(The Economic Collapse Blog)—Fifty years after the Yom Kippur War began, Israel is at war again, and preparations are being made right now for an absolutely massive ground invasion of Gaza. According to Google, the Yom Kippur War started on October 6th, 1973. The war with Hamas started on October 7th, 2023, and it could quickly evolve into a major regional war as more parties get involved. Once Israeli troops pour into Gaza, the dominoes will start falling very quickly. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be the one that makes the final decision on a ground invasion of Gaza, and he very much sounds like a man that has made up his mind…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Monday to “change the Middle East” in Israel’s war with Palestinian militant group Hamas, as the army pounded the Gaza Strip with air strikes.
“What Hamas will experience will be difficult and terrible… we are going to change the Middle East,” Netanyahu told officials visiting Jerusalem from the country’s south, where Hamas militants carried out a surprise attack on Saturday morning.
“This is only the beginning… we are all with you and we will defeat them with force, enormous force.”
At this hour, a siege of Gaza has already begun as the IDF makes final preparations for a ground campaign.
That means that there will be no electricity, no food and no fuel for those living in Gaza until the war is done…
This morning, Israel imposed a “complete siege” on the area – including a sweeping ban on food and fuel moving into Gaza and an immediate cut-off of the water supply.
“There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said.
“We are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.”
Needless to say, many of those living in Gaza will soon become extremely hungry.
And the IDF has already been hitting hundreds of strategic targets by air…
Among the 500 targets hit overnight were eight Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad war rooms; a building housing Hamas operatives; several high-rise towers housing Hamas assets; a command center used by a senior official in Hamas’s naval forces; an “operational asset used by Hamas” located within a mosque in Jabaliya; an asset used by the terror group for intelligence; and three tunnels in the Beit Hanoun area in northern Gaza.
Of course this is just the beginning.
Hundreds of thousands of troops are being mobilized, and they will possess enough firepower to absolutely flatten Gaza…
IDF are amassing their 173,000 troops including 8,000 elite commandos, along with 300 tanks and plenty of heavy weaponry on the border with Gaza in the town of Sderot.
A further 300,000 reserve troops have been mobilised in an unprecedented move and sent south ahead of the possible invasion.
The Israelis would not be mobilizing all of these troops if they did not plan to do something with them.
According to Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, this is the biggest mobilization that Israel has conducted since the Yom Kippur War…
Regarding the draft of reservists, Hagari said the IDF “has never mobilized so many reservists so quickly — 300,000 reservists in 48 hours.”
This is the largest mobilization since the 1973 Yom Kippur War when Israel called up 400,000 reservists.
Wow.
So this is it.
Inside Gaza, people have already been getting phone calls warning them that the IDF will be coming in…
‘It doesn’t need much thinking about. Israel suffered the biggest loss in its history so you can imagine what it is going to do,’ said a resident of Beit Hanoun on Gaza’s northeastern border with Israel.
‘I took my family out at sunrise and dozens of other families did the same. Many of us got phone calls, audio messages from Israeli security officers telling us to leave because they will operate there,’ he said.
If you were in the same position, would you warn anyone living in Gaza in advance?
Many innocent lives may be saved by these calls, but it also tells the enemy exactly what you are planning to do.
Fox News is reporting that Netanyahu has called Joe Biden to inform him that “a ground operation in the Gaza Strip” is going to happen…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told President Biden that a ground operation in the Gaza Strip is necessary after Hamas launched deadly strikes on his country.
The remark, made in a phone call between the two leaders, came as Biden raised concerns about Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip if a ground operation should commence, three Israeli and U.S. sources briefed on the call told Axios.
“We have to go in. We can’t negotiate now,” Netanyahu told the president, according to the outlet.
But once the Israelis invade, will Hezbollah just sit there and watch Hamas get utterly destroyed?
I don’t think so.
I think that Hezbollah will create a second front in the north, and so I hope that the IDF is prepared for that.
On Monday, there were some very alarming clashes between the IDF and Hezbollah forces…
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a brief statement on Monday that its helicopters are currently striking in Lebanese territory. No further details were provided.
Earlier, the IDF said a “number of armed suspects” who “infiltrated” into Israel from Lebanon were killed, and that IDF soldiers were searching the area.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers said in a statement on Monday that it has reported explosions near Al-Boustan in southwest Lebanon.
Hopefully Hezbollah will not decide to get crazy and launch a full-blown invasion of Israel.
Because if that happens, Israel has apparently told Hezbollah that it will “completely destroy Damascus”…
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.
Needless to say, that would draw Syria into the war.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
Of course the Iranians are unlikely to remain on the sidelines if the Israelis start hitting Syria and Hezbollah extremely hard, and any big move by Iran would draw the U.S. military into the conflict.
What I am trying to say is that this thing could get way out of control very rapidly. For many years I have been warning my readers that a great Middle East war was coming, and now we are here. There will be so much death and destruction in the days ahead, and it won’t just be limited to that part of the world.
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.
