Editor’s Note: There are those who believe Iran is bluffing, that they aren’t really in a position to get into a war with Israel or anyone else. Without Russia’s help, Iran would need to turn to someone else in the shadows if they really want to get involved. That could be China, who has already expressed sentiment against Israel by saying they’ve already gone too far in their response to Hamas. It could happen. Either way, this is an important geopolitical moment in history. In fact, it could be prophecy unfolding before our eyes. We’ll see. Here’s Michael Snyder…
(The Economic Collapse Blog)—The crisis in the Middle East has taken another very ominous turn. Iran is threatening to get directly involved in the conflict, and that should deeply alarm all of us. For a long time, I have been specifically warning my readers that an apocalyptic conflict between Israel and Iran would be coming. Sadly, now we are literally on the verge of seeing that happen. Both nations possess weapons of immense destructive power, and there is going to be so much death and destruction in the days ahead.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to signal that a massive military offensive in Gaza is imminent…
Benjamin Netanyahu has today vowed to ‘demolish’ Hamas with Israeli troops on the Gaza border poised to attack at any moment.
Israel’s armed forces is ‘ready’ to defeat the ‘bloodthirsty monsters’, the Israeli Prime Minister said, with a land, sea, and air offensive imminent.
Israeli tanks and troops have gathered on the border and are carrying out simulations ready to spring an invasion of Gaza at any time after Hamas terrorists killed 1,300 Israelis in a surprise attack last Saturday.
But if Israel goes in, Hezbollah has already indicated that they will almost certainly enter the conflict.
Of course Hezbollah would only do that if they were directed to do so by Iran, and according to Axios Iran is now warning “that it will have to intervene if the Israeli operation in Gaza continues”…
Iran sent a message to Israel on Saturday stressing that it does not want further escalation in the Hamas-Israel war, but that it will have to intervene if the Israeli operation in Gaza continues, two diplomatic sources with knowledge of the situation told Axios.
Wow.
So is this really it?
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has publicly stated that his nation “has its red lines”, and that “Iran will have to respond” if Israel conducts a major offensive in Gaza…
But Amir-Abdollahian stressed that Iran has its red lines. He said that if the Israeli military operation continues — and especially if Israel follows through on its promise of a ground offensive in Gaza — Iran will have to respond, according to the sources.
In addition, Amir-Abdollahian is also threatening America with “heavy losses” if the U.S. military decides to intervene…
He accused the United States of coming forward “to preserve the statue and puppet of Israel”.
“If the scope of the war expands, heavy losses will befall America as well.”
I could be wrong, but I don’t expect Iran to get directly involved in the conflict right away.
But I do believe that Hezbollah will jump into the war fairly soon after Israeli forces enter Gaza, and Syria could also be pulled in quite rapidly as well.
This would especially be true if the IDF keeps bombing Syria’s largest airports…
On Saturday, Israel allegedly launched an air strike against Syria’s Aleppo Airport. The Syrian government confirmed the attack and said, “The Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, targeting Aleppo International Airport, which led to material damage to the airport and it being out of service.”
The reason why the Israelis are bombing airports in Syria is because that is one of the primary ways that Iran gets weapons to Hezbollah…
Referring to this development, Joel Rayburn, Director of the American Centre for Levant Studies, wrote, “Repeated Israeli strikes to disable Damascus and Aleppo airports are, to my mind, a strong indication that 1) the Iranian regime is trying to move strategic weapons to or via Syria to open a northern front and 2) the Israelis are determined to preempt that.”
The Israeli official re-shared this post, stating that Iranians are engaged in arms transfers.
Syria’s Damascus and Aleppo airports are known as transit points for Iranian arms sent to Hezbollah, a powerful Islamist militant group in both Syria and Lebanon.
We are so close to a major regional war.
The U.S. and other western powers are trying to keep Iran and Hezbollah out of the conflict, but it just isn’t working.
On Sunday, there was more fighting along Israel’s northern border yet again…
A Hezbollah spokeswoman, Rana Sahili, says today’s increase in the intensity of the exchanges between Israel and the Lebanese terror group doesn’t indicate Hezbollah has decided to fully enter into the Hamas-Israel war.
The fighting on the border is “only skirmishes” and represents a “warning,” she says.
Hezbollah is not ready to formally go to war just yet.
But once the Israelis make their move in Gaza, expect Hezbollah to pull the trigger.
And once that happens, the Biden administration will have a decision to make.
If Hezbollah starts firing thousands of missiles into Israel, I think that the Biden administration will order strikes against Hezbollah.
The two aircraft carriers that have been ordered into the eastern Mediterranean Sea have been sent there to deter Hezbollah and Iran, but they will take action if it becomes necessary…
The Pentagon has ordered a second carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean Sea and is sending Air Force fighter jets to the region as Israel prepares to expand its Gaza operations, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement Saturday.
The US warships are not intended to join the fighting in Gaza or take part in Israel’s operations, but the presence of two of the Navy’s most powerful vessels is designed to send a message of deterrence to Iran and Iranian proxies in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The movements are “part of our effort to deter hostile actions against Israel or any efforts toward widening this war following Hamas’s attack on Israel,” Austin said in the statement.
As I have discussed previously, I hope that those carriers are being kept at a safe distance, because Hezbollah does have missiles that are capable of sinking an aircraft carrier.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
As this conflict evolves, we are going to see images on our television screens that are going to absolutely shock all of us.
So many people are going to die, and our world will be permanently changed by the horrors that we will soon witness.
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.
