Editor’s Note: Between Ukraine and now the Middle East, there is definitely a sense of fatigue setting in among America First patriots who just want to ignore the rest of the world and focus on our own issues at home. I’m one of them. But unlike Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East is going to draw us in no matter what we do. We can call our representatives or protest the administration all we want, but they seem dead-set on getting involved. This is why I will continue to post updates about the situation. As much as I wish we weren’t getting involved, we are and that means it needs to be covered. With that said, here’s Michael Snyder…
There have been some major developments in the war in the Middle East. Fighting is heating up along Israel’s northern border, and the Biden administration has decided to bomb facilities used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for a third time in retaliation for new attacks on U.S. forces in the region.
This war threatens to spiral out of control at any moment, but there is no turning back now.
On Sunday, the IDF continued to tighten the circle around the Hamas headquarters that is located directly beneath Gaza’s biggest hospital…
Israeli ground forces on Sunday battled Hamas militants near Gaza’s largest hospital, where health officials said thousands of staff, patients and displaced people remain trapped with no electricity, dwindling supplies and some gunfire coming inside.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed growing international calls for a cease-fire unless it includes the release of all the nearly 240 hostages kidnapped by Hamas in its bloody Oct. 7 rampage that triggered the war, saying Israel was bringing its “full force” with the aim of ending Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza.
The IDF has been making steady progress, and it is being reported that they have even killed the Hamas commander that was keeping staff and patients from leaving the hospital…
Israeli forces on Saturday night claimed to have killed a Hamas commander who held 1,000 Gazans “hostage” in a hospital as human shields.
The Israel Defense Forces said that Ahmed Siam, a leader in Hamas’s al-Furqan Brigade, had blocked civilians from evacuating the Al-Rantisi Hospital in Gaza City earlier this week.
Meanwhile, fighting continues to intensify on the northern front.
On Friday, Hezbollah admitted that seven more of their fighters had been killed, and that brings the grand total to 68 since the war started…
Lebanon’s Hezbollah has issued a rare announcement Friday, saying that seven of its fighters have been killed, describing that they were “martyred on the road to Jerusalem” – which is code for fighting Israel.
But it’s being widely reported that at least some of the slain Hezbollah members were killed inside Syria, after a new Friday Israeli airstrike on central Homs. In total on Friday, Hezbollah released seven death notices.
Hezbollah as well as international sources have cited a death toll of at least 68 Hezbollah fighters since the Oct.7 conflict began, centered on southern Israel and Gaza.
Then on Sunday, an IDF drone hit a target 40 kilometers inside the Lebanese border…
Earlier this morning, Lebanese media outlets reported that an IDF drone struck a truck near the coastal village of al-Zahrani, some 40 kilometers from the Israeli border, just south of Sidon.
There were no reports of injuries in the strike.
The IDF had said it had carried out a strike on a site from which surface-to-air missiles were fired at military drones over the Israel-Lebanon border, without specifying the exact location.
The fact that this strike happened so deep inside Lebanon has greatly infuriated the Islamic world.
But if Hezbollah does not stand down, much worse is coming.
On Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant specifically warned Hezbollah that what the IDF has done to Gaza it can also do to Beirut…
“If it (Hezbollah) makes this kind of mistake here, the ones who will pay the price will be first and foremost Lebanese citizens,” Gallant told soldiers on Israel’s northern border in remarks relayed by his office.
“What we’re doing in Gaza, we can also do in Beirut.”
Needless to say, Damascus could potentially get flattened as well.
In fact, IDF warplanes just hit “terror infrastructure in Syria” in response to rocket fire which had come over the northern border…
Israeli warplanes struck terror infrastructure in Syria a short while ago, the Israel Defense Forces says.
The IDF says this is in reaction to rocket fire several hours ago from Syria toward the Golan Heights.
Of course this is just the beginning.
During a major speech on Saturday, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah made it abundantly clear that his forces are not going to stop hitting both the U.S. and Israel…
The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group said Saturday his fighters have introduced new weapons, including a missile with a heavy warhead in the ongoing fighting along the Lebanon-Israel border, adding that they will keep using the tense frontier to pressure Israel.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also blasted the United States over the Israel-Hamas war, saying it is the only country that can stop Israel’s wide offensive on the Gaza Strip but doesn’t do so. He said attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, that Washington says have reached more than 40 rockets and suicide drone attacks, will continue until the war in Gaza comes to an end.
So the clashes between Israel and Hezbollah will continue. And the clashes between the U.S. and Hezbollah will continue too.
On Saturday morning, more suicide drones targeted U.S. troops in Syria…
Armed suicide drones have targeted US forces in Syria, in the latest sign that Iranian-backed militias in the region could try to widen the Israel-Hamas war by striking American troops.
A Pentagon official told DailyMail.com that ‘multiple one-way drones’ were launched on Saturday morning against US and coalition forces stationed at Rumalyn Landing Zone in northern Syria.
In response, the U.S. has bombed two facilities in Syria that are used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This was the third such attack since October 27th…
The U.S. military retaliated over recent attacks on American bases by bombing two facilities in eastern Syria, a senior U.S. official tells Fox News.
Two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stations in the Middle East were hit on Sunday night. One was an IRGC training facility, while the other was used by IRGC proxy forces.
Sunday night’s airstrikes were the third set of retaliatory attacks against Iranian proxies on behalf of the U.S. since October 27.
The U.S. is already at war with both Iran and Hezbollah.
Most Americans don’t realize this, because the Biden administration doesn’t want to admit it and the mainstream media doesn’t want to admit it.
But if someone attacks your troops dozens of times and you keep bombing them in response, you are at war with them.
This war is going to get extremely intense, and it is setting the stage for some really bad things that will happen after the war is over.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
We really have reached one of the most important turning points in the entire history of the Middle East, and nothing will ever be the same again from this point forward.
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
