegations, and Arab News, a media outlet, has published writings by World Jewish Congress president Ron Lauder.
This is part of regional outreach to Jewish voices in the US, as well as rabbis who visited the UAE and the Gulf, and a burgeoning Jewish community in the UAE. Riyadh is the more conservative of the Gulf group, however, recalling sensitivity in the ’90s over issues of having non-Muslims in the Kingdom. Today, Riyadh is pursuing Vision 2030 to modernize the country.
Recent reports have indicated that key members of the Trump administration, including Jared Kushner, think normalization is inevitable with the kingdom. An Israeli blogger reportedly received a friendly reception in Saudi Arabia in February, and Israelis can ostensibly travel to Riyadh, according to Israeli media reports. Saudis have been more open on social media in support of relations with Israel. Some media, perhaps seeking to sabotage these positive signs, have tried to claim Riyadh is in ‘secret talks’ with Israel.
Another report notes that the Saudi foreign minister has stated that no diplomatic relations will be established until there is a broader peace agreement that includes the Palestinians. LINK
Qatar
Qatar and Israel had historically warm relations in the 1990s, and it was thought years ago to be the first in line for normalization. This happened after the Gulf War in 1991. There has been an Israeli trade office there since 1996. Qatar, Israel and the US formed a kind of tripartite relationship in light of this.
Doha sought to play an increasing role throughout the Middle East. As part of this wider role, it also wanted to play a role in peace discussions with Israel. In 2007, foreign minister Tzipi Livni met Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani in New York.
Qatar tried to cultivate pro-Israel supporters after a crisis developed between it and Saudi Arabia and the UAE in 2017. Working through lobbyists, it invited a long list of pro-Israel voices to Doha. It appeared that both Qatar and the UAE were working at the time to cultivate closer ties with the Trump administration, and Qatar thought that Jewish insiders were key to this.
Qatar also tried to play an increasing role in discussions with Israel and Hamas. It provided cash for Gaza and kept Hamas afloat, part of a long-running attempt to be the paymaster for the Muslim Brotherhood across the region and to prop up Gaza.
“The young emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, is key to Qatar’s relationships across the region. The 40-year-old leader came to power in 2013. Qatar had helped fuel the Arab Spring and used Al Jazeera to fan protests across the region to gain influence. However, it saw many of these protests fail and regimes defeat Qatar-backed candidates. More isolated now, Qatar has Turkish troops in Doha after the 2017 crisis with Riyadh. That means it must rely on Turkey, which, except for Iran, is the most hostile regime in the region to Israel. Qatar is also close to Tehran. This means whatever feelers Qatar once had for peace, and even attempts to cultivate pro-Israel voices through junkets to Doha, are largely on ice. Nevertheless, Qatar does have discussions with Israel about Gaza, where it plays a key role. Some Israelis see Qatar as playing a potential positive influence. Former defense minister Avigdor Liberman revealed a trip by the head of the Mossad to Qatar in February 2020. In 2018, Liberman met the Qatari foreign minister. Qatar’s emir once made a historic trip to Gaza in 2012. That seems like a bygone era now. However, it is possible that Doha, thinking it could solve the Gulf crisis and get something from the Trump administration, would talk about normalizing relations. With Turkish troops in Qatar and Iran able to destabilize the emirate if it sees betrayal, this would not likely be seen as a wise move. Instead, Qatar prefers to be more open to moderate stances, such as hosting Israeli athletes and making itself a centre of meetings and intrigue rather than a peace partner…”
The report concludes that Sudan may also be considering normalization of ties with Israel, and notes that “Netanyahu met Sudan’s new leader in February” (one of the key generals at the centre of the military coup that eventually overthrew the government in 2018, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan). However, despite a proliferation of such secret and semi-secret meetings, other reports note that the military leadership has stepped back from taking the fateful step of establishing diplomatic relations as such. LINK1, LINK2
With respect to other key countries in the region:
“Iraq has too much Iranian influence to normalize relations with Israel. Nevertheless, it has historically moderate voices, especially in the Kurdistan region, which have been warmer toward Israel. But the Kurdistan region today is threatened by economic problems and Iran’s role in Baghdad, and it also has to balance challenges with a Turkish military campaign against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Iran could make peace with Israel if the regime falls. Tehran and Jerusalem had good relations prior to 1979. Similarly in Somalia, there are chances Israel could reach out to the region of Somaliland, which has declared itself independent since the ’90s. Further afield, Israel faces hostility from Pakistan and Malaysia. Whereas Indonesia once seemed more moderate, it, too, has hostile elements in its political landscape.”
The report concludes that social and political forces, as well as historical factors, in other countries throughout the region, such as Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon (which “could be a peace partner if not for Hezbollah. Hezbollah has only gotten stronger in recent years, holding the country hostage to Iran’s threats to Israel”), and Libya will prevent their political leadership from normalizing relations with Israel, at least for a considerable period, or until a comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians is concluded.
The agency Middle East Eye has also reviewed the attitudes of governments throughout the region to the Israel-UAE agreement, and reaches similar conclusions in most cases.
“Some Arab countries have expressed support for the UAE-Israel agreement publicly, with Bahrain, Oman and Egypt among the first countries in the world to welcome the deal without reservations. Bahrain and Oman are expected by Israel to follow in the Emirati footsteps – whereas Egypt has had full diplomatic relations with Israel since 1980. Others have meanwhile either refrained from commenting or denounced the deal as a normalisation of ties with Israel at the expense of the Palestinian cause, essentially giving Israel a green light to pursue its occupation policies.” LINK
With respect to Saudi Arabia, the report notes:
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan cautiously welcomed normalisation on Wednesday, saying the deal – which ‘suspended’ Israeli annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank – “could be viewed as positive.” “We are committed to the Arab Peace Plan and that is the best way forward to a settlement of the conflict and to normalisation with Israel with all states,” the Saudi foreign minister told reporters in Berlin. “That said, any efforts that could promote peace in the region and that result in holding back the threat of annexation could be viewed as positive.”
The Arab Peace Initiative promises Israel full ties with Arab States if a peace settlement is reached with the Palestinians.
The report points out that Saudi state media has so far published views in favour of the UAE decision, which likely points to Riyadh’s own tolerance to such opinions. The daily Okaz newspaper, for example, published a column that hailed the normalisation deal as reminiscent of the fall of the Berlin wall.
While Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is largely viewed as favourable to normalisation, his father, King Salman, has so far maintained a more moderate view nominally more supportive of Palestinian statehood.
The report also notes some of the difficulties caused by the ongoing double-track approach adopted by the new leadership in Sudan:
“The Sudanese government on Wednesday sacked a foreign ministry spokesman, following his praise of the UAE-Israel deal. Spokesman Haydar Sadig made comments to regional media and confirmed them to news agencies on Tuesday, calling the deal “a brave and bold step” and noting that Khartoum and Tel Aviv already have secret diplomatic contacts. The foreign ministry said it was ‘astonished’ by Sadig’s comments, and stressed that the government had not discussed the possibility of diplomatic relations. Israel’s intelligence chief Yossi Cohen, however, contradicted the Sudanese statements later on Wednesday, saying his government is in contact with Sudan and that normalisation is “part of the agenda” of their diplomatic relations. Earlier this year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s ruling council, and reportedly discussed normalisation. The meeting at the time was viewed by Sudanese analysts as an attempt by Khartoum to get into Washington’s good graces and obtain the lifting of crippling US sanctions.”
The report notes that Kuwait, Lebanon and Algeria in particular are very unlikely to negotiate a separate peace agreement in the absence of a broader peace deal that accommodates the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people.
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southfront--2020-08-28--Turkey Refuses To Suspend Maritime Gas Exploration, Multiple Military Exercises And Manoeuvres Conti

Turkey Refuses To Suspend Maritime Gas Exploration, Multiple Military Exercises And Manoeuvres Continue

Greece has announced plans to extend its territorial waters along its western coastline facing Italy , and held a second day of military exercises in waters where Turkey has sent a survey ship escorted by warships to explore for oil and gas , challenging Greece ’ s claim to maritime jurisdiction over the area .
The Turkish vessel Oruc Reis has been carrying out seismic research for oil and gas for several weeks escorted by Turkish warships .
Athens , which says the ship is operating over Greece ’ s continental shelf in an area where it has exclusive rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sent warships to observe and track the Turkish flotilla .
Both countries have sent warships to shadow each other this month in an area between Crete and Cyprus where the Turkish vessel is prospecting for potential gas and oil deposits .
Greece and Turkey both conducted military exercises within the area on Tuesday ( 25 May ) .
Speaking before the national Parliament earlier this week , Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece is planning to exercise its legal right to extend its territorial waters along its western coastline , which faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles .
The planned extension would not affect the territory at the centre of the Greek-Turkish dispute .
But the prime minister told parliament that Greece was abandoning decades of ‘ passive ’ foreign policy .
Turkey has warned in the past that an extension of Greek waters to 12 nautical miles in the Aegean Sea , facing the Turkish littoral , would be seen as a reason to declare war on Greece .
Mitsotakis described Turkey ’ s actions as ‘ illegal and provocative ’ , adding that Athens was willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initiative , but only if the Turkish seismic surveying work were halted .
“ Our position is crystal clear and can be summarized in six words : When provocations stop , talks can start , ” he said during a debate on the ratification of deals Greece recently made with Italy and Egypt setting out maritime boundaries and Exclusive Economic Zones .
Greece ’ s deal with Egypt in particular has angered Turkey .
Lawmakers ratified the Italy deal by majority vote late Wednesday .
They also ratified most of the agreement with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article remaining to be voted upon later this week .
The government holds a comfortable majority in parliament , and the article is expected to pass .
LINK Meanwhile , Turkey has accused France of exacerbating the conflict after joining joint exercises with Greece , Italy and Cyprus .
President Erdogan stated on Thursday that Turkey has no intention of suspending gas exploration activities in disputed areas .
The declarations followed a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Berlin to try to persuade EU member Greece and neighbouring Turkey to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maritime boundaries and jurisdiction .
The ministers were expected to debate a series of sanctions and other policy options that could be used to pressure Turkey to suspend drilling for energy reserves in the disputed areas of the eastern Mediterranean .
Germany has promised to act as a bridge between the two neighbours to defuse tensions , while on Wednesday US President Donald Trump held phone calls with the leaders of Greece and Turkey .
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akara criticized France for joining Italy , Greece and Cyprus in three-day air and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island , saying Turkey will not be deterred by the show of force , and Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy accused France of deploying fighter jets on the ethnically divided island of Cyprus under the ‘ pretext ’ of conducting military exercises , claiming that the deployment is a breach of the treaties reached in 1960 .
France and Greece are deploying fighter jets and navy ships as part of military drills , while Cyprus will activate its air defence system to test its capabilities , the Cyprus Defence Ministry reported on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advisory notice , known as Navtex , stating that it will be conducting live-fire military exercises on September 1 and 2 off the southern coast of the Mediterranean , that is , off the coast of Cyprus .
LINK MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Ripple effects Greece and Turkey open new northern front on Libyan conflict • Mosques museums and politics the fate of Hagia Sophia

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Greece has announced plans to extend its territorial waters along its western coastline facing Italy, and held a second day of military exercises in waters where Turkey has sent a survey ship escorted by warships to explore for oil and gas, challenging Greece’s claim to maritime jurisdiction over the area.
The Turkish vessel Oruc Reis has been carrying out seismic research for oil and gas for several weeks escorted by Turkish warships. Athens, which says the ship is operating over Greece’s continental shelf in an area where it has exclusive rights on potential undersea gas and oil deposits, sent warships to observe and track the Turkish flotilla.
Both countries have sent warships to shadow each other this month in an area between Crete and Cyprus where the Turkish vessel is prospecting for potential gas and oil deposits. Greece and Turkey both conducted military exercises within the area on Tuesday (25 May).
Speaking before the national Parliament earlier this week, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece is planning to exercise its legal right to extend its territorial waters along its western coastline, which faces Italy, from six to 12 nautical miles.
The planned extension would not affect the territory at the centre of the Greek-Turkish dispute. But the prime minister told parliament that Greece was abandoning decades of ‘passive’ foreign policy. Turkey has warned in the past that an extension of Greek waters to 12 nautical miles in the Aegean Sea, facing the Turkish littoral, would be seen as a reason to declare war on Greece.
Mitsotakis described Turkey’s actions as ‘illegal and provocative’, adding that Athens was willing to start talks as part of a German-brokered initiative, but only if the Turkish seismic surveying work were halted. “Our position is crystal clear and can be summarized in six words: When provocations stop, talks can start,” he said during a debate on the ratification of deals Greece recently made with Italy and Egypt setting out maritime boundaries and Exclusive Economic Zones. Greece’s deal with Egypt in particular has angered Turkey.
Lawmakers ratified the Italy deal by majority vote late Wednesday. They also ratified most of the agreement with Egypt, with a vote on one article remaining to be voted upon later this week. The government holds a comfortable majority in parliament, and the article is expected to pass. LINK
Meanwhile, Turkey has accused France of exacerbating the conflict after joining joint exercises with Greece, Italy and Cyprus. President Erdogan stated on Thursday that Turkey has no intention of suspending gas exploration activities in disputed areas.
The declarations followed a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Berlin to try to persuade EU member Greece and neighbouring Turkey to return to diplomatic paths to resolve their dispute over maritime boundaries and jurisdiction.
The ministers were expected to debate a series of sanctions and other policy options that could be used to pressure Turkey to suspend drilling for energy reserves in the disputed areas of the eastern Mediterranean.
Germany has promised to act as a bridge between the two neighbours to defuse tensions, while on Wednesday US President Donald Trump held phone calls with the leaders of Greece and Turkey.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also said he was in “constant contact” with Greece and Turkey. “My message is that the situation must be resolved in a spirit of allied solidarity and in accordance with international law,” Stoltenberg said when meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. “Dialogue and de-escalation are in everyone’s interest.”
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akara criticized France for joining Italy, Greece and Cyprus in three-day air and maritime military exercises off the eastern Mediterranean island, saying Turkey will not be deterred by the show of force, and Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy accused France of deploying fighter jets on the ethnically divided island of Cyprus under the ‘pretext’ of conducting military exercises, claiming that the deployment is a breach of the treaties reached in 1960.
France and Greece are deploying fighter jets and navy ships as part of military drills, while Cyprus will activate its air defence system to test its capabilities, the Cyprus Defence Ministry reported on Wednesday.
Turkey has also issued an advisory notice, known as Navtex, stating that it will be conducting live-fire military exercises on September 1 and 2 off the southern coast of the Mediterranean, that is, off the coast of Cyprus. LINK
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southfront--2020-08-28--China – US Tensions Continue, PLA Fires ‘Aircraft Carrier Killer’ Missiles During Drills

China has lodged a protest with the US embassy after the Pentagon sent a reconnaissance aircraft over an area where live-fire military drills were being conducted in the northern military region in the Bohai sea .
China also sent another message , firing two ‘ aircraft carrier killer ’ missiles into the South China Sea .
The US has been accused of sending a U-2 reconnaissance plane into an area that was previously declared to be a no-fly zone to fly over Chinese live-fire military drills that were being on Tuesday ( 25 May ) , another provocative move adjacent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep tensions between Beijing and Washington high for the foreseeable future .
China ’ s Defence Ministry called the unauthorized U-2 flight an unsafe practice and said that it constituted a threat “ seriously interfering in normal exercise activities ” .
The statement warned that an ‘ unexpected incident ’ could have easily resulted , which presumably means the spy plane may have been targeted as a perceived threat to the military units ’ security .
The U-2 aircraft can fly at over 70,000 feet and effectively carry out reconnaissance activity at long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for it to enter the no-fly zone to monitor the military exercises and it is difficult to interpret it as anything other than a deliberate provocation meant to further antagonize Beijing .
In an unusual move , this week China ’ s military has been conducting parallel military exercises in four separate areas , including drills in the Bohai Sea , the Yellow Sea and South China Sea .
Presumably as a response to the Pentagon ’ s derisive attitude to Chinese concerns about US military activity adjacent to its borders , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-range strategic bombers and extended manoeuvres in the South China Sea by three US aircraft carrier strike groups over the last few months , China launched two missiles – including an ‘ aircraft-carrier killer ’ – into the South China Sea on Wednesday morning ( 25 August ) , sending a clear warning to the United States of China ’ s ability to defend its territory and adjacent areas .
One of the missiles , a DF-26B , was launched from the north-western province of Qinghai , while the other , a DF-21D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the east .
Both missiles were fired into an area between Hainan province and the Paracel Islands , the South China Morning Post reported .
The DF-26 has a range of 4,000km ( 2,485 miles ) and can be used in nuclear or conventional strikes against ground and naval targets .
The DF-21 has a range of around 1,800km , with state media describing the most advanced in the series , the DF-21D , as the world ’ s first anti-ship ballistic missile .
The Chinese news agency ’ s source said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ability to deny other forces access to the South China Sea , a disputed region .
Earlier this month , the PLA held military exercises near Taiwan “ to safeguard national sovereignty ” , exercises that coincided with US Health Secretary Alex Azar ’ s trip to the island .
In July , China ’ s People ’ s Liberation Army conducted military exercises in the South China , East China and Yellow seas , while two US aircraft carriers conducted tactical air defence exercises in the South China Sea – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of a free and open Indo-Pacific ” .
Besides aircraft carriers , the US military has also sent a record number of aircraft and warships to monitor Chinese activity and conduct military manoeuvres in 2020 .
The Chinese military drills have caused unease among its neighbours .
Vietnam asked China to cancel its military drills around the Paracel Islands , saying they violated Vietnam ’ s sovereignty and were detrimental to China-ASEAN talks on elaborating a South China Sea code of conduct .
In a related development , late last week Taiwanese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercise simulating an attack against the island .
The film was produced by the defence ministry , and showed troops firing anti-aircraft , anti-tank and anti-ship missiles against a mock invasion force from across the Taiwan Strait , which separates Taiwan from mainland China .
In a statement accompanying the film , the ministry said Beijing should not underestimate the island ’ s determination to defend itself .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • US Secretary of State dedicates major address to China baiting

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China has lodged a protest with the US embassy after the Pentagon sent a reconnaissance aircraft over an area where live-fire military drills were being conducted in the northern military region in the Bohai sea. China also sent another message, firing two ‘aircraft carrier killer’ missiles into the South China Sea.
The US has been accused of sending a U-2 reconnaissance plane into an area that was previously declared to be a no-fly zone to fly over Chinese live-fire military drills that were being on Tuesday (25 May), another provocative move adjacent to China’s borders that will keep tensions between Beijing and Washington high for the foreseeable future.
China’s Defence Ministry called the unauthorized U-2 flight an unsafe practice and said that it constituted a threat “seriously interfering in normal exercise activities”.
The statement warned that an ‘unexpected incident’ could have easily resulted, which presumably means the spy plane may have been targeted as a perceived threat to the military units’ security.
In a statement responding to China’s strong diplomatic and public protests, the US military said a U-2 flight was conducted in the Indo-Pacific region and it was “within the accepted international rules and regulations governing aircraft flights. Pacific Air Forces personnel will continue to fly and operate anywhere international law allows, at the time and tempo of our choosing.” LINK
The U-2 aircraft can fly at over 70,000 feet and effectively carry out reconnaissance activity at long range, therefore it was not necessary for it to enter the no-fly zone to monitor the military exercises and it is difficult to interpret it as anything other than a deliberate provocation meant to further antagonize Beijing.
In an unusual move, this week China’s military has been conducting parallel military exercises in four separate areas, including drills in the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and South China Sea.
Presumably as a response to the Pentagon’s derisive attitude to Chinese concerns about US military activity adjacent to its borders, which have included numerous sorties by nuclear capable long-range strategic bombers and extended manoeuvres in the South China Sea by three US aircraft carrier strike groups over the last few months, China launched two missiles – including an ‘aircraft-carrier killer’ – into the South China Sea on Wednesday morning (25 August), sending a clear warning to the United States of China’s ability to defend its territory and adjacent areas.
One of the missiles, a DF-26B, was launched from the north-western province of Qinghai, while the other, a DF-21D, lifted off from Zhejiang province in the east. Both missiles were fired into an area between Hainan province and the Paracel Islands, the South China Morning Post reported.
The DF-26 has a range of 4,000km (2,485 miles) and can be used in nuclear or conventional strikes against ground and naval targets.
The DF-21 has a range of around 1,800km, with state media describing the most advanced in the series, the DF-21D, as the world’s first anti-ship ballistic missile.
The Chinese news agency’s source said the missile launch was aimed at improving China’s ability to deny other forces access to the South China Sea, a disputed region.
“This is China’s response to the potential risks brought by the increasingly frequent incoming US warplanes and military vessels in the South China Sea,” the source said. “China doesn’t want the neighbouring countries to misunderstand Beijing’s goals.”
Earlier this month, the PLA held military exercises near Taiwan “to safeguard national sovereignty”, exercises that coincided with US Health Secretary Alex Azar’s trip to the island.
In July, China’s People’s Liberation Army conducted military exercises in the South China, East China and Yellow seas, while two US aircraft carriers conducted tactical air defence exercises in the South China Sea – manoeuvres the US said were “in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific”.
Besides aircraft carriers, the US military has also sent a record number of aircraft and warships to monitor Chinese activity and conduct military manoeuvres in 2020.
The Chinese military drills have caused unease among its neighbours. Vietnam asked China to cancel its military drills around the Paracel Islands, saying they violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and were detrimental to China-ASEAN talks on elaborating a South China Sea code of conduct.
In a related development, late last week Taiwanese television broadcast a video of a military exercise simulating an attack against the island. The film was produced by the defence ministry, and showed troops firing anti-aircraft, anti-tank and anti-ship missiles against a mock invasion force from across the Taiwan Strait, which separates Taiwan from mainland China.
In a statement accompanying the film, the ministry said Beijing should not underestimate the island’s determination to defend itself.
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southfront--2020-08-28--Lada-Class Diesel-Electric Submarine (Infographics)

I don ’ t think that is the case..I might be wrong though .
Was it Russian source ?
Which @ @ @ @ @ first Lada didn ’ t have AIP , for some technical reasons they decided to @ @ @ @ @ use it for testing… After certain delay Lada is back in production and was designed @ @ @ @ @ I think .
Also Russian AIP is not based on Lithium-ion batteries or any batteries @ @ @ @ @ invented special system from converting diesel into electricity or similar ( I do not remember @ @ @ @ @ time ago I was reading that .
The huge advantage it is not easy to @ @ @ @ @ ( security risque ) .

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The Lada (Project 677) is a class of Russian diesel-electric attack submarines. These warships are designed by the Rubin Design Bureau for the Russian Navy.
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southfront--2020-08-28--Mediterranean Disputes Reaching Flashpoint, Military Standoffs Intensify Amid Belated Diplomatic Eff

Mediterranean Disputes Reaching Flashpoint, Military Standoffs Intensify Amid Belated Diplomatic Efforts

Developments are accelerating in the maritime boundary dispute between Turkey and Greece .
Belligerent statements and threats by senior government officials from both countries , accompanied by multiple military deployments and standoffs , are still far outpacing diplomatic efforts to head off an impending clash between the two NATO members .
NATO member state Turkey is blocking a decision by the military alliance to provide support to the EU ’ s Sea-Guardian mission monitoring the UN arms embargo of Libya .
The EU mission is supposed to inspect vessels in the area suspected of carrying arms or other contraband to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest military supporter of the Government of National Accord in Tripoli and has sent over ten thousand military personnel and armed fighters ( mostly mercenaries and ‘ jihadists ’ ) as well as advanced weapons by air and sea .
The Sea-Guardian mission has been unable to fulfil its objectives , because the cargo ships transporting the weapons and fighters are being escorted by the Turkish navy which are preventing inspections from taking place .
In one instance , a French frigate was locked onto by the fire control radar of a Turkish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship presumably loaded with weapons and/ or mercenaries .
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had said on Wednesday at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Berlin that there were no new developments on the subject .
However , he said that they were still considering how they could cooperate with the EU operation .
LINK In other developments , Greece ’ s national parliament has ratified an accord on maritime boundaries with Egypt , hours after Turkey extended the operation of a seismic survey vessel in the Eastern Mediterranean and announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region next week .
The Athens-Cairo agreement is widely perceived as a response to the accord signed in 2019 by the Government of National Accord in Libya allowing Turkey access to areas in the region where large hydrocarbon deposits have been discovered .
Under their treaty , Egypt and Greece are now legally authorised ( by their respective national laws ) to initiate exploration and exploitation of the resources available in their respective exclusive economic zones , including oil and gas reserves .
A similar accord between Italy and Greece was approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Turkish navy issued the latest advisory , known as a Navtex , saying it will hold ‘ gunnery exercises ’ in the Eastern Mediterranean off the coast of Iskenderun , northeast of Cyprus on September 1 and 2 .
It also extended the seismic work of the Oruc Reis vessel southwest of Cyprus , until September 1 .
Greece says the Turkish advisories are illegal .
As other international actors are being drawn into the dispute , France announced on Wednesday that it was joining military exercises with Italy , Greece and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the deployment of French military aircraft in Cyprus violated treaties regarding the control and administration of the island after its independence from Britain in 1960 , and that France ’ s actions are encouraging Greece and Cyprus to escalate tensions in the region to dangerous levels .
Cyprus was divided in two in 1974 following a Turkish invasion , which they claimed was in response to an attempted coup supported by Greece .
Turkey recognises the Turkish-populated north of Cyprus as a separate state under its protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by other countries .
A dispute over maritime borders and resource rights near the island of Cyprus has reignited the long-running territorial disputes between Greece and Turkey , with the two countries staging parallel naval drills and manoeuvres in the disputed area .
The European Union has threatened Turkey with economic sanctions unless it halts the gas exploration activities it is undertaking in disputed maritime areas .
EU foreign secretary Josep Borrell announced on Friday that the bloc wanted to give “ a serious chance to dialogue ” but was steadfast in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the crisis .
EU sanctions could include individuals , ships or the use of European ports .
Borrell was speaking after EU foreign ministers met in Berlin to discuss support for Greece after it ratified a maritime accord with Egypt to counter Turkey ’ s claims to energy resources in the region .
Responding to the announcement , Turkey ’ s foreign ministry said the EU has no legal basis for its stance and rejected Greek maritime claims .
Borrell and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas added that the EU wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Greece and Turkey , before resorting to economic sanctions or other punitive measures .
Turkey is also a formal candidate to join the EU , although its candidacy is at risk and could be withdrawn as an additional measure .
Two senior EU diplomats told Reuters news agency that foreign ministers agreed to leave any decision to EU government leaders , who are set to meet for a two-day summit from September 24 .
“ Nothing will be decided before the September European Council , ” a senior diplomat said , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater access to the EU ’ s market of 450 million consumers if it suspends all maritime exploration activities in disputed areas .
LINK However , neither side is currently prepared to make any concessions , and events are fast approaching a possible military clash .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Ripple effects Greece and Turkey open new northern front on Libyan conflict • Mosques museums and politics the fate of Hagia Sophia

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Developments are accelerating in the maritime boundary dispute between Turkey and Greece. Belligerent statements and threats by senior government officials from both countries, accompanied by multiple military deployments and standoffs, are still far outpacing diplomatic efforts to head off an impending clash between the two NATO members.
NATO member state Turkey is blocking a decision by the military alliance to provide support to the EU’s Sea-Guardian mission monitoring the UN arms embargo of Libya. The EU mission is supposed to inspect vessels in the area suspected of carrying arms or other contraband to Libya. However, Turkey is the largest military supporter of the Government of National Accord in Tripoli and has sent over ten thousand military personnel and armed fighters (mostly mercenaries and ‘jihadists’) as well as advanced weapons by air and sea.
The Sea-Guardian mission has been unable to fulfil its objectives, because the cargo ships transporting the weapons and fighters are being escorted by the Turkish navy which are preventing inspections from taking place. In one instance, a French frigate was locked onto by the fire control radar of a Turkish warship when it attempted to inspect a ship presumably loaded with weapons and/ or mercenaries.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had said on Wednesday at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Berlin that there were no new developments on the subject. However, he said that they were still considering how they could cooperate with the EU operation. LINK
In other developments, Greece’s national parliament has ratified an accord on maritime boundaries with Egypt, hours after Turkey extended the operation of a seismic survey vessel in the Eastern Mediterranean and announced that it will hold live-fire military exercises in the region next week.
The Athens-Cairo agreement is widely perceived as a response to the accord signed in 2019 by the Government of National Accord in Libya allowing Turkey access to areas in the region where large hydrocarbon deposits have been discovered.
Under their treaty, Egypt and Greece are now legally authorised (by their respective national laws) to initiate exploration and exploitation of the resources available in their respective exclusive economic zones, including oil and gas reserves.
A similar accord between Italy and Greece was approved on Wednesday.
Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas on Thursday said “their ratification is urgent” given “Turkey’s illegal activities”. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament another bill will extend Greece’s coastal zone in the Ionian Sea from six to 12 nautical miles under international maritime conventions.
Earlier on Thursday, the Turkish navy issued the latest advisory, known as a Navtex, saying it will hold ‘gunnery exercises’ in the Eastern Mediterranean off the coast of Iskenderun, northeast of Cyprus on September 1 and 2.
It also extended the seismic work of the Oruc Reis vessel southwest of Cyprus, until September 1.
Greece says the Turkish advisories are illegal.
As other international actors are being drawn into the dispute, France announced on Wednesday that it was joining military exercises with Italy, Greece and Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the deployment of French military aircraft in Cyprus violated treaties regarding the control and administration of the island after its independence from Britain in 1960, and that France’s actions are encouraging Greece and Cyprus to escalate tensions in the region to dangerous levels.
Cyprus was divided in two in 1974 following a Turkish invasion, which they claimed was in response to an attempted coup supported by Greece. Turkey recognises the Turkish-populated north of Cyprus as a separate state under its protection, a claim which is not recognised by other countries.
A dispute over maritime borders and resource rights near the island of Cyprus has reignited the long-running territorial disputes between Greece and Turkey, with the two countries staging parallel naval drills and manoeuvres in the disputed area.
The European Union has threatened Turkey with economic sanctions unless it halts the gas exploration activities it is undertaking in disputed maritime areas.
EU foreign secretary Josep Borrell announced on Friday that the bloc wanted to give “a serious chance to dialogue” but was steadfast in its support for member states Greece and Cyprus in the crisis.
EU sanctions could include individuals, ships or the use of European ports.
“We can go to measures related to sectoral activities … where the Turkish economy is related to the European economy,” Borrell told a news conference, referring to possible sanctions. The EU would focus on everything related to “activities we consider illegal”, he said.
Borrell was speaking after EU foreign ministers met in Berlin to discuss support for Greece after it ratified a maritime accord with Egypt to counter Turkey’s claims to energy resources in the region.
Responding to the announcement, Turkey’s foreign ministry said the EU has no legal basis for its stance and rejected Greek maritime claims.
“It is beyond the limits of the EU to criticise the hydrocarbon activities of our country within our own continental shelf and demand that we stop them,” a foreign ministry spokesman said. “Greece is not an archipelago state. It is illegal under international law for Greek islands to have a continental shelf”.
Borrell and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas added that the EU wants to give dialogue a chance to lower tensions between Greece and Turkey, before resorting to economic sanctions or other punitive measures.
Turkey is also a formal candidate to join the EU, although its candidacy is at risk and could be withdrawn as an additional measure. Two senior EU diplomats told Reuters news agency that foreign ministers agreed to leave any decision to EU government leaders, who are set to meet for a two-day summit from September 24.
“Nothing will be decided before the September European Council,” a senior diplomat said, adding that Turkey could also be rewarded with greater access to the EU’s market of 450 million consumers if it suspends all maritime exploration activities in disputed areas. LINK
However, neither side is currently prepared to make any concessions, and events are fast approaching a possible military clash.
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southfront--2020-08-28--Israeli Military Forgot At Least 5 Merkava Battle Tanks At Golan Heights (Video)

Hikers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights found at least 5 armed and unguarded Merkava Mk .
IV battle tanks .
Doors of the battle tanks were open with equipment and munitions left completely unguarded inside .
“ This is an exceptional and serious malfunction that does not meet the standard expected by the IDF , ” the Israeli Defense Forces said in response to the incident .
“ The issue will be investigated immediately by the commanders and will be presented up to the level of the regional commander .
Lessons will be learned and those responsible will be prosecuted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , security around the vehicles was tightened and procedures were sharpened for all soldiers and commanders.
” The video was published online amid the growing tensions between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces in both the Golan Heights area and the Israeli-Lebanese contact line .
So , if Israeli sources do not know how to explain this failure , they can easily blame Hezbollah .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • UAE And Israel Plan To Create Intelligence Bases On Yemen ’ s Socotra Island • Tensions Flare Between Gaza And Israel As @ @ @ @ @

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משפחות שטיילו היום ברמת הגולן נדהמו למצוא טנקים בשטח פתוח ללא כל השגחה או שמירה. הטנקים פתוחים כשבפנים ציוד ואמצעי לחימה, מאגים ומרגמות. גישה מלאה לתא המפקד, התותחן והטען. דו״צ בתגובה חריפה: מדובר בתקלה חריגה וחמורה. הנושא יתוחקר באופן מיידי ע״י המפקדים ויוצג עד לרמת אלוף. צפו pic.twitter.com/MPtX6ksnq6 — עופר חדד Ofer Hadad (@Ofer_Hadad) August 27, 2020
Hikers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights found at least 5 armed and unguarded Merkava Mk. IV battle tanks. Doors of the battle tanks were open with equipment and munitions left completely unguarded inside.
“This is an exceptional and serious malfunction that does not meet the standard expected by the IDF,” the Israeli Defense Forces said in response to the incident. “The issue will be investigated immediately by the commanders and will be presented up to the level of the regional commander. Lessons will be learned and those responsible will be prosecuted and severely punished. After the incident, security around the vehicles was tightened and procedures were sharpened for all soldiers and commanders.”
The video was published online amid the growing tensions between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces in both the Golan Heights area and the Israeli-Lebanese contact line. So, if Israeli sources do not know how to explain this failure, they can easily blame Hezbollah.
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southfront--2020-08-28--Car Bomb Exploded Near Turkish Observation Post At Syria’s Jisr al-Shughur

On August 28 evening , a car bomb exploded near the Turkish observation post located near the militant-held town of @ @ @ @ @ s southern Idlib .
According to reports , the car bomb exploded after Turkish forces @ @ @ @ @ it .
Therefore , the car bomb did not reach its destination .
Despite this @ @ @ @ @ militant was killed in the explosion .
There are also reports that several Turkish soldiers @ @ @ @ @ However , this is yet to be confirmed .
Meanwhile , pro-militant sources claim that @ @ @ @ @ of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ( formerly the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda ) near the town @ @ @ @ @ of Jebal Zawiyah .
Just a few days earlier , Idlib radicals conducted an attack @ @ @ @ @ on the M4 highway in southern Idlib damaging a Russian vehicle .
This became the @ @ @ @ @ patrol in about a week .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Six Syrian Intelligence @ @ @ @ @ Attack In Southern Deir Ezzor

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On August 28 evening, a car bomb exploded near the Turkish observation post located near the militant-held town of Jisr al-Shughur in Syria’s southern Idlib.
According to reports, the car bomb exploded after Turkish forces deployed there opened fire on it. Therefore, the car bomb did not reach its destination. Despite this, at least one Turkish-backed militant was killed in the explosion.
There are also reports that several Turkish soldiers may have been wounded. However, this is yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, pro-militant sources claim that the Syrian Army shelled positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) near the town of Kinsafa in the area of Jebal Zawiyah.
#Syria: aftermath of daily shelling with heavy artillery on Jebal Zawiyah towns (#Kansafra – S. #Idlib) by pro-Assad forces. pic.twitter.com/RuONTlHSYQ — Qalaat Al Mudiq (@QalaatAlMudiq) August 28, 2020
Just a few days earlier, Idlib radicals conducted an attack on a joint Turkish-Russian patrol on the M4 highway in southern Idlib damaging a Russian vehicle. This became the second attack on a Turkish-Russian patrol in about a week.
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southfront--2020-08-28--KamAZ-5350 Military Utility Truck (Infographics)

Click to see the full-size image The KamAZ-5350 is a Russian military utility truck , a further development of the @ @ @ @ @ TOPIC :

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The KamAZ-5350 is a Russian military utility truck, a further development of the KamAZ-4310.
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southfront--2020-08-28--UAE And Israel Plan To Create Intelligence Bases On Yemen’s Socotra Island

Israel and the United Arab Emirates are going to create a military intelligence-gathering infrastructure on Yemen ’ s Socotra Island , according to Arab and French sources .
The 3,650km2 island , located south of the Yemeni mainland in the Indian Ocean , overlooks the Bab al-Mandab Strait .
The straight is a sea route chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East , connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea .
Most exports of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf that transit the Suez Canal or the SUMED Pipeline pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strait of Hormuz .
Since the start of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen , the UAE , formally a Saudi ally , and the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council , a Yemeni separatist movement that is formally allied with the Saudi-backed government in Aden , have established control over most of Socotra Island .
For years , the UAE has been seeking to annex the island due to its strategic location .
The collapse of the Yemeni statehood due to the years-long instability and the foreign intervention paved a way for more direct actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a logical step in this strategy .
According to reports , a delegation of Israeli and UAE officers recently visited the island and examined several locations for establishing the planned intelligence facilities .
Earlier in August , the UAE and Israel with assistance from the United States reached a historical peace agreement relaunching diplomatic , economic and even military cooperation between the states on the highest level .
The security and military cooperation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait was among the expected goals .
Arab and Iranian media allege that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the top of Mount Ambassaira , south of the Eritrean capital of Asmara .
The base , according to reports , is designed to monitor the conflict in Yemen , as well as the naval situation in the region , including movements of Iranian naval forces .
The UAE , thanks to its support to the Southern Transitional Council , has already changed the balance of power in southern Yemen to its favor .
If , additionally to this , Abu Dhabi succeeds in turning the Socotra Island into its outpost , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift the balance of power to its own favor even further .
The Emirati leadership has been slowly but steadily taking an upper hand in the diplomatic , military and economic competition with the Saudi Kingdom , which has so far suffered most of negative consequences , including direct strikes on its territory , from the conflict with Yemen ’ s Houthis .
The peace agreement and security , military cooperation with Israel will also contribute to this scenario .
The tactical UAE-Israeli-US alliance has all chances to compete with the expanding Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which for years was the key US ally against Iran , has been left outside of this plan .
And this is very bad news for the Kingdom , which is passing through a deep economic and political crisis complicated by the barely successful invasion of Yemen .

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Israel and the United Arab Emirates are going to create a military intelligence-gathering infrastructure on Yemen’s Socotra Island, according to Arab and French sources.
The 3,650km2 island, located south of the Yemeni mainland in the Indian Ocean, overlooks the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The straight is a sea route chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. Most exports of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf that transit the Suez Canal or the SUMED Pipeline pass through both the Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz.
Since the start of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, the UAE, formally a Saudi ally, and the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, a Yemeni separatist movement that is formally allied with the Saudi-backed government in Aden, have established control over most of Socotra Island. For years, the UAE has been seeking to annex the island due to its strategic location. The collapse of the Yemeni statehood due to the years-long instability and the foreign intervention paved a way for more direct actions. The creation of a military infrastructure there is a logical step in this strategy.
According to reports, a delegation of Israeli and UAE officers recently visited the island and examined several locations for establishing the planned intelligence facilities. Earlier in August, the UAE and Israel with assistance from the United States reached a historical peace agreement relaunching diplomatic, economic and even military cooperation between the states on the highest level. The security and military cooperation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait was among the expected goals.
Arab and Iranian media allege that in 2016 Israel started building an intelligence-gathering base at the top of Mount Ambassaira, south of the Eritrean capital of Asmara. The base, according to reports, is designed to monitor the conflict in Yemen, as well as the naval situation in the region, including movements of Iranian naval forces.
The UAE, thanks to its support to the Southern Transitional Council, has already changed the balance of power in southern Yemen to its favor. If, additionally to this, Abu Dhabi succeeds in turning the Socotra Island into its outpost, the UAE will have all chances to shift the balance of power to its own favor even further.
The Emirati leadership has been slowly but steadily taking an upper hand in the diplomatic, military and economic competition with the Saudi Kingdom, which has so far suffered most of negative consequences, including direct strikes on its territory, from the conflict with Yemen’s Houthis. The peace agreement and security, military cooperation with Israel will also contribute to this scenario.
The tactical UAE-Israeli-US alliance has all chances to compete with the expanding Iranian influence in the region. Saudi Arabia, which for years was the key US ally against Iran, has been left outside of this plan. And this is very bad news for the Kingdom, which is passing through a deep economic and political crisis complicated by the barely successful invasion of Yemen.
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southfront--2020-08-28--In Video: ISIS Terrorists Ambush Nigerian Troops In Borno

On August 26 , ISIS terrorists ambushed a convoy of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the northeastern state of Borno , that borders Lake Chad .
The terrorist group ’ s news agency , Amaq , released a short video of the ambush that took place on a road near the town of Gajiram in the northern part of Borno .
The agency didn ’ t provide any details on the results of the attack .
ISIS in Nigeria , formerly known as “ Boko haram , ” is once again stepping up its attacks in Borno state , mainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earlier this week , Ali Ndume , a Nigerian senator and chairman of the Senate Committee on the Army , revealed that ISIS terrorists killed 75 elderly people in the town of Gwoza in Borno in a recent attack .
The senator warned from the group ’ s growing threat in the state .
Nigerian government forces are carrying out operations against ISIS terrorists in Borno on a regular basis .
However , the terrorists are still launching attacks .
The lack of sufficient coordination between Nigeria and the remaining countries around Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region into a safe haven for its terrorists .
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On August 26, ISIS terrorists ambushed a convoy of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the northeastern state of Borno, that borders Lake Chad.
The terrorist group’s news agency, Amaq, released a short video of the ambush that took place on a road near the town of Gajiram in the northern part of Borno. The agency didn’t provide any details on the results of the attack.
ISIS in Nigeria, formerly known as “Boko haram,” is once again stepping up its attacks in Borno state, mainly in the area bordering Lake Chad.
Earlier this week, Ali Ndume, a Nigerian senator and chairman of the Senate Committee on the Army, revealed that ISIS terrorists killed 75 elderly people in the town of Gwoza in Borno in a recent attack. The senator warned from the group’s growing threat in the state.
“even as a senator, I still can’t go to Gwoza because it’s not safe,” the Anadolu Agency quoted Nadume as saying.
Nigerian government forces are carrying out operations against ISIS terrorists in Borno on a regular basis. However, the terrorists are still launching attacks.
The lack of sufficient coordination between Nigeria and the remaining countries around Lake Chad has allowed ISIS to turn the region into a safe haven for its terrorists.
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southfront--2020-08-28--ISIS Terrorists Destroyed Battle Tank, Armored Vehicle In Egypt’s Sinai

ISIS announced on August 28 that its terrorist had carried out two new attacks on the Egyptian Armed Forces in the Sinai Peninsula .
Both attacks took place a day earlier , near the town of Iqtiyah , which is located to the west of the city of Bir El Abd in northern Sinai .
In the first attack , ISIS terrorists targeted a battle tank with an improvised explosive device ( IED ) .
The second attack targeted a Humvee armored vehicle .
An IED was also used by the terrorists .
A number of Egyptian service members were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These were the fourth and fifth attacks by ISIS cells in Sinai in the last ten days .
On August 18 , 21 and 26 the group ’ s terrorists carried out three attacks on Egyptian troops in the region .
Most of ISIS ’ recent attacks in Sinai were carried out with IEDs .
Explosive devices provide the group with a low-cost , low-risk way to inflict losses on the Egyptian Armed Forces .
Egyptian government forces are making immense effort to confront and contain ISIS terrorists in Sinai .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , its influence in the region appears to be growing .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Jordan , Iraq and Egypt Try To Get Arab Peace Initiative Back On The Geopolitical Agenda

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ISIS announced on August 28 that its terrorist had carried out two new attacks on the Egyptian Armed Forces in the Sinai Peninsula.
Both attacks took place a day earlier, near the town of Iqtiyah, which is located to the west of the city of Bir El Abd in northern Sinai.
In the first attack, ISIS terrorists targeted a battle tank with an improvised explosive device (IED). The second attack targeted a Humvee armored vehicle. An IED was also used by the terrorists. A number of Egyptian service members were allegedly killed or injured in the attacks.
These were the fourth and fifth attacks by ISIS cells in Sinai in the last ten days. On August 18, 21 and 26 the group’s terrorists carried out three attacks on Egyptian troops in the region.
Most of ISIS’ recent attacks in Sinai were carried out with IEDs. Explosive devices provide the group with a low-cost, low-risk way to inflict losses on the Egyptian Armed Forces.
Egyptian government forces are making immense effort to confront and contain ISIS terrorists in Sinai. The terrorist group is sustaining losses. Nevertheless, its influence in the region appears to be growing.
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southfront--2020-08-28--Syrian Air-Defense System Spotted On Lebanon Territory

On August 28 , Obretix , a Twitter defense blogger , shared satellite image revealing that Syria had deployed an air-defense system on Lebanon territory .
The image shows a Soviet-made 2K12 Kub medium-range air-defense system of the Syrian Air Defense Force ( SyADF ) deployed on the Syrian and Lebanese sides of a mountainous area located north of the Jdaidit Yabws border crossing , and to the west of the town of al-Zabadani .
The system consists of a SURN 1S91 target acquisition and distribution radar along with four 2P25 transporter erector launchers .
In the last few months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military bases in central and western Syria from Lebanon ’ s airspace .
This justifies the Syrian decision to deploy air-defense systems as close as possible to the border with Lebanon , which has not been officially demarcated yet .
The 2K12 Kub , dubbed the “ three fingers of death , ” has a range of 25 km .
The SyADF operated over a 100 Kub system prior to the outbreak of the war .
While the system poses no real threat to the advanced warplanes of the Israeli Air Force , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against drones and cruise missiles .
In 2018 , the system was one of several used by the SyADF to repel a missile strike by France , the UK and the U.S. MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Six Syrian Intelligence Officers Killed In New ISIS Attack In Southern Deir Ezzor

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On August 28, Obretix, a Twitter defense blogger, shared satellite image revealing that Syria had deployed an air-defense system on Lebanon territory.
The image shows a Soviet-made 2K12 Kub medium-range air-defense system of the Syrian Air Defense Force (SyADF) deployed on the Syrian and Lebanese sides of a mountainous area located north of the Jdaidit Yabws border crossing, and to the west of the town of al-Zabadani.
The system consists of a SURN 1S91 target acquisition and distribution radar along with four 2P25 transporter erector launchers.
“border? which border!” – Syrian SA-6 air defense System in Lebanon https://t.co/DCyKFA9FsH pic.twitter.com/EXaRuTssmn — Samir (@obretix) August 28, 2020
In the last few months, Israeli warplanes launched several attacks on military bases in central and western Syria from Lebanon’s airspace. This justifies the Syrian decision to deploy air-defense systems as close as possible to the border with Lebanon, which has not been officially demarcated yet.
The 2K12 Kub, dubbed the “three fingers of death,” has a range of 25 km. The SyADF operated over a 100 Kub system prior to the outbreak of the war.
While the system poses no real threat to the advanced warplanes of the Israeli Air Force, it can be very effective when used against drones and cruise missiles. In 2018, the system was one of several used by the SyADF to repel a missile strike by France, the UK and the U.S.
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