Tag: middle east

A US B-52 Stratrofortress bomber flew over the eastern Mediterranean Sea on March 4, marking the third US flyover of the Middle East in the past month, shows of force that are meant as threats toward Iran and its allies in the region.

“Israeli F-35i and F-15i aircraft flew alongside an American US B-52 strategic bomber,” the Israeli military said in a statement on Thursday. “During the flight, the forces practiced operational coordination between the two militaries to enhance their ability to address various regional threats.”

US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that it conducted a “Bomber Task Force Mission in the Middle East.” It said the B-52, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons, took off from a base in the UK and flew across Europe on its way to the Middle East.

According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the US bomber “orbited off the coast of Israel,” meaning it likely flew near the besieged Gaza Strip.

The flight came just two weeks after the US sent two B-52 bombers over the Middle East on February 20. CENTCOM said the two bombers “flew across Europe and six partner countries in CENTCOM’s area of responsibility during their mission, which included aerial refueling and training missions at ranges.”

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“A year of combat” – this is how Israel’s new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, described 2025 at a conference organized by the Israeli ministry of defense.

The exact sentence, translated from Hebrew, was: “The year 2025 will continue to be a year of combat.” The word ‘continue’ is crucial, suggesting that Israel will resume its wars, despite ceasefire agreements signed with the Lebanese government in November and Palestinian groups in January. In other words, it seems that Zamir is signaling that Israel will reopen these two fronts, even in the face of ceasefire deals.

Despite Israel’s insatiable appetite for war, it is hard to imagine what the Israeli army could achieve through renewed violence when it has already failed to accomplish its objectives in nearly 14 months in Lebanon and over 15 months in Gaza.

Israel launched thousands of airstrikes on Lebanon, destroying entire towns and villages and killing and wounding thousands. It also dropped over 85,000 tons of bombs on Gaza, leading to the unprecedented genocide and the killing and wounding of over 170,000. Despite this, Israel has failed on both fronts. In Gaza, as reported by Reuters, Hamas alone managed to recruit up to 15,000 fighters just before the end of Israel’s 471st day of relentless warfare.

Furthermore, the return of nearly one million Palestinians to northern Gaza has reset Israel’s so-called tactical or strategic achievements. These efforts, aimed at depopulating northern Gaza to create permanent military buffer zones, were reversed by the population’s return.

The war also came at a staggering cost to the Israeli army. Ironically, during the same ministry of defense conference, Zamir revealed the actual costs of Israel’s wars in the past year. He stated that the ministry “now provides care for 5,942 new bereaved family members,”, adding that the “Rehabilitation Department has taken in over 15,000 wounded service members, many bearing both physical and mental scars from the war.”

These figures were not broken down by category or war front and did not include casualties from October 7, 2023, to the end of the year. However, they represent the highest estimate of Israeli casualties provided to date, raising the question: Can Israel afford to return to war?

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It is a fact that The Jewish State has expanded the territory under its control after victory in war, conflicts started by those wishing to destroy the concept of the state of Israel.

We are witnessing history in the moment as the same phenomenon is happening again as we speak.

Hamas is essentially defeated in Gaza, and there will be some form of occupation military force in the territory. That has been confirmed by the Israeli government, to prevent the reconstitution of Hamas’ combat capability. It remains to be seen what this force will consist of – foreign troops? Mercenaries? Or IDF? However, one can be sure the Israeli defense establishment will not allow Hamas to regroup.

In southern Lebanon, there is a ceasefire, that is shaky at best. The IDF continues operations there against Hezbollah militants. The Lebanese army is in place but Israel could easily reoccupy the buffer zone established prior to the ceasefire by the Israeli military.

In Syria, the IDF has entered the country along the southern border and established another buffer zone to Sunni jihadist elements which now control most of the country once known as Syria. This IDF buffer zone will likely not be reversed in the near future, if ever at all.

Not only is Israel destroying all weapon storage and manufacturing facilities of the Syrian army to prevent them from falling into the hands of jihadist rebels, but it is also stripping Syria of all its air defense systems. This ensures Israel’s free access to any targets it might want to attack in the future. In the coming hours and days, Israel is shaping its reality for years to come. By amending border lines that were based on an agreement with a regime that no longer exists, and by denying the new enemy its military capabilities, we are working hard to ensure a safer future free of Iran’s proxies on our borders, wrote Israeli journalist Amir Tsarfati on his Telegram channel.

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