JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T
MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE
MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET
SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO
OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST
FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
WED APR 17 WAS ALMOST THE IST NUKE ATTACK ON A COUNTRY. PAKISTAN THREATENED ISRAEL AND AMERICA.
INVENTION OF THE ATOMIC BOMB.
2 PETER 3:10-11
10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which
the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
(NUKES) shall melt with fervent heat,(BLAST) the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up.(BUT ITS NO END OF THE WORLD
HOGWASH)
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,(BY
NUKES INCLUDING 3 BILLION PEOPLE) what manner of persons ought ye to be
in all holy conversation and godliness,
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
JESUS
SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US THAT WE CAN BE SAVED FOREVER.AND DURING WW3
PEOPLES BLOOD WILL BE SHED AS A JUDGEMENT FOR HATING HIM AND ISRAEL.GOD
IS NOT MOCKED.
ZEPHANIAH 1:2-3
2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
3
I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven,
and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I
will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.
PSALMS 97:3
3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
EZEKIEL 5:15-17
15
So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an
astonishment unto the (ARAB/MUSLIM) nations that are round about
thee,(ISRAEL) when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in
fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.
16 When I
shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their
destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase
the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:
17 So will I
send upon you famine and evil beasts,(WHEN RUSSIA/MUSLIMS GET DEFEATED
THIER BODIES GET EATEN BY BIRDS,ANIMALS IN ISRAEL MIGRATION SEASON) and
they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through
thee;(NUKES) and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have
spoken it.
REVELATION 14:18-20
18 And another angel came out
from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to
him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and
gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully
ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and
gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of
the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the
city,(JERUSALEM) and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the
horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.(200
MILES) (THE SIZE OF ISRAEL)
ISAIAH 66:15-18
15 For, behold,
the LORD will come with fire,(NUKES) and with his chariots like a
whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of
fire.
16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17
They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens
behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination,
and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 For I
know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather
all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
ISAIAH 26:21
21
For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants
of the earth for their iniquity:(GOD/ISRAEL HATE AND BRAKING OF HIS
COMMANDMENTS) the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more
cover her slain.(WW3,1/2 earths population die - 3 BILLION).
ISAIAH 13:6-13 KJV
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:(FROM FRIGHT)
8
And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them;
they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed
one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of
the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land
desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For
the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their
light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall
not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for
their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the
arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the
terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of
her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his
fierce anger.
ISAIAH 24:17-23 KJV
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18
And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the
fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of
the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are
open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed
like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it;
and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass
in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that
are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they
shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and
shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be
visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed,
when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and
before his ancients gloriously.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
JOEL 2:3,30
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12
And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the
people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume
away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and
their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)
and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM
ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD
PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that
day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they
shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand
shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN
WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say
to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the
Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour
every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall
not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be
burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor
their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath;
but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for
he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC
BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be
stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of
hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
REVELATION 8:7
7
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with
blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees
was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
REVELATION 9:18
18
By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their
mouths.(ATOMIC BOMBS)(RUSSIA CHINA DESTROYED BY ISRAELS ATOMIC BOMBS)
REVELATION 16:12-16
12
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river
Euphrates;(WERE WW3 STARTS IN IRAQ OR SYRIA OR TURKEY) and the water
thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be
prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of
the mouth of the dragon,(SATAN) and out of the mouth of the beast,(WORLD
DICTATOR) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(FALSE POPE)
14
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth
unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to
the battle of that great day of God Almighty.(WERE 2 BILLION DIE FROM
NUKE WAR)
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a
great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is
done.
PROOF HALF ON EARTH DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH)
REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that
sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given
unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with
sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE
DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18
By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their
mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE
17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS
KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE
BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND
DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in
that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN
WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4
billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto
them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered
together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against
Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten
by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE
SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE
CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH
IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.
MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
LAST
WEDNESDAY APR 17 WE WERE CLOSE TO A NUCLEAR EXCHANGE. A GUY NAMED MIKE
ON THE INTERNET SAID ISRAEL WAS GOING TO HIT IRAN REALLY HARD AFTER IRAN
ATTACKED ISRAEL. BUT PAKISTAN WARNED THEY BETTER NOT. SO BIDEN
BRAIN-DEAD LIBBY DIBBY COVINCED NETANYAHU TO DO NOT GO AFTER IRAN HARD
OR PAKISTAN WILL EITHER NUKE ISRAEL OR AMERICA. BUT THIS MIKE GUY SAID
THE NUKE MISSLES WERE ON THE LAUNCH PADS READY TO GO.
Why Nuclear-Armed Pakistan Remains Silent Spectator Of Israeli “Aggression” In The Middle-East?-By KN Pandita - April 17, 2024
Being
the only Islamic country in possession of nuclear weapons, Pakistan was
supposed to react rather vigorously to what the pro-Palestinians call
Israel’s genocide in Gaza.The expectation was also high because Pakistan
is not only the founding father of the OIC but also its principal
member, commanding the respect of other members of the Organisation of
Islamic Cooperation.But contrary to the expectations of a majority of
OIC members, who seek outright effacement of the Jewish state from the
map of Arab lands in the Middle East, Pakistan has generally adopted a
passive stance with respect to its Israel-related policy, typically
confining to a subdued demand for two-state option as a viable solution
to the Palestinian conundrum.The nuclear-armed country that has been
threatening India with Nukes has been tongue-tied when Israel declares
it won’t stop short of destroying Gaza lock, stock, and barrel. People
ask where is Pakistan’s much-trumpeted “Islamic Bomb” while Islam is
faced with a grave challenge.But Iran, as an active member of the OIC
and vociferously anti-Israel, had understood long back that Pakistan’s
claim of an “Islamic Bomb” was only a hoax without substance or, to be
too frank as Iranians think, is not in actual control of the
device.Perhaps this is the reason why Iran has been frantically pursuing
to attain nuclear capability, which Israel is determined to stonewall
as long as it can.Curiously, while Israel has been keen on disabling
Iranian nuclear capability and earlier did destroy Iraq and Syria’s
nuclear pursuit, it never threatened Pakistan with any punitive action
when Islamabad was very close to producing the bomb. Even the US, too,
had turned its eye away from Pakistan’s nuclear program.This clearly
shows that Pakistan’s nuclear trajectory is India-oriented, with a green
signal both from Washington and Tel Aviv.It is no surprise to lend
credence to strategic interaction like this. India had to conduct the
Pokhran test with the highest imaginable secrecy and confidentiality.
That pre-requisite was not in place for Pakistan’s maiden nuclear
test.Pakistan-Israel Relations-They have a close understanding between
them, little known to the world outside and less to the OIC members.The
Middle East Monitor of August 3, 2023, carried a piece titled’ Pakistan
Intelligence using Israel Spyware’ that asserts that Pakistani
Intelligence agencies are using Israeli spyware.Israeli media earlier
claimed that “Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency and various police
units in the country have been using products produced by the Israeli
cyber technology firm Cellebrite since at least 2012.”The bizarre part
of the story is that Pakistan has no diplomatic ties with Israel. The
Haartez paper claimed that the software was purchased in Singapore.
Cellebrite software allows law enforcement agencies to engage in digital
forensic work by hacking into password-protected cell phones and
copying all the stored information.The Middle East Monitor raises the
question of whether spyware should be sold to oppressive regimes in
countries where even human rights organizations are stifled.Not Only
Pakistan-Coming back to Pak-Israel relations, it is to be said that
Pakistan is not the only Muslim country for which Israel is not a
pariah; there are others as well among the bogus OIC that have kept
overt or covert channels open for interaction with Israel.The prime
example of such normalization with the Jewish State is the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan. The kingdom was reluctant belligerent in the 1967
six-day war.“Ahead of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the Jordanian king was
helicoptered to a Mossad building outside Tel Aviv, along with his
prime minister Ziad Rifai, where he informed Israeli officials,
including Prime Minister Golda Meir of Syria’s planned offensive and
Egyptian support”, reported the Middle East Monitor in its issue of 15
April.Speaking on condition of anonymity, one independent Jordanian
observer revealed to MEM that “Iran is the enemy, not Israel.”Hamas War
Derails Normalization.Before the 7th October attack on Israel that
caused the death of about 1200 Israelis and the captivity of hundreds of
men, women, and children at the hands of Hamas barbarians, silent
activity was going on at various levels and individuals for
normalization of Arab-Israel relations.UAE and Bahrain had already
initiated an exchange of officials with Israel in 2020, and the Saudi
Kingdom, under the leadership of Crown Prince Salman, was also
conducting parleys through emissaries for that purpose.In the South
Asian country of Pakistan, a debate had intermittently flared up in
national mainstream television channels and social media platforms about
whether Islamabad should reconsider its stand on Israel.The two
countries have been holding secret meetings on security-related issues
since their foreign ministers met publicly in 2005. The discourse gained
momentum in March this year when one Fishel Benkhalid, a Pakistani Jew
in the city of Karachi, revealed via his social media platform that he
had successfully exported his first kosher food shipment to Jerusalem
and Haifa.Pakistani officials said that export had taken place through a
third country and was Benkhalid’s initiative and did not signal any
intention of the state of trade relations with Israel. The Hamas war
derailed the efforts of normalization.Malaya Lodhi, a former Pakistani
ambassador to the UN, said that time was not ripe for conducting talks
on the subject. She said, “Pakistan has been a steadfast supporter of
the Palestinian cause. It would want to see a de-escalation of the
conflict.“Conclusion-Pakistan has strong ties with the Saudi kingdom.
When the flames of Middle East fighting die down, Saudi Arabia will
revive its mission of normalizing relations with Israel, which, in turn,
will encourage it to throw off the mask and come out in the open to
establish normal relations with Israel.In that situation, Pakistan will
have to handle extreme rightist segments at home. Moreover, Pakistan
needs to mend the fence with the US and the EU to come out of the
isolation caused by its long fraternizing policy with the religious
extremists.Normalization of relations with Israel and open trade and
commerce, as well as in various technologies, would give some
credibility to Pakistan as a legitimate peace-loving country.Prof. KN
Pandita (Padma Shri) is the former director of the Center of Central
Asian Studies at Kashmir University.This article contains the author’s
personal views.
Pakistan’s ‘Illicit’ Connections With Chinese
& Iranian Entities Irks The US; Washington Threatens Sanctions-By
EurAsian Times Desk -
April 25, 2024-By: Vaishali Basu Sharma
As
Pakistan hosted Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on April 23-24, the US
issued a caution that anyone doing business with Iran risks being
sanctioned by America. It appears that Pakistan is eager to exchange
know-how in industry, science, and technology with Iran despite
Washington’s disapproval, which ‘forbids’ commercial ties with
Tehran.Meanwhile, Raisi concluded his three-day maiden trip to Pakistan
on April 24 and had “productive” talks with the country’s top leadership
to combat terrorism and strengthen trade ties.When asked about
Pakistan’s efforts to expand trade ties with Iran, US State Department’s
Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said, “Let me say broadly we advise
anyone considering business deals with Iran to be aware of the potential
risk of sanctions.”In fact, this is the second incident of Pakistan
dealing with sanctioned ‘entities’ within days. Just a few days ago, the
US Department of State imposed sanctions on Chinese-based companies and
individuals exporting nuclear and missile-related items to Pakistan.On
April 19, pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii) of Executive Order 13382, which
targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of
delivery, the US imposed sanctions on four entities for their alleged
involvement in supplying “missile-applicable items” to Pakistan’s
ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile
program.According to the US Department of State, the four entities
include the Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant and three
China-based companies: Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company
Limited, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd., and
Granpect Company Limited.rime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif
@CMShehbaz and Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi @raisi_com , President of the
Islamic Republic of Iran today, held in-depth talks on bilateral and
regional issues. The two leaders reaffirmed commitment to expanding
wide-ranging bilateral… pic.twitter.com/awis5YBqFl— Ministry of Foreign
Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) April 22, 2024-Minsk Wheel Tractor
Plant supplied special vehicle chassis to Pakistan’s long-range
ballistic missile program. Such chassis are used as launch support
equipment for ballistic missiles by Pakistan’s National Development
Complex (NDC), which is responsible for the development of Missile
Technology Control Regime Category (MTCR) I ballistic missiles.People’s
Republic of China (PRC)-based Xi’an Longde Technology Development
Company Limited supplied, among other missile-related equipment, a
filament winding machine to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile
program that we assess was destined for NDC.Filament winding machines
can be used to produce rocket motor cases. Tianjin Creative Source
International Trade Co. Ltd. stir welding equipment, which the US
assesses can be used to manufacture propellant tanks used in space
launch vehicles, and a linear accelerator system, which the US assesses
can be used in the inspection of solid rocket motors.The US State
Department assessed that Tianjin Creative’s procurements were likely
destined for Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
(SUPARCO), which develops and produces Pakistan’s MTCR Category I
ballistic missiles. Granpect Company Limited, also China-based, has
worked with Pakistan’s SUPARCO to supply equipment for the testing of
large-diameter rocket motors. Granpect Co. also supplied equipment for
testing large-diameter rocket motors to Pakistan’s NDC.These sanctions
come in the aftermath of concerns raised by the head of the
International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Director General Rafael
Mariano Grossi, who visited Pakistan last month. Following his visit,
doubts regarding Pakistan’s nuclear and missile program were
expressed.The Shehbaz Sharif government, which is also in the middle of
talks with the IMF to resume a stalled loan program, concurrently
asserted that there would be “no compromise” on the country’s nuclear
and missile program and they are “jealously guarded by the state.”There
has been a significant delay in the agreement with the IMF, which would
offer a critical economic lifeline to Pakistan. Responding to questions
raised by PPP Senator Raza Rabbani over the conditions set by the IMF,
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar told the Senate there would be “no
compromise” on the country’s nuclear and missile program.“Let me assure
you that […] nobody is going to compromise anything on the nuclear or
the missile programme of Pakistan — no way.”The fact sheet issued by the
US Department of State specified that “the ultimate goal of sanctions
is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.”
Nevertheless, Pakistan has rejected the imposed sanctions, calling it
out as the “political use of export controls.”Reacting to the sanctions,
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, “We
reject political use of export controls. It is well known that the same
jurisdictions, which claim strict adherence to non-proliferation
controls, have waived licensing requirements for advanced military
technologies for some countries.” She added that “such discriminatory
approaches and double standards” undermine the credibility of
non-proliferation regimes and also the objectives of regional and global
peace and security by “accentuating military asymmetries.”Speaking to
Dawn, analyst Shuja Nawaz of Washington’s Atlantic Council said that the
sanctions directly punished Pakistan for pursuing missile development.
He believes that even as US officials went out of their way to assist
Pakistan in its economic recovery efforts via the IMF, World Bank, and
the Asian Development Bank, these sanctions were “a reminder that for
all the carrots, there are sticks that the US can deploy.”In the past,
the US government has expressed concerns about China’s record concerning
the proliferation of nuclear and missile-related technologies in other
countries. The US is also cognizant of the threat that Chinese
acquisition of US-origin nuclear technology poses.While indications are
that while the Chinese government has ended its direct involvement in
the transfer of nuclear and missile-related items, Chinese-based
companies and individuals continue to export MTCR-controlled items to
missile programs of proliferation concern, including that of
Pakistan.According to the US, China’s construction of civil nuclear
reactors in Pakistan violates Beijing’s Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG, a
multilateral control regime for nuclear-related exports) commitments.
China is a participant in the NSG but not of the Missile Technology
Control Regime (MTCR).However, it has agreed to adhere to the regime’s
export guidelines. China has constructed four power reactors in Pakistan
and is constructing two additional such reactors. NSG guidelines
prohibit such projects in states such as Pakistan, which lack IAEA
safeguards on all of the country’s nuclear facilities. Islamabad’s
nuclear weapons facilities are not safeguarded.In their article ‘How
Many Nuclear Weapons Does Pakistan Have in 2021?’ In the Bulletin of the
Atomic Scientists, Hans Kristensen and Matt Korda categorically state
that “Pakistan continues to expand its nuclear arsenal with more
warheads, more delivery systems, and a growing fissile materials
production industry.”Pakistan possesses an estimated 160-165 warheads,
along with delivery systems capable of reaching at least 2,000
kilometers, enough to target all of India’s territory.According to a 202
Royal United Services Institute (RUSI, London) report, “AQ Khan Is
Dead—Long Live the Pro-liferation Network,” despite the disruption of
the nuclear proliferation network overseen by A.Q. Khan, parts of the
proliferation network remain intact. Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal,
materials, and technologies are a major concern for the US, as Islamabad
has neither acceded to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty nor accepted
comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.Pakistan’s
foreign office spokesperson has responded that there is a need for an
“objective mechanism to avoid erroneous sanctions on the technology
needed purely for socio-economic development pursuits” and that the
country is ready to discuss end-use and end-user verification
mechanisms.Vaishali Basu Sharma is an analyst of strategic and economic
affairs. She was in a consulting role with India’s National Security
Council Secretariat (NSCS) for nearly a decade. he author can be reached
at postvaishali (at) gmail (dot) com.
India, Russia, Iran ‘Bet
Big’ On INSTC To Boost Connectivity & Trade; Evade Dangerous Red Sea
& Suez Canal-By KN Pandita - April 25, 2024
The
International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) initiative by
Russia, Iran, and India to enhance trade and transport connectivity
among countries along its route could not only help Russia and Iran
counter Western sanctions but may also benefit the global economy to
move away from the now-dangerous Red Sea and the Suez link to the
Mediterranean.Imposing economic sanctions has become a preferred tool of
the Western developed countries, especially the US, to punish a defiant
state. For these powers, defiance means anything that does not fit
their interests and perceptions. This is how the hegemony of the
powerful is demonstrated.One aspect of the sanctions regime is
controlling trade routes by maintaining surveillance over the waterways
or roadways over which cargo moves across the globe. In recent times,
overland highways—China’s Belt and Road Initiative is an example—have
gained great importance as a means of connectivity for economic and
security purposes.International North-South Transport Corridor
(INSTC)-The idea of building the International North-South Transport
Corridor (INSTC) sprang up due to the imposition of sanctions on Russia.
Moscow began exploring alternative markets for its products that would
not need transportation through vulnerable or forbidden connectivity.The
INSTC plan comprises a 7,200-km corridor starting from St Petersburg in
Russia to ports in southern Iran and from there to Mumbai in India. The
idea is of a shipping route that should bypass Europe. It will also
reduce the length of the current path through the Mediterranean Sea and
the Suez Canal to Russia by almost half.The corridor will connect Russia
with Iran through three routes. The main route, the West Caspian route,
passes through Azerbaijan via rail and road. The central route transits
through the Caspian Sea by ship, and the eastern path follows the
Caspian Sea’s eastern shore.Azerbaijan Terminus-Substantial progress has
been made in building the western route. Nikkei on March 12 reported
that the Azerbaijan Ministry of Digital Development and Transport had
told its correspondent that rail freight had grown roughly 30 percent
last year, while road freight rose 35 percent to 1.3 million
tonnes.Azerbaijan expects total freight traffic to reach 30 million
tonnes per year. To this end, it plans to construct a railway and road
crossing the Aras River, which runs along its border with Iran.A
four-lane toll road connecting the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, with the
Russian border, opened in October last year following the March 2023
opening of the customs checkpoint in the area.A Blessing In
Disguise-Many commentators have termed the imposition of sanctions on
Russia a blessing in disguise. Three countries, Russia, Iran, and India,
first agreed to the plan as early as 2000. However, recent political
realignments in the region became the catalyst for advancing the
plan.The sanctions on Russia shifted the importance of the Mediterranean
trade route to the Azerbaijan grid. Russia sought Asian and Middle
Eastern export markets for its products. Simultaneously, as Iran was
also reeling under sanctions, Tehran evinced keen interest in the newly
contemplated North-South connectivity, which it came to be called.The
plan got reinforcement from the recent events in the Red Sea and also
the Israel-Hamas clashes in the Middle East. The Iran-backed Houthi
attacks on mercantile shipping across the Red Sea exposed the insecurity
of the Suez link to the Mediterranean. The UK and US had to move their
naval ships to the region to provide security to commercial vessels.
Reflecting on the importance of North-South Sea transportation, Russian
Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk told the Russian media in January
this year: “Given what is seen in the Red Sea region, the North-South
corridor will gain global significance.”The Indian Minister of External
Affairs, S Jaishankar, pointed out that “it is in the interests of the
global economy that this corridor progresses.”Impact-The development of
the North-South corridor will shift the commercial importance of the Red
Sea-Mediterranean link to the new South Caucasian region corridor.The
project has already begun to show its impact. Iran, for example,
supplied drones to Russia unhindered by the sanctions imposed on it.
Moscow has received drones and other military equipment. Second, the
corridor has brought Azerbaijan and Russia closer than ever, which has
boosted the Azerbaijan government’s morale in its impending tensions
with Armenia, which is receiving a lot of Western support.The impact is
not to be construed only in military terms. Its commercial importance is
uppermost because that impacts the lives of millions of people.In one
way, the impact of the North-South corridor has been adverse on Armenia,
no doubt. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads for a long
time over the autonomous region of Nagorno-Karabakh.Armenia had to bid
goodbye to Karabakh because of the apathy of Moscow and the aggressive
designs of Azerbaijan bolstered by Erdogan’s (Turkey) hawkish regime.The
North-South corridor can potentially transform the lives of millions of
people in the region by opening new avenues of economic activity, easy
mobility, and freedom from the adverse impact of economic
sanctions.Azerbaijan is an important point on the road linking Europe
with China via the Caspian Sea. It is also a supplier of oil and natural
gas to Europe through pipelines.Previously, Azerbaijan was not on good
terms with Iran due to Azerbaijan’s pro-Turkey stance. At that time,
Armenia had come closer to Iran essentially through the large Armenian
diaspora in Iran.However, that situation has changed now, and the
Iranian foreign minister bluntly told his Armenian counterpart during
the latter’s visit to Tehran not to open up freely to the Jewish state
of Israel and its allies.Armenia-Alarmed by the far-reaching
geopolitical changes stemming from the North-South corridor project,
Armenia put forward a proposal.Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashiniyan
presented the “Crossroads of Peace” proposal in October last year,
which envisioned a north-south and east-west network of rail and road
through which Armenia hopes to reopen its borders with Azerbaijan and
Turkey.Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid his maiden
visit to Yerevan, the Armenian capital, in October 2021.Political
pundits believe that the recent rise in India-Armenia relations is the
need of the hour amidst the crucial geopolitical game in the South
Caucasus region. Armenia desires India to try to balance the fractured
geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus, which has witnessed
regional power rivalry, conflict over territory, and war as well. Prof.
KN Pandita (Padma Shri) is the former director of the Center of Central
Asian Studies at Kashmir University.This article contains the author’s
personal views.Follow EurAsian Times on X (formerly Twitter)
F-15
Vs Su-35: Iranian Expert Bets Big On Russian Super Flankers To Outflank
Invading Israeli Jets-By Parth Satam - April 17, 2024
With
another round of escalation expected between Iran and Israel following
the former’s missile barrage in retaliation to its embassy being bombed
by the Jewish nation, experts have laid out a series of scenarios of how
Tel Aviv’s and Tehran’s militaries might clash. The tactical situations
involve Israeli Air Force (IsAF) F-15Is releasing air-launched
ballistic missiles (ALBM) to saturate Iranian air defenses. Iran might
increase the tempo and lethality of its missile strikes—rather than the
largely symbolic salvo earlier this week. Two interesting observations
about the military element in the two countries’ international
diplomacy, however, come into focus. First is the claim that Israel has
been pressuring Russia to stall and delay the sale of Su-35S Generation
4.5 fighters to Iran, which poses a severe threat to IsAF’s F-15Is and,
to a certain extent, its F-35s.Secondly, reports say Iran is
qualitatively enhancing its existing and future missile arsenals with
sophisticated Russian technology. This is in return for parting with its
own cheap, mass-produced kamikaze drone technology like the Shahed-136
(rechristened Geranium-2 by Russia). Russian Tech Helps Iranian
Missiles-The second part first. The Washington Post (WaPo), referring to
leaked emails and documents, reported how an Iranian delegation was
hosted at Russian arms maker NPP Yekaterinburg in March 2023, showcasing
“scientific and technical, potential and production capabilities” that
Russia could offer Iran. Intelligence officials told WaPo that Russia
will “provide its ally with advanced fighter jets and air defense
technology, assets that could help Tehran harden its defenses against
any future airstrike by Israel or the United States.” “The weapons
deals, some details of which have not been reported previously, are part
of a broader collaboration that includes co-production of military
drones inside Russia, the sharing of anti-jamming technology, and
real-time battlefield assessments of weapons deployed against
NATO-equipped forces in Ukraine. The cooperation is reaping substantial
benefits for both countries, elevating Iran’s status to a strategic
partner,” WaPo said. This validates a previous EurAsian Times analysis
that touched upon the unprecedented defense technical heft being given
to Russo-Iranian relations amid their mutually shared hostility with the
West. That report noted how Russia had manufactured and used its own
iteration of the Shahed 136 (Geran-2) to devastating effect in Ukraine
after acquiring the full technology and reverse engineering the UAV with
the help of Iranian engineers.It is now likely to return the favor by
parting with cutting-edge missile propulsion, target seeker, guidance
and navigation technology. The conclusions were based on comments of
Russian and Iranian defense officials following the first-of-its-kind
visit of Moscow’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu to Iran in September
2023, where he was shown a series of missiles and combat UAVs.On a
different note, Russia is also pursuing a similar partnership with North
Korea. While using the North’s massive stockpile of artillery
ammunition, it can be said to have lent technical assistance to
Pyongyang’s Hwasong-16B Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV). Israeli F-15s To
‘ROCK’ Iranian Air Defenses? ‘Patarames,’ a handle on X (formerly
Twitter) that specializes in analyzing Iranian military technology and
doctrine, shared a computer-generated graphic from Israel’s Rafael
Advanced Systems, showing F-15Is firing the ROCKS air-to-surface (ASM)
to “saturate” Iranian air defenses. The brochure described the ROCKS as
an “all-weather, day-night” stand-off ASM that can, with “either a
penetration or blast fragmentation warhead, destroy above-ground or
well-protected underground targets in heavily surface-to-air defended
areas.”The pilot feeds target information (coordinates, impact angle,
azimuth, topographic imagery data, and fuse delays) into the missile
prior to launch. It is not clear if this data can be loaded into the
missile on the ground prior to the mission, like the British-French
SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) Ukraine fires
from its Su-24M ground attack jets. However, it does share the
terminal-stage target acquisition and approach with a “scene-matching
technology,” to “overcome GPS jamming scenarios.” Images of the target
(typically a building or fortified structure) and its surroundings are
loaded into the missile’s memory. The missile’s optical seeker then
matches the live image with the stored picture to confirm the target
identity and commences its attack run. SCALP and Storm Shadow use the
Digital Scene Matching Area Correlator (DSMAC) technology, which
operates on the same principle. The ROCKS missile’s image correlation
technology and electro-optical seeker are particularly aided by an
Automatic Target Acquisition algorithm that also helps it “overcome
anti-radiation technologies, GPS jamming, navigation, and Target
Location Errors.” In its mid-course trajectory, ROCKS uses an Inertial
Navigation System (INS)/GPS. The illustrated image shows an F-15I firing
ROCKS missiles that are striking long-range SAM sites. One missile is
also seen hitting the base of a mountain—possibly denoting an
underground Iranian nuclear site. It is seen diving down and turning 180
degrees to hit the base of the mountain.The F-15 is approaching the
target from behind the mountain, representing the missile’s maneuvering
capability and range, which keep the launch aircraft well outside the
range of SAMs. “Compared to Natanz, Arak, and Esfahan Uranium Conversion
Facility (UCF), Fordow uranium enrichment plant would be immune to such
weapons. Yet, an unknown larger variant could be carried by a single
F-15 and possess a higher penetration capability warhead to damage
entrances. (This can put them) UGF out of action for longer,” the
Patarames said. F-15I Vs. Su-35S-The F-15Is might fly a low-altitude
“terrain-masking” flight profile over Jordan, “pop up over Iraq,” “dash
to Mach 1.5,” climb to an altitude of “14 km,” and launch “two ROCKS”
missiles. For the “penetrating effect” required for underground targets,
they can retain an “impact velocity” of “Mach 5.” In this context,
Patarames said, “This weapon class and capability should be the reason
why Israel used all its leverage on Russia to cancel or at least delay
the delivery of Su-35. Those could easily thwart the incoming attacks
and force the F-15 to jettison their heavy ALBM (Air-Launched Ballistic
Missile) to defend themselves.” Iran’s Cold War-era US-made F-14
Tomcats, F-4E Phantom IIs have been suffering severe maintainability and
flight-worthiness issues as debilitating economic and military-trade
sanctions prevent it from accessing spares. The roundabout measures to
access aerospace parts from intermediate, smaller aviation services
companies to circumvent sanctions became unsustainable after US law
enforcement authorities busted the rackets and arrested several American
Iranians in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Its Soviet-origin MiG-29s,
meanwhile, are too few to make any noticeable difference. This situation
motivated the far-sighted Iranians to compensate by focusing on a
missile and drone-centric military doctrine in the 1980s.The Generation
4.5 Su-35S would be the most advanced jet in the Islamic Republic of
Iran Air Force (IRIAF) and comparable to the Israeli F-15I or Qatari
Eurofighter Typhoon. The Su-35S with its N035 Irbis-E passive
electronically-scanned array (PESA) radar can detect aerial targets at a
range of 400 km, provide high-resolution ground images in synthetic
aperture mode, has an OLS-35 electro-optical targeting system and
Khibiny-M electronic warfare (EW), that comprises of pods on the
wingtips and sensors around the aircraft.The jet can be used for purely
air superiority modes to tackle the F-15, which as discussed in another
EurAsian Times piece, would most likely be employed as a ‘missile truck’
– launching air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles based on targeting
information received from its stealth F-35Is. IsAF would find it
difficult to conduct long-range standoff strikes, while Iranian
ground-based AD systems like the Bavar-373 – which it says is comparable
to the Russian S-400 – would be free to tackle other Israeli aircraft
and land strike munitions.Israel Eyes Iranian Nuclear Sites-EurAsian
Times had analyzed how Iran’s nuclear facilities might be Israel’s
primary target, which both parties perceive lends Tehran very long-term
geopolitical and diplomatic leverage before the West. Tel Aviv “might
have far deeper and long-term goals for which it might be willing to
risk a short, sharp, wider regional war,” that article said, which
discussed the IsAF’s latest and previous exercises that targeted Iran’s
nuclear facilities.This implied that both sides face mutual military
advantages and disadvantages, “Israel has a vastly qualitatively
superior air force with Generation 4.5 and Generation 5 jets. Iran makes
up for its lack of conventional strength with a massive ground army, a
stockpile of tanks and artillery, and a production capacity that far
outstrips Israel,” the EurAsian Times analysis said.It also has an
enormous and diverse inventory of tactical conventional and nuclear
ballistic missiles and drones. “Israel can strike once and hit Iran but
not meaningfully continue a campaign,” Patarames said.The author can be
reached at satamp@gmail.com
Iran-Israel War – When US Navy Sank The Largest Warship Since WWII, Resulting In Massive Iranian Defeat-By Ashish Dangwal -
April 19, 2024
Israel
launched retaliatory strikes against Iran, targeting the vicinity of
Isfahan in central Iran. The retaliation follows Iran’s recent massive
drone and missile assault on Israeli territory, marking a dangerous
escalation that threatens to engulf the entire region.Reports indicate
that the strike, which occurred overnight, targeted the area around
Isfahan in central Iran, a site believed to have been involved in the
April 13 attack on Israel.The exchange of fire between the two nations
has reignited fears of a broader conflict, with concerns mounting over
the potential involvement of the United States. The situation draws
parallel to historical confrontations, particularly Operation Earnest
Will in the late 1980s (July 24, 1987– September 26, 1988), when the
United States intervened in the Gulf region amid rising tension. During
this operation, US warships were deployed to escort reflagged Kuwaiti
tankers targeted by Iran, leading to clashes between US and Iranian
forces.During Operation Earnest Will, another US military move took
place. It was Operation Praying Mantis, a fierce daylong battle between
the US Navy and the Iranian Navy. The operation was launched four days
after an Iranian mine hit the USS Samuel B. Roberts on April 14,
1988.undefined-Samuel B. Roberts is carried away aboard Mighty Servant 2
after hitting a mine in the Persian Gulf.The blast caused the ship to
be lifted out of the water, creating a 30-foot hole below the waterline
and destroying a 15-foot section of the keel. Ten sailors sustained
severe injuries, including four who were severely burned, alongside
Commander Paul X. Rinn.Despite the ship’s critical condition, the
exceptional damage control efforts of the well-trained crew prevented
its sinking, as described in Bradley Peniston’s book, “No Higher Honor:
Saving the USS Samuel B. Roberts in the Persian Gulf.”The crew resorted
to welding steel plates and rigging cables to prevent the ship’s stern
from breaking off, showcasing a heroic feat of damage control.In
response to the incident, the US reacted vigorously. Under the direction
of President Reagan, the US Navy engaged the Iranian Navy in a daylong
operation named Praying Mantis, employing combined surface-ship and air
attacks.Operation Praying Mantis-According to the Naval History and
Heritage Command, “Operation Praying Mantis was the largest of five
major US Navy surface actions since World War II. It was the first, and
so far the only time the US Navy has exchanged surface-to-surface
missile fire with an enemy, and it resulted in the largest warship sunk
by the U.S. Navy since WWII.”The mission’s objective was clear: to
neutralize Iranian oil platforms serving as bases for attacks on Gulf
shipping and to eliminate threats posed by Iranian naval vessels,
particularly the notorious frigates targeting merchant-ship crews with
machine-gun fire.The US military deployed a squadron of EA-6B Prowler
electronic attack aircraft to suppress Iranian fire-control radars and
communications, enabling American aircrew to engage their targets
safely.The opening salvo of the battle saw naval gunfire and explosive
charges damaging the Iranian oil platforms. In response, two Iranian F-4
Phantom aircraft, a guided-missile patrol boat, and armed Boghammer
speedboats were sent into the battle.880418-N-ZZ999-005: Operation
Praying Mantis, April 1988. Aerial view of the Iranian frigate IS Alvand
(71) burning after being attacked by aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 11
from USS Enterprise (CVN-65). The attack was launched after the
guided-missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) struck a mine on
April 14, 1988. IS Alvand was hit by three Harpoon Missiles plus cluster
munitions. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.Aerial view of the Iranian
frigate IS Alvand (71) burning after being attacked by aircraft of
Carrier Air Wing 11 from USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Official U.S. Navy
Photograph.Undeterred, US forces relentlessly engaged the Iranian
threats. Surface-to-air missiles chased off the Phantoms, while the USS
Wainwright and USS Simpson sank the patrol boat with a barrage of
missiles and naval gunfire. A-6E Intruder aircraft launched attacks on
the Boghammers, sinking one and damaging others, forcing the remaining
boats to retreat. As the battle intensified, an A-6 Intruder piloted by
Cmdr. Bud Langston came under fire from the Iranian frigate Sahand. In a
display of courage and precision, Langston and his crew returned fire,
striking Sahand with missiles and a laser-guided bomb. Another Intruder
and A-7 Corsairs joined the fray, unleashing a relentless barrage of
missiles and bombs that set Sahand ablaze.Hours later, the severely
damaged Sahand succumbed to the relentless assault. In a bold but
ill-fated move, the sister ship Sabalan ventured into the fray, only to
face a similar fate. undefined-The Iranian frigate Sahand burning from
bow to stern on April 18 1988 after being attacked.A laser-guided bomb,
delivered by Lt. Cmdr. Jim Engler’s Intruder, struck Sabalan’s engine
room and delivered a decisive blow.Despite the operation’s success,
President Reagan opted to call off further attacks, recognizing the toll
taken on both sides. The US had made its point clear: aggression
against its interests would not be tolerated.In the aftermath of
Operation Praying Mantis, Iran towed the damaged Sabalan back to port,
marking the end of a swift and decisive response to Iranian
provocations. The operation showcased the formidable capabilities of the
US military and served as a warning to adversaries seeking to challenge
American interests in the region.William J. Luti, a retired U.S. Navy
captain and an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute, noted, “Praying
Mantis remains a case study in strengthening deterrence. Our victory
kept Iran’s Navy at bay for more than two decades and helped change the
course of the Iran-Iraq War, which had upended the region for eight
bloody years. Iran never laid mines in the Gulf again.”Iranian
Intelligence’s Misjudgment-Years later, a declassified CIA report shed
light on a crucial aspect of Operation Praying Mantis, revealing a
significant misunderstanding on the part of Iranian intelligence.
According to the report, Iran believed that the operation was part of a
coordinated effort between the United States and Iraq, with the US Navy
launching attacks from the south and Iraq initiating a major offensive
from the north.The timing of the operation coincided with a key event on
Iran’s northern border, as Iraq launched a major offensive across
Iran’s disputed northwest border on the morning of April 18, 1988.
Iranian intelligence erroneously conveyed to the Ayatollah that a pact
had been formed between Saddam Hussein’s Iraq and the United States to
confront Iran simultaneously from both northern and southern fronts.The
tragic incident involving the shoot-down of an Iranian airliner by the
USS Vincennes further fueled the Ayatollah’s belief that the United
States was poised to continue its military actions from the southern
front. Faced with the daunting prospect of confronting two major
adversaries on multiple fronts, Iran opted to seek peace with Iraq just a
month later.Operation Praying Mantis, in this context, served a dual
purpose. On the one hand, it restored a sense of national pride for the
United States, showcasing its military prowess and resolve.On the other
hand, it inadvertently played a role in bringing an end to the prolonged
and devastating Iran-Iraq War, which had exacted a heavy toll in terms
of lives lost and infrastructure destroyed, both among soldiers and
civilians alike.Contact the author at ashishmichel(at)gmail.com
Iran
Fired ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ To Attack Israel; Punctured Its Overhyped
Air Defense Systems – State Media-By Sakshi Tiwari - April 15, 2024
After
the massive aerial strike launched by Iran on Israel directly from its
soil, there are claims that Tehran also employed hypersonic missiles
that allegedly hit all its designated targets, bypassing Israel’s
cutting-edge air defense systems.Every hypersonic missile fired by Iran
in retaliatory strikes against Israel has successfully struck its
targets after dodging the air defense systems of the country, Iran’s
state news agency Press TV claimed a day after the overnight attacks
launched by Tehran.The report stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran
used hypersonic weapons against real targets for the first time when it
launched massive missile and drone strikes on what it called “occupied
territory.”The strikes, dubbed Operation True Promise, were carried out
by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and inflicted damage on
Israeli military bases.Press TV was informed by sources that none of
Iran’s hypersonic missiles were intercepted by the Israeli regime or its
allies. However, the reports stopped short of naming the hypersonic
missiles in question. The sources further underlined that Iran is one of
the few nations with the technology to develop hypersonic missiles,
which can strike targets precisely while traveling at astounding
speeds.The claims about the use of hypersonic weapons could not be
independently verified by the EurAsian Times. When asked whether Iran
actually used a hypersonic missile, a Middle-East expert told the
EurAsian Times, “They seem to have meant Kheibar Shekan (ballistic
missile) when they said hypersonic.”Major General Mohammad Baqeri, the
chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, announced on April 14 that
Israel’s Nevatim Airbase, from where an F-35 aircraft took off to bomb
Iran’s diplomatic facilities in Damascus, was hit by Iran, along with
another large intelligence base located inside Israel.He continued by
saying that the strikes “reached its goals” since the Iranian drones and
missiles were not adequately intercepted by the regime’s “Iron Dome”
system. The IRGC was responding to an earlier April missile attack by
Israel on Iran’s diplomatic buildings in the Syrian capital of
Damascus.It was the biggest drone strike ever executed by any nation,
and it was Iran’s first frontal assault on Israel in over fifty years of
enmity.The Israel Defense Force (IDF) claims that 350 Iranian drones
and missiles were fired against Israel during the night, and the
warheads of these missiles and missiles combined carried 60 tons of
explosives.Iran launched some 120 ballistic missiles, 30 cruise
missiles, and 170 drones at targets in Israel Friday night, according to
the IDF, which had earlier stated that 99 percent of the missiles were
shot down, the great majority of them did so before they even reached
Israeli airspace.Footage showing Members of the Israel Defense Force
earlier today Removing the Fuselage of a Iranian “Emad” Medium-Range
Ballistic Missile from the Sea of Galilee, after it was Shot Down during
Saturday Night’s Attack. pic.twitter.com/vZeV1lflEq— Politics World
Wide Web (@PoliticsWWWeb) April 15, 2024-Iran has not published the
names of drones and missiles used against Israel in the operation.
However, images that surface on social media displaying sections of
those missiles that were shot down or otherwise missed their targets
indicated some of the ballistic missiles used by Iran included Emad,
Ghadr-110, Dezful, as well as a Kheiber Shekan, all of which are
medium-range ballistic missiles.Israel said it intercepted 99% of drones
and missiles and celebrated the effectiveness of its defenses against
an unprecedented Iranian strike. All of the UAVs and cruise missiles
were shot down, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said, while a few
ballistic missiles got through Israel’s defenses.As for hypersonic
missiles, they are believed to be more challenging to intercept given
their maneuverability and unexpected trajectory. However, the experience
gained from the battle in Ukraine, where Kyiv claims to have
intercepted multiple Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, has shown the
weapons are not invincible. Hypersonic missiles are capable of
overcoming various kinds of air defense systems by performing a variety
of maneuvers in and out of the Earth’s atmosphere. In fact, Israel
claims that it made an exoatmospheric intercept of a missile.
Exoatmospheric interception is the process of intercepting a missile
outside of the atmosphere, which is located around 100 kilometers above
sea level. However, there is no confirmation from Israel or its allies
about intercepting an Iranian hypersonic missile.Iran’s Hypersonic
Missile-Iran unveiled its first-ever hypersonic missile, Fattah, in June
2023. It claims it can penetrate all enemy missile defense
systems.Iranian media reports have stated that the missile can reach a
maximum speed of Mach 15 (5,145 meters or 16,880 feet per second), has a
range of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles), and travels at a high
maneuverability thanks to the use of solid propellants.The missile’s
name, reportedly chosen by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,
roughly translates to “to make victorious.” The unveiling of the missile
was passed off as a historic ceremony, as Iran allegedly became the
first country in the entire Middle Eastern region to wield a hypersonic
weapon that moves at more than five times the speed of sound.Although
International military experts have questioned Iran’s assertions that
Fattah is a hypersonic missile, calling it an attempt at disinformation,
Tehran erected a provocative billboard in Tehran a few days after the
launch of the said missile. It featured the Fattah hypersonic missile
and a chilling message that reads, “400 Seconds to Tel Aviv,” directly
threatening Israel’s largest city.Iran’s latest claims about hypersonic
strike are in line with previous assertion made by Iran’s state TV that
the hypersonic missile can bypass even the most advanced anti-ballistic
missile systems of the United States and the “Zionist regime,” including
Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.While the world was still reeling
with the information about the potential presence of a hypersonic weapon
in Iran, the country showed off another hypersonic missile codenamed
Fattah-2 a few months later, in November 2023.According to Iranian
official media, Fattah-2 is a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). Compared
to a ballistic warhead that travels in a more foreseeable arc, an HGV
offers significantly greater mobility as it glides to its target after
initial launch. Pro-Iran military watchers touted the introduction of a
second and more potent hypersonic missile within months of unveiling the
first as an exceptional feat.However, since Western and Israeli
officials rarely take Iranian claims seriously, they have continued to
brush off reports that Tehran has indeed developed a hypersonic weapon –
a capability that remains out of bounds for several technologically
advanced militaries.ontact the author at
sakshi.tiwari9555(at)gmail.com-Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
IAF’s
Su-30 MKI Test Fires Ballistic Missile That Can ‘Rock’ Pakistan’s
Terror Camps From Indian Airspace-By Ritu Sharma - April 24, 2024
India
has test-fired Israeli-origin air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM)
Crystal Maze-II. The extended range ALBM means that the Indian Air Force
(IAF) will not need to cross the border to strike targets like Balakot,
should the need arise in the future, as the entire North Pakistan is
within its range.On April 23, the Indian Defense Ministry announced that
the Russian-origin Sukhoi Su-30MKI test-fired the new version of a
medium-range ballistic missile manufactured by the Israeli Rafael in
Andamans and Nicobar. The missile christened Rocks or Crystal Maze II,
is capable of hitting targets at a distance of more than 250
kilometers.The IAF intends to manufacture these missiles under the Make
in India initiative, leveraging the technology from Israel. The
relevance of ALBMs has become highlighted in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia
war. Russian fighter jets have been deploying ALBMs from well within its
territory and outside the hitting range of Ukrainian air defense
systems.The ALBMs are designed to strike high-value stationary and
movable targets in GPS-denied environments, like the one India faced
during the Kargil War.When Pakistani troops infiltrated Kargil, India
asked the US for Global Positioning System (GPS) data for the region.
The US denied India’s request for information from the space-based
navigation system maintained by the US government. Crystal Maze II would
have been able to overcome the impediment.The test of Crystal Maze II
was carried out by India’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC). The missile
allows India to strike targets deep within enemy territory without
physically crossing the border.Balakot was the site of an airstrike
carried out by the IAF in February 2019. During that operation, IAF jets
crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to target terrorist infrastructure in
Balakot, Pakistan, 81 kilometers from Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, and 50
kilometers from the Line of Control.With the Crystal Maze-II, the IAF
can potentially hit Balakot or similar targets without crossing the
border, enhancing strategic flexibility.ALBMs can be launched from
various platforms, including fighter jets, bombers, and other aircraft.
This flexibility allows for rapid deployment and adaptability to
changing scenarios. Unlike ground-based missiles, ALBMs are not tied to
fixed launch sites, making them harder to predict and counter by
adversaries.ALBMs can be launched from high altitudes, allowing them to
bypass enemy air defenses and missile interception systems. By
approaching targets from unexpected angles, ALBMs increase the
likelihood of successful strikes.Since ALBMs are air-launched, they have
shorter flight times compared to ground-launched missiles. This reduced
warning time makes it challenging for adversaries to respond
effectively. ALBMs can be deployed covertly, catching opponents off
guard. Surprise launches can disrupt an adversary’s military operations
and create confusion.Interestingly, during the Balakot strikes, the IAF
could not fire any of the intended six Israeli air-to-surface missiles
called the Crystal Maze-1 from the Mirage 2000 against Pakistan because
its laid-down protocols did not allow it in that particular situation.If
the Crystal Maze-1 missiles had been launched along with the SPICE-2000
bombs, they would’ve provided a live video feed of the bombs hitting
their targets.ALBMs like Crystal Maze-II serve as a deterrent against
aggression. They bolster India’s defense capabilities by providing an
additional layer of response options. However, they come with their
challenges related to aircraft modifications, safety protocols, and
coordination.Su-30 MKI-Crystal Maze-II-This air-to-surface missile (ASM)
is a precision-guided munition developed by the Israeli defense company
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. It is renowned for its accuracy and
effectiveness in striking ground and naval targets.The missiles are
equipped with advanced guidance systems, incorporating inertial, imaging
infrared, or TV guidance, which guarantees exceptional precision even
over extended distances.These missiles commonly carry high-explosive
warheads and can be deployed from diverse platforms, including aircraft
and submarines. This adaptability renders them suitable for an extensive
array of missions, from targeting enemy military installations to
striking naval vessels.The missiles would also serve India well in the
Indian Ocean Region (IOR), considered to be the country’s area of
dominance.To achieve precise terminal homing, the operator can directly
control the missile through an INS (Inertial Navigation System) and a
data link, using either a television or imaging infrared seeker, which
depends on the specific missile model.Importantly, the launching
aircraft doesn’t need to retain control of the missile; control can be
transferred to another platform while the launching aircraft safely
exits the area.The export versions offer a choice between two types of
warheads: a 340 kg (750 lb) blast/fragmentation warhead or a 360 kg (790
lb) penetrator. These guidance systems work in harmony to ensure that
the missile precisely reaches its intended target.Ritu Sharma has been a
journalist for over a decade, writing on defense, foreign affairs, and
nuclear technology.The author can be reached at ritu.sharma (at)
mail.com-Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
IAF Jaguar Fighters
To Get ‘F-35 Missiles’; New-Gen French Missiles To Boost ‘Nuclear
Capable’ Warplanes-By Ritu Sharma - April 22, 2024
After giving a
new lease of life to its 1970s Sepecat Jaguar deep penetration strike
aircraft, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is looking to integrate New
Generation Close Combat missiles for the fighter jets.The IAF, the only
air force in the world to operate these fighters, has revitalized them
by performing a major upgrade that includes new attack and navigation
avionics.The IAF has sought proposals from industry players to modify
and re-equip two aircraft with new-generation missiles. The missiles
will be integrated with the aircraft’s new Display Attack Ranging
Inertial Navigation-III (DARIN-III) avionics and helmet-mounted
display.The missiles are being identified as European firm MBDA’s
Advance Short Range Air-To-Air Missile (ASRAAM).The IAF tender calls for
the inclusion of Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS) to improve the
pilot’s situational awareness and targeting capabilities. HMDS projects
critical flight and targeting information directly onto the pilot’s
helmet visor.The IAF has selected NGCCM (next-gen close combat missile)
to replace the aging Matra R550 Magic on the Jaguar strike aircraft’s
over-the-wing pylon. ASRAAM has an infrared homing system that can track
and hone in on a target range inside the line of sight. The missile
weighs 88 kg and has a range of more than 25 km.“IIR (Imaging Infrared)
is the most advanced IR missile. There is no information on the target
when IR missiles are launched since they are passive. With a
Helmet-mounted Sighting Display, pilots can cue the missile head to look
toward the target without turning the aircraft on that side. This makes
off-boresight launch possible,” an official told the EurAsian
Times.“The missiles also make it possible without input from onboard
radar making ‘over the shoulder’ shots possible as no radar looks
behind,” the official added.ASRAAM is in service with the Royal Air
Force as its Within Visual Range (WVR) Dominance weapon. The weapon has
been deployed by the Royal Australian Air Force on its F/A-18 Hornet.In
WVR air combat, the ability to strike first is vital. A pilot engaging
an enemy needs a missile that reacts more rapidly than ever before with
the speed and agility to maximize the probability of a kill, regardless
of evasive target maneuvers or the deployment of countermeasures.ASRAAM
accepts target information via aircraft sensors, such as radar or
helmet-mounted sight, but it can also act as an autonomous infrared
search and track system. The RAAF has demonstrated successful ‘over the
shoulder’ firing in Lock On After Launch (LOAL) mode against target
drones that were behind the wing-line of the launch aircraft.The missile
has been fully integrated with Eurofighter Typhoon, Tornado, and
F/A-18. Now, ASRAAM is also being integrated into the F-35 Lightning
II.The IR missiles, also known as fire-and-forget, will enable Jaguars
to successfully engage various types of combat aircraft, transport
platforms as well as cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.The
project will involve studying the Jaguar’s existing DARIN-III avionics,
developing technical specifications, modifying the existing software,
airframe, and wing pylons, conducting ground and flight trials, and
final certification.Jaguars – Penetrate Deep, Strike Hard-The IAF’s
Anglo-French Sepecat Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft are one of
its primary strike jets in the combat fleet. Out of the 140 aircraft
acquired initially, 125 remain in service.Inducted into the IAF some
four decades back, it has undergone multiple upgrades in its avionics
and weapons, keeping it relevant in its role for the IAF.
Jaguar-Jets-A
French Air Force Jaguar A/E Fighter-Bomber aircraft flies a refueling
mission over the Adriatic Sea, in support of Operation JOINT FORGE.India
is the sole remaining Jaguar operator, with other users—France, the UK,
Oman, Nigeria, and Ecuador—having retired them. India has adopted
Jaguar fighter-bombers to deliver nuclear gravity bombs, making them an
essential part of its nuclear triad.The IAF had procured 31
decommissioned Jaguar airframes from France with the purchase of Rafale,
to cannibalize them for their spares and ensure the serviceability of
its aircraft.Jaguars have played an important role in various conflicts
in India. During Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka and the 1999 Kargil War,
the aircraft conducted reconnaissance missions. The photo-recce missions
conducted during the Kargil War along the Line of Control helped bomb
enemy positions using precision munitions.In the 1970s, forty of these
aircraft were imported from the UK, and thereafter, the public-sector
aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) licensed produced these
aircraft in India until 2007. Since then, the fighters have undergone
three major upgrades, the latest one being DARIN III.The DARIN III
includes an open-system architecture mission computer, multi-functional
displays, an engine and flight instrument system, a new fire control
radar, a geodetic height correction system, and an inertial navigation
system with satellite navigation.The DARIN III Jaguars have also been
equipped with the Israeli EL/M-2052, giving it an improved defensibility
against electronic warfare jamming. By having multiple transceiver
modules (TRM), each transmitting in a different radio frequency, the
EL/M-2052 also has a lower probability-of-intercept of enemy radar
warning receivers.undefined-A pair of Indian Air Force Jaguars flying in
formation besides a pair of Indian Navy Sea Harriers and a pair of U.S.
Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets, flying over the Indian Navy aircraft carrier
INS Virat during Exercise Malabar. Via: Wikipedia-In other words, the
Jaguar DARIN III would be more difficult to detect and jam.EL/M-2052 is
an advanced multi-mode radar capable of air-to-air, air-to-ground, and
air-to-sea tracking, targeting, and engagement. Elta has not disclosed
the radar’s range or the number of targets it can track and
simultaneously engage.However, the most important component of the
aircraft, its engine, has yet to undergo upgradation. The aircraft,
powered by two Rolls-Royce Adour Mk 811 turbofan engines, is
underpowered. A more powerful engine is required to push its flight
envelope and allow it to operate at high altitudes.The aircraft keeps
losing thrust with time and has lowered capacity by 15-20 percent due to
an antiquated engine that needs replacement due to substantial wear and
tear. As previously noted by the EurAsian Times, the aircraft is also
under-equipped to carry out its combat missions effectively.The Jaguar
fleet has no specified airframe calendar life and is only based on the
Fatigue Index. Based on the individual aircraft operational exploitation
of the fleet, it is believed that it has an approximate residual of
10-15 years of airframe life.The IAF aims to replace these aircraft with
the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-2.Ritu Sharma has
been a journalist for over a decade, writing on defense, foreign
affairs, and nuclear technology.The author can be reached at ritu.sharma
(at) mail.com-Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
India’s 3rd
Nuke-Powered Submarine Spotted In Satellite Image; ‘Nuclear Triad’
Bolstered Amid China Threats-By Ritu Sharma - April 17, 2024
With
an eye on China, India has been bolstering its military capabilities.
In line with this, it launched its third indigenous nuclear-powered
attack submarine (SSBN) in 2021.The latest satellite imagery showed the
extended nuclear submarine, codenamed S-4, underlining the possibility
that it has already been inducted into the Indian Navy.Satellite imagery
taken at the outer dry deck of the secretive Ship Building Centre (SCB)
in Visakhapatnam shows S-4 (the third Arihant-class SSBN) along with
two of its predecessors.The Launch tubes are visible in the image, and
the submarine will be able to carry twice the number of
submarine-launched ballistic missiles than the previous iteration of the
Arihant class submarines.The S-4 submarine is expected to have K-4
submarine-launched ballistic missiles with a 3500-kilometer range. The
S4 and S4* are expected to be fitted with K-4 missiles. The need for
long-range submarine-launched missiles corresponds to the increasing
tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.The K-15 missiles fitted on INS
Arihant have a range of 750 km, which is woefully short of hitting
anything significant in China, which is currently a prime adversary for
India.Even in a conflict with Pakistan, it would only have targets
within its range in the south of the country. These are the first
indigenously developed short-range submarine-launched ballistic missiles
(SLBMs).One of the big challenges in the sea leg of nuclear deterrence
is that an underwater vertical launch system is among the most
sophisticated and complex weapons since it demands stability, speed, and
accuracy in two mediums—water and atmosphere.The induction of S-4 will
greatly boost India’s nuclear deterrence. The lack of at least three
operational submarines means that the submarines are primarily in and
out of the harbor without maintaining constant nuclear deterrence. So
far, India had two nuclear-powered ballistic submarines (SSBNs) dubbed
Advanced Technology Vessels (ATV). The first of these two is S2 (INS
Arihant) and S3 (INS Arighat).Only China has SSBNs in the Indian
neighborhood. These have been deployed in the past for “counter-piracy
patrols” off the east coast of Africa. However, Chinese anti-submarine
warfare is in a nascent stage.Given the threat assessment for India,
SSBN promises a guarantee of survivability of nuclear retaliatory
capability. With its long coastlines and peninsula, the SSBNs can remain
hidden in ocean depths during the conflict to ensure the survival of
second-strike capability.“For nuclear deterrence, one submarine always
needs to be on patrol. If Arihant is in and out of the harbor, it is not
exactly a deterrent,” an Indian Navy officer told the EurAsian Times.
“We need 3-4 SSBNs so we can keep one on patrol when one may be in port,
one going for patrol, and one coming back,” he explained.Buttressing
his point, the officer referred to 52 years of Continuous Sea Deterrent
(CASD), the UK’s longest sustained military operation ever. “If one
cannot sustain it, it is hardly a deterrence,” the officer concluded.In
2021, India quietly launched the yet-to-be-christened S-4 SSBN. British
publication Janes reported on December 29, 2021, that S4 was launched on
November 23 and had been ‘relocated’ to near the ‘fitting-out wharf’
that was presently occupied by INS Arighat, the second such
nuclear-armed missile submarine.The British publication further reported
that satellite imagery had confirmed that at 7,000 tonnes, the S4 SSBN
was ‘slightly larger,’ with a load water line measurement of 125.4m
compared with 111.6m of the 6,000-tonne INS Arihant, the lead boat in
this class. It categorized the S4 – and successive boats – as
‘Arihant-stretch’ variants.The first indigenous submarine, INS Arihant,
is a 6,000-ton ship powered by an 83 MW pressurized light water reactor
(PWR) fuelled with enriched Uranium. It is 110 meters long with an
11-meter-wide beam and can travel up to 24 knots underwater.INS Arihant,
the first indigenous SSBN, was launched in 2009 and commissioned in
2016. In November 2019, INS Arihant completed its first deterrence
patrol. The Indian government announced the establishment of the
country’s “survivable nuclear triad”—the capability to launch nuclear
strikes from land, air, and sea platforms.INS Arihant is a technology
demonstrator and an achievement for the Indian indigenization program.
When the ATV was involved in an accident in 2017, India had no nuclear
triad.Making Indian Nuclear Deterrence Credible-In case of a nuclear
conflict, the highest level of survivability lies with equipping
nuclear-powered submarines with ballistic missiles with sufficient
ranges. Since the submarine-launched ballistic missile first came into
being, it has been considered the most survivable delivery system, as
ocean depths remain opaque to a large extent.INDIA SUBMARINE NAVY-The
Western Seaboard witnessed eight submarines operating together in a
recently concluded exercise in the Arabian Sea, demonstrating their high
levels of Op Readiness. Image for Representation-A US nuclear submarine
captain described the American Polaris submarine as “an extremely
survivable assured capability that the Soviets knew they could not
destroy and knew if they conducted a first strike, that system would
someday be available to retaliate.It might take some time to get the
message to them from a destroyed national headquarters, but someday, the
missile warheads would come raining in, and they would pay the
price.”India has a ‘no first use’ policy when it comes to nuclear
weapons. A country needs the invulnerable second-strike capability that
SSBNs give. In that sense, INS Arihant is a technology demonstrator.The
Indian Project to build a credible nuclear deterrence has been shrouded
in secrecy since its inception. As India realized its goal to operate an
SSBN with the help of Russian aid, it gained experience operating a
nuclear-powered submarine leased from Russia.To make the sub-surface arm
of India’s nuclear triad pack more punch, India has been working on
getting more SSBNs and SLBMs with greater range.The first two SSBNs, the
Arihant and the Arighat, were deficient in this respect as they only
carried the relatively short-range K-15 submarine-launched ballistic
missiles (SLBMs), though they can reportedly also accommodate four K-4
longer-range missiles. The K-15 has a range of only 750 kilometers,
which is insufficient to target China from the Bay of Bengal.In 2023,
India tested its nuclear-capable K-4 submarine-launched ballistic
missile with a strike range of 3,500 km twice a week. The missile was
test-fired from an undersea platform in the shape of a submersible
pontoon off the coast of Andhra Pradesh. The test demonstrated the
missile’s capability to emerge from underwater and undertake its
parabolic trajectory.Once the K-4 missiles are inducted, they will help
India bridge the gap with China, which has SLBMs with a range of over
5,000 kilometers. The K-4 missiles will be followed by the K-5 and K-6
missiles in the 5,000-6,000 km range.Ritu Sharma has been a journalist
for over a decade, writing on defense, foreign affairs, and nuclear
technology. The author can be reached at ritu.sharma (at) mail.com
Pearl Harbor 2.0: China-Taiwan War To Drag NATO In Conflict; Fully Armed US Cannot Thwart Attack On Hawaii? By Sakshi Tiwari -
April 17, 2024
As
concerns over a Chinese invasion of Taiwan intensify, a paper released
on April 15 by the NATO Defense College has warned NATO could become
involved in a potential conflict involving Taiwan if fighting extends to
US territory in the Pacific.The report, “NATO and a Taiwan
contingency,” from the research and education center located in Rome, is
academic research and not an official stand of the European security
bloc. However, analysts believe that since there isn’t much research
about Taiwan’s position vis-a-vis NATO, it could be useful for strategic
planning within the alliance.James Lee, an assistant research fellow at
Taiwan’s Academia Sinica’s Institute of European and American Studies,
authored the report. It comes at a time when China has become more
confrontational in its rhetoric against American military assurances to
Taiwan.Adm. John C. Aquilino, the outgoing head of INDOPACOM (the United
States Indo-Pacific Command is the unified combatant command of the
United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region),
recently warned: “All indications point to the (Chinese) PLA (People’s
Liberation Army) meeting President Xi Jinping’s directive to be ready to
invade Taiwan by 2027,” Aquilino said. “The PLA’s actions indicate
their ability to meet Xi’s preferred timeline to unify Taiwan with
mainland China by force if directed.”Any attack on Taiwan is believed to
draw the United States and its regional allies, including Japan, into
the conflict. In his analysis, Lee looks at whether China’s military
attack would activate Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which
states that an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all of
them.Referring to the islands that connect Japan’s Okinawa to Taiwan and
the Philippines, the report states that “a trigger for Article 5 is
unlikely if hostilities are confined to the immediate vicinity of Taiwan
or the First Island Chain.” However, the analysis also looks at what
may happen in a conflict that results in a Chinese attack on American
military facilities in Hawaii.Many have argued that NATO’s obligations
regarding collective defense do not apply to Hawaii and the US territory
of Guam because Article 6 of the treaty restricts its application to
member countries’ territory “in Europe or North America…or on the
islands under the jurisdiction of any of the parties in the North
Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer.”Lee quoted the UN
Statistics Division’s definition of North America, which states that
“the whole of the United States” is included, but claimed that the
Pacific region was not yet officially recognized.Nonetheless, the report
says that Article 5 may be used depending on how Hawaii is defined, but
even in that case, “the scope of action on the part of the allies would
be relatively limited.”Lee predicted that Washington would either push
NATO to impose sanctions on China or ask nations with an Indo-Pacific
presence – like the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Canada – to
assist American regional operations. In the report, the researcher
suggested creating a Taiwan contingency plan between the United States
and NATO to prevent “a window of vulnerability in Europe.”Hawaii Will
Not Receive NATO’s Backing-Hawaii is a US territory in the Pacific that
houses some major military outposts in the region, including the Pearl
Harbor naval base and the headquarters of the US Indo-Pacific Command,
which overlooks adversaries like China and North Korea. It is, however,
unprotected – unlike the other 49 states that make up the United States
of America.If an attack were launched on this strategic US territory,
the members of the US-led NATO would not be legally obligated to defend
Hawaii.The United States, for example, would be required to defend
Sweden – which recently joined the alliance — if Russia bombed the
state. However, Sweden and 30 other NATO partners would not be legally
required to protect Hawaii if an enemy such as China or Russia struck
Pearl Harbor.Hawaii residents are unaware that they are not protected by
the collective defense clause enjoyed by NATO partners, according to
David Santoro, president of the Pacific Forum, the group in Honolulu.
CNN recently quoted Santoro as saying, “It’s the weirdest thing.”“People
tend to assume Hawaii is part of the US and therefore it’s covered by
NATO,” he noted. Although Hawaii is technically the 50th state of the
United States of America, it does not enjoy the same privileges as the
other states. “The argument for not including Hawaii is simply that it’s
not part of North America,” Santoro says.The Washington Treaty, which
established NATO ten years before Hawaii’s statehood, clarified the
exclusion.According to a US State Department spokesman, Article 4 should
apply to any situation that would affect the 50th state because it
stipulates that members will consult when “the territorial integrity,
political independence or security” of any member is threatened. Hawaii,
however, is not covered by Article 5.NATO China-Experts assume that a
consensus would not be reached for any treaty change that added Hawaii
since several other members also possess territory outside of the bounds
outlined in Article 5.For instance, in 1982, even though the United
Kingdom was one of NATO’s founding members, NATO chose not to intervene
in the conflict when Argentine troops invaded the Falkland Islands, a
disputed British territory in the South Atlantic. Therefore, NATO would
not automatically intervene if Hawaii came under assault in an armed
conflict between the US and China.This becomes more problematic in light
of the US enemies’ growing military might and the obvious expansion of
their stockpile of long-range conventional and nuclear missiles that are
capable of striking and destroying a significant US military
installation in the area in a single blow.It is understood that, even in
the absence of NATO cover, the US territories of Guam and Hawaii would
be essential for beginning military operations in any such Indo-Pacific
war.Defense analysts speculate that China would want to quickly win a
war against the United States, emulating Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor
during World War II. Going ahead, Beijing can give it a modern twist by
unleashing a massive “bolt-from-the-blue attack” that has the potential
to destroy the majority of the military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific
area.The New York Post claimed that even if the US military relocated
every missile defense system it has stationed in Asia, the PLA’s missile
buildup in the Indo-Pacific area is so extensive and potent that the US
won’t be able to thwart China’s Pearl Harbor-style attack.Essentially,
Hawaii’s exclusion from NATO and the possibility of a Russian assault
intended to destroy the US in the event of a very large-scale battle
means that the state no longer has “an element of deterrence” against a
Chinese strike in support of a future Taiwan campaign.On the other hand,
some analysts think that a confrontation involving Chinese attacks on
Hawaii would eventually result in an American response, which would
spark a full-scale battle between the two countries. Thus, NATO would
unavoidably become involved in the fight if China attacked the United
States on its continental territory.Whatever analysts might say, the
study suggests that a confrontation involving China, on the one hand,
and NATO, on the other, may not particularly be a germane idea but is
also not too far-fetched, especially as Chinese aggression against
Taiwan continues to gain momentum.Contact the author at
sakshi.tiwari9555(at)gmail.com-Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
SM-6
Missiles: China Warns US Of Consequences Over Deployment Of ‘Typhon’
System In Its Backyard-By Sakshi Tiwari - April 25, 2024
Earlier
this month, the United States dispatched a ‘deadly’ intermediate-range
missile system to the Philippines for military drills. The move has
caused whirlwinds in China, which has vowed countermeasures against what
it considers an unprecedented and provocative move.Chinese Defense
Ministry Spokesperson Wu Qian warned at a press briefing on April 25
that the US deployment of an intermediate missile system in the
Asia-Pacific could prompt China to respond with decisive measures.“We
resolutely oppose the US move to deploy intermediate-range ballistic
missiles in the Asia-Pacific. Our position has been clear and
consistent. US steps are posing a major threat to the security and
stability of regional players and will inevitably prompt a decisive
response from China,” he warned.The US Army Pacific announced in
mid-April that for the first time, the US has stationed the Mid-Range
Capability (MRC) missile system, or the Typhon, in the northern
Philippines. The system is unique and lethal as it is capable of firing
both Tomahawk and Standard Missile 6 (SM-6).The deployment took place
from Lewis McChord Air Force Base on April 7 to participate in Exercise
Salaknib 24. The US kicked off the drills with the Philippines, a
seasoned ally in the region, on April 8. It is noteworthy that the
deployment was planned well in advance and was not an impulsive
measure.The first Indo-Pacific deployment of the 🇺🇸 Army’s Typhon is
in 🇵🇠Northern Luzon under Exercise Salaknib 2024. Operated by the 1st
Multi-Domain Task Force, the ground-based missile launcher is capable
of long-range fires via its Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6.📸 USARPAC
pic.twitter.com/E7XAIsQWTq — Aaron-Matthew Lariosa (@Aaron_MatthewIL)
April 15, 2024-Earlier, General Charles Flynn, the commanding general of
the US Army Pacific, confirmed the potential deployment of a new
medium-range missile launcher during a media briefing held at the US
Embassy in Tokyo on April 3.“I’m not going to discuss what system, and
I’m not going to say where and when. I’m just saying that there will be a
long-range precision fire capability that will come to the region,”
General Flynn said at the time.China, on its part, has carried out a
relentless build-up of powerful missiles capable of targeting US
military installations. However, it has accused the US of militarising
the region and turning into an anti-China clique to counter the
country’s rising influence.It has gone so far as to insinuate that the
US is using Manila as a pawn in its great power rivalry with China,
currently unfolding in the Asia Pacific.Typhon weapon system-Shortly
after the US announced Typhon’s arrival in the Philippines, the Chinese
state-owned Global Times carried a report stating, “If the US is the
absolute master of anything, it is the art of persuading others to
willingly serve as its cannon fodder. At this very moment, the US is
speeding up its effort to send the Philippines into the line of
fire.”The deployment has caused unrest in the region. It comes in the
wake of rising tensions between China and the Philippines, which remain
marred in territorial disputes in the South China Sea.While China has
remained embroiled in an active territorial conflict with Manila for
more than a decade, it has become particularly belligerent in recent
times, frequently engaging and attacking the Filipino Coast Guard
vessels and civilian ships.The United States has offered unconditional
support to the Philippines against Chinese aggression in the region. US
President Joe Biden recently told Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos
Jr. that their alliance was ironclad and emphasized that their mutual
defense treaty covered attacks on the Filipino military forces.“Any
attack on Philippine aircraft, vessels, or armed forces in the South
China Sea would invoke our mutual defense treaty,” Biden said.This
explains heightened Chinese anxieties regarding the deployment of the
system.SM-6 missile-China Is Furious With Typhon In Its Backyard-The
Typhon system can launch various missiles, including the Tomahawk cruise
missile, which has a range exceeding 1,600 kilometers, and the new SM-6
interceptor missile. The Typhon can fire a Tomahawk to obliterate a
target on land or at sea.Additionally, the SM-6 installed on Typhon is
designed to be used mainly as a short-range ballistic missile against
land and sea targets. The Army has described it as a “strategic” weapon
system that would be used against more important targets such as air
defense facilities and command and control centers.The deployment of the
system is significant for multiple reasons. First, all land-based
missiles, conventional and nuclear, with a range of 500-5,500
kilometers, were forbidden under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear
Forces Treaty (INF) between the US and the former Soviet Union.However,
in 2019, the US withdrew from the INF, and the US Army and Marine Corps
immediately began large-scale efforts to develop entirely new
medium-range missiles. With a military confrontation between China and
the United States looming big, these missile systems are now regarded as
viable weapons against China in the Indo-Pacific.Some media reports and
military watchers suggest that the system could be deployed in Luzon
for military drills. Northern Luzon is situated along the first island
chain that divides mainland Asia from the Pacific. The system was
stationed in this location for the Salaknib drills.In addition to the
whole Strait of Luzon, the Chinese shoreline and several PLA bases in
the South China Sea are also within the firing range of Typhon’s
missiles. The US Army had previously stated that it would ship one of
its Typhon systems overseas this year, but it had not specified
where.Reports suggest that the United States is investigating the
permanent deployment of this system to the Indo-Pacific region, although
the details are currently sketchy. The Typhon would give the US
military greater flexibility and options to hit targets on land, at sea,
and in the air throughout the vast expanses of the Indo-Pacific area in
any hypothetical higher-end battle, especially against China.Moreover,
this strategic move is poised to serve as a vital deterrent against
potential threats posed by China’s military advancements. This is
essentially why the deployment of the system has enraged China.Contact
the author at sakshi.tiwari9555(at)gmail.com-Follow EurAsian Times on
Google News
500,000 visitors, 1 million social media followers
per month-Iran duped Pakistan into Israel nuke threat as tiny part of
huge fakery campaign
Investigation by Reuters finds over 70 news
sites in 15 countries, with over a million online followers, have been
disseminating pro-Tehran misinformation and propaganda for years-By ToI
Staff 30 November 2018, 10:37 pm
An incident in 2016, when
Pakistan’s defense minister threatened Israel with nuclear attack in the
wake of what turned out to be a fake news story, has been revealed to
be just one small instance of an Iran-based global disinformation
campaign that has been running for six years and has included dozens of
news and media outlets.According to an extensive Reuters investigation
published Friday, over 70 news sites have been spreading disinformation
and pushing a pro-Tehran narrative in 15 countries, as part of a
widespread and sophisticated online campaign to influence public option
all over the world.The investigation directly tied the sites to Iran,
but not to the Iranian government itself. “They look like normal news
and media outlets, but only a couple disclose any Iranian ties,” Reuters
noted. “They have published in 16 different languages, from Azerbaijani
to Urdu.”According to the Reuters piece, headlined “How Iran spreads
disinformation around the world,” the Iran-linked news and media sites
it uncovered draw more than half a million visitors a month, and are
served by social media accounts with over a million followers.It said
journalists, cybersecurity experts and social media firms are only now
starting to uncover the scope of the Iranian influence campaign. The
report revealed a number of news sites targeting audiences across the
Middle East and North Africa with pro-Iranian propaganda, often times
alongside authentic news stories, some dating back to 2012.The Reuters
investigation established that the news agency called “Another Western
Dawn,” which duped the Pakistani defense minister into issuing a nuclear
threat against Israel in December 2016, is linked to Iran.At the time,
Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif threatened Israel in response to
what he thought was a threat, falsely reported by AWDnews.com,
ostensibly issued by then defense minister Moshe Ya’alon to use nuclear
force if Pakistan sent troops to Syria.The AWDnews article was
headlined, “Israeli Defense Minister: If Pakistan send ground troops to
Syria on any pretext, we will destroy this country with a nuclear
attack.”It falsely quoted Ya’alon saying: “As far as we are
concerned,that is a threat,if, by misfortune, they arrive in Syria, we
will know what to do,we will destroy them with a nuclear attack.”The
Pakistani minister tweeted: “Israeli def min threatens nuclear
retaliation presuming pak role in Syria against Daesh. Israel forgets
Pakistan is a Nuclear state too.” (“Daesh” is an acronym for Islamic
State.)-Israel’s Defense Ministry quickly issued a statement making
clear that the AWDnews story was false, and Asif was roundly criticized
by Pakistani officials for responding to it.AWDnews offers content in
English, French, Spanish and German. According to data from web
analytics data, its website receives around 12,000 monthly
visitors.Reuters said politicians in Britain, Jordan, India and the
Netherlands, as well as human-rights activists, an Indian music composer
and a Japanese rap star, have all shared bogus AWDnews stories in the
past.In 2014, Israel’s then-finance minister Yair Lapid quoted a AWDnews
story that falsely attributed pro-Israeli statements to Saudi Arabia’s
foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal.Al-Faisal’s remarks were quoted
by several media outlets in Israel, though regional policy experts
confirmed to The Times of Israel at the time that the Saudi foreign
minister never made any such statement in public.The AWDnews site
regularly fabricates reports about Israel and the Muslim world,
including reports claiming Israel orchestrated the conflict in Ukraine
and that the Mossad is closely tied to the Islamic State jihadist
group.Reuters said it traced the dozens of disinformation sites back to
Iran by their various links to the International Union of Virtual Media
(IUVM). The report said some websites carry stories, videos and cartoons
supplied by the Tehran-headquartered IUVM, while others, which make no
mention of the agency, list IVUM contact information in their website’s
online registration’s records.On its website, IUVM lists among its
goals: “Confronting with remarkable arrogance, western governments and
Zionism front activities to correct the deflection of people movements
in world,” and “Explaining the importance of Palestine and Quds issue to
Internet audience.” Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem.The majority
of IUVM-linked sites target readers in Yemen, where Iran and Saudi
Arabia have been fighting a proxy war, according to the report. The
sites also target audiences in Syria, Egypt, Pakistan and
Afghanistan.Emails sent to IVUM bounced back, Reuters said, and all
phone numbers provided by the agency were not in service. Other news
outlets carrying IUVM content were also found to have bogus addresses
and phone numbers.Reuters said its investigation found that the sites
“clearly support Iran’s government and amplify antagonism to countries
opposed to Tehran — particularly Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United
States.”Noted Reuters: “The identity or location of the past owners of
some of the websites is visible in historical Internet registration
records: 17 of 71 sites have in the past listed their locations as Iran
or Tehran, or given an Iranian telephone or fax number. But who owns
them now is often hidden.”Twice in 2018, social media firms have removed
accounts, groups or pages linked to a stealth influence campaign out of
Iran.In October, Facebook said it took down accounts linked to an
Iranian effort to influence US and British politics with messages about
charged topics such as immigration and race relations.The social network
identified 82 pages, groups and accounts that originated in Iran and
violated policy on coordinated “inauthentic” behavior. It carried out an
even broader sweep in August, removing 652 pages, groups and accounts
linked to both Iran or Russia. IUVM’s Facebook page was removed in the
August sweep.In addition to Facebook, in recent months Twitter, YouTube,
Instagram and Google have removed accounts that were found to be linked
to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting as part of a
misinformation campaign dating back to at least January 2017.
