(The Economic Collapse Blog)—“Escalation” will be a word that is used a lot in the coming days. Once Israel sends troops into Gaza, it is going to trigger a series of events that nobody is going to be able to control. But there is no turning back now. When Hamas decided to rape women, behead children and kidnap the elderly, they made any other course of action impossible. Israel must go into Gaza. And as I write this article, we are witnessing the largest mobilization of Israelis troops that we have seen since the Yom Kippur War…
Tens of thousands of Israeli troops are on the move as the country prepares for a possible ground operation in response to the surprise attack launched by Hamas early Saturday morning.
More than 300,000 troops have been called up, the largest mobilization on short notice in Israel’s history, according to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus. Those in the south are readying ahead of the forthcoming operation in Gaza and defending the border. Jeeps, tanks and other large military vehicles have been seen heading south as well
Along the northern border with Lebanon, the IDF has deployed tens of thousands of troops, including reservists and regular units, Conricus said. Tanks have also been spotted in the area.
Once Israeli troops enter Gaza, the Great Middle East War will have begun.
Even now, Israeli aircraft are “razing entire districts” inside Gaza in preparation for the coming invasion…
Israeli air strikes hammered Gaza on Tuesday, razing entire districts and filling morgues with dead Palestinians as Israel took revenge for the Hamas assaults that have triggered some of the worst blood-letting in 75 years of conflict.
Across the barrier wall enclosing the coastal enclave, Israeli soldiers collected the last of Israel’s dead four days after Hamas gunmen rampaged through towns, killing hundreds of people in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel’s history.
In the past, Israel has tried to hit Hamas really hard in order to deter future attacks. But now the mission is to utterly destroy Hamas.
At this point, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is characterizing this fight as a battle between the civilized world and barbarism…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his intent to wage an unprecedented military offensive against Hamas in Gaza, a war that he has characterized as a civilizational clash.
“And just as the forces of civilization united to defeat ISIS, the forces of civilization must support Israel in defeating Hamas,” Netanyahu said on Monday. “In fighting Hamas, Israel is not only fighting for its own people. It is fighting for every country that stands against barbarism. Israel will win this war, and when Israel wins, the entire civilized world wins.”
There is no way that Israel can “win this war” without going into Gaza.
And that is precisely what is about to happen.
In fact, it is being reported that the Israeli government has already informed the Egyptian government that it is gearing up for “a months-long ground campaign in Gaza”…
Israel is readying for a months-long ground campaign in Gaza, an Egyptian official tells The Times of Israel, saying that this message has been passed along from Jerusalem to Cairo.
The Egyptian official says Israel has thus far dismissed Cairo’s efforts to mediate any sort of de-escalation, indicating that it wants to deal a knock-out blow to Hamas before entertaining the idea of a ceasefire.
So when Israel is systematically destroying Hamas, do you think that there is any chance that Hezbollah will just sit on the sidelines and watch it happen?
No way.
In fact, a Hamas official has stated that Hezbollah “will join the battle” if Gaza is invaded…
A senior Hamas official warned Israel on Tuesday that Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah “will join the battle if Gaza is subjected to a war of annihilation,” according to the Associated Press.
That is why the Israelis are sending so many military resources to the northern border.
They know that this will be a two front war…
On the third day of war between Hamas and Israel, residents of northern Israel were rushing to evacuate towns near the Lebanese border and buying essentials in preparation for a possible escalation.
As in much of the country, an eerie silence prevailed throughout the north, broken only by the rain showers periodically breaking over the area.
Driving up from central Israel, there was relatively little traffic on what is usually one of Israel’s busiest highways, Highway 6. On both sides of the road, tanks and military bulldozers on carriers headed to the southern and northern border.
But it won’t end there.
As I mentioned yesterday, Israel has reportedly warned Hezbollah that Damascus will be destroyed if Hezbollah tries to send troops into Israel…
Israel gives clear warning to Hezbollah:
If Hezbollah joins the war, the IDF will completely destroy Damascus and will directly target the Iran-backed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Moreover, US warships will support Israel in this war. This message was delivered by Israel via France.
So that would bring Syria into the war.
And I think that it is a very ominous sign that Israel and Syria are already exchanging artillery fire…
The IDF said it was responding to shells fired from Syria into Israel on Tuesday night.
Some of the shells most likely landed in open fields in Israel’s Golan Heights, the military added.
The IDF responded with artillery and mortar fire toward the source of the Syrian shelling.
If Israel ends up fighting Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria all at the same time, do you think that Iran will be able to stay out of the war?
The Iranians seem to fear direct military conflict, but it seems unlikely that they would refuse to fight if all of their allies in the region were getting pummeled by the Israelis. And leaders from the two nations have already been exchanging some very harsh words…
“A senior Israeli government source said Monday that Israel has indications that Iran pushed Hamas into carrying out its massive infiltration and deadly assault, and that Iran was also pushing Hezbollah to be ready for conflict with Israel,” the Times of Israel reported.
Khamenei predicted that Israeli military operations would backfire. “The calculation of the illegitimate regime and its supporters in this regard is also wrong,” he said. “The rulers and decision-makers of the Zionist regime and their supporters should know that these actions will bring a greater disaster upon them, and the Palestinian people, with a firmer determination, will slap their hideous faces harder in response to these crimes.”
Of course the moment that Iran launches missiles at Israel, the U.S. will enter the conflict. On Tuesday, Joe Biden made it very clear that the U.S. is standing with Israel in this fight…
President Joe Biden said the U.S. stands with Israel after Hamas’ brutal massacre in Israel, condemning the attack as “pure, unadulterated evil” and pledging to support Israel with military aid as war erupts in the Middle East.
“At this moment, we must be crystal clear: We stand with Israel,” Biden said Tuesday in remarks from the White House State Dining Room. “We will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself and respond to this attack. There’s no justification for terrorism. There’s no excuse.”
And Biden also confirmed that some of the hostages that are being held by Hamas are U.S. citizens…
Biden said Israel has a “right to respond and indeed has a duty to respond” four days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas.
“There are moments in this life − I mean this literally − when pure unadulterated evil is unleashed in this world,” Biden said. “The people of Israel lived through one such moment this weekend.”
An estimated 100 to 150 people in Israel were kidnapped by Hamas militants and are being held captive in Gaza. That includes some Americans, Biden confirmed for the first time.
Hamas made a huge strategic mistake when it decided to take U.S. citizens hostage.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
If they were smart, they would return those U.S. citizens immediately. But they aren’t going to do that. So now Joe Biden will have some decisions to make.
Will the U.S. also get involved in the conflict? One retired general seems to think so…
The US is likely to directly intervene with air and naval strikes if Israel’s existence is threatened, Ret. Gen. Barry McCaffrey said.
Speaking on Sunday on MSNBC’s “Weekends with Alex Witt,” the four-star US Army general described how such an escalation likely would only occur if Israel’s Middle Eastern neighbors became heavily involved.
“The other shoe we’re waiting to see if it drops is, will Hezbollah intervene out of Lebanon with their 100,000 some odd rockets? Will the West Bank ignite? And what will the Syrians and the Egyptians do?” McCaffrey said.
“I would suggest to you our support of Israel will be absolute, and if we see Syrian military intervention, active Iranian military intervention, we’ll go to war,” McCaffrey added.
For a long time, I have been warning that a great war would be coming to the Middle East.
But it has arrived a bit sooner than I thought.
Once Israeli troops move into Gaza, global events will start to move at a pace that will be absolutely breathtaking.
And at this moment it appears that the beginning of a ground operation could potentially be just hours away.
Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” 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.
