Gaza’s October 7 millionaires:
A horrendous and nasty class of aid and money thieves, many of whom are associated with Hamas and terror, has emerged in Gaza throughout the two years of war. These individuals, who before the war barely had a dollar in their pockets, are now playing with Euros and Dollars, just as children play with Monopoly money. They have set up massive networks that received donations primarily from Europe, as well as from Arab or Muslim countries, including Turkey, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, all with the promise that funds would be used to provide meals, shelter, or other aid to desperate civilians in the coastal enclave. Usually, they take some money, have a Gaza man, woman, or child pose with it, then take most of the money back, leaving just a tiny fraction and pocketing the rest. The guys will then go on social media to brag about how honest and pious they are and ask for more donations, all of course while paying Hamas significant sums to ensure that the terror group either provides protection or allows them to operate freely.

(Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib on X)
#hamas #gaza #israel

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted this:
“In two predawn operations today, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back meticulously coordinated boarding of two “ghost fleet”  tanker ships— one in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean.  Both vessels —the Motor Tanker Bella I and the Motor Taker Sophia—were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it.

Under President Trump’s bold and visionary leadership, US Coast Guard tactical teams worked closely with its counterparts at the Departments of War, Department of Justice and State and used their specialized expertise to conduct these operations and conduct two safe, effective boardings within hours of each other.

One of these tankers, Motor Tanker Bella I, has been trying to evade the Coast Guard for weeks, even changing its flag and painting a new name on the hull while being pursued, in a desperate and failed attempt to escape justice. The heroic crew of the USCGC Munro pursued this vessel across the high seas and through treacherous storms— keeping diligent watch, and protecting our country with the determination and patriotism that make Americans proud.  These brave men and women deserve our nation’s thanks for their selfless devotion to duty.

The world’s criminals are on notice. You can run, but you can’t hide. We will never relent in our mission to protect the American people and disrupt the funding of narco terrorism wherever we find it, period.

This is our country’s greatest fighting force at their best. This is America first at sea.”

Iran is threatening a preemptive strike against Israel - for the second time in less than 24 hours.

After Iran’s Defense Council - established following the failure of the security forces during the 12-day war - issued a public threat yesterday, the commander of the Iranian army, General Amir Hatami, joined in today.

Speaking to cadets at the DAFOOS officers’ university, Hatami said the escalation in threats against Iran “will not go unanswered,” warning that any mistake by the enemy would be met with a “more decisive response and the severing of the attacker’s hand.”

He claimed that Iran’s enemies are seeking to directly harm civilians, exploit internal problems, and turn protests into “planned disturbances.” Protest, he said, is natural; violence and rapid escalation are the result of enemy interference.

The sequence of statements over the past two days indicates a deliberate escalation in Tehran’s military rhetoric, alongside rising regional tensions and growing internal pressure.

(Iran News)

How Fragmented Is Somalia - and Why Does Somaliland Insist on Independence?

Somalia was formed by unifying territories formerly controlled by the British Empire with areas previously ruled by Italy, all inhabited by ethnic Somali populations.

The society is deeply tribal. Each tribe maintains its own ideology and a distinctly different way of life. The Issa tribe, which dominates Somaliland, is considerably more pragmatic and rejects radical Islam, whereas other tribes actively embrace it.

Since the outbreak of Somalia’s civil war in 1991, the state has effectively disintegrated into competing tribes locked in continuous conflict.

The Issa tribe declared the independence of the State of Somaliland and proceeded to establish functioning state institutions and government ministries, a multi-party democratic system, and levels of corruption far lower than those typically seen in Africa - certainly far lower than those of the dysfunctional government in the capital, Mogadishu.

The people of Somaliland have succeeded in insulating themselves from the civil war, famine, and chronic instability that characterize the rest of Somalia. They have built an economy based on agriculture, fishing, light industry, and trade. Consequently, they have no incentive to reintegrate into a larger, bleeding, and non-functioning Somali state.

The different colors on the map reflect the fragmentation caused by the civil war:
   •   Peach-pink areas: Territories controlled by the federal government, including the capital, Mogadishu.
   •   Fuchsia-pink areas: The autonomous Puntland administration.
   •   Gray areas: Territories controlled by al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate.
   •   Black area in northern Puntland: Territory controlled by a local militia affiliated with ISIS.
   •   Mustard-yellow area: Territory controlled by the government of Somaliland.

Somaliland - formerly a British colony - is, in practice, larger than the territory currently under the effective control of its government. While the government claims sovereignty over eastern Somaliland as part of its lawful territory, it does not presently exercise control there.

It is possible that one form of assistance the Somaliland government may seek from Israel is military support to reclaim the eastern part of the country and enforce its sovereignty over it.

The capital, Hargeisa, is located on the inland plateau at an elevation of 1,611 meters above sea level. The principal port city, of significant strategic value, is Berbera.

(King of the neighborhood)