I am starting this new thread to specifically discuss the progress of the IDF's invasion of Gaza and also along the Northern border with Hezbollah. And how the terrorists are fighting back. As of today, the IDF has taken control of the beach along Gaza City and surrounded Gaza City. The IDF claims it has killed many top Hamas leaders and hundreds of Hamas fighters. Also, the IDF has begun to go down into a few of those tunnels. That, as we all know, is extremely dangerous. But, the IDF has rescued one captured Israeli female soldier.
I doubt it would start that way, but if Iran fired on U.S. troops in Syria, the U.S. might retaliate, and that could bring retaliation from China. We have troops in Syria specifically to deter Iran from interfering. They are also serving as a trigger point, so that if Iran chooses to kill American troops directly.... I think Iran hopes to just use Hezbollah as their proxies, but who knows. I think if the U.S. or Israel attacks the oil production or transport facilities, China will do something, but what that will be I do not know. China will not allow Iran to go down.
Good point. I hadn't thought of that. IMO it is much more likely that the U.S. and China would come to blows, only IF China ever invades Taiwan.
Today the IDF said, "The Al Shifa Hospital, Gazas largest, is sitting directly on top of the largest Hamas command center and weapon storage facility". How the IDF plans on dealing with that is enormously difficult. If the IDF bombs it, then hundreds and hundreds of wounded and those merely sheltering will die. Then Hamas supporters around the world will go ballistic. Not to mention the world press will rip Israel's leadership, and IDF, apart. I'm hoping that the IDF does NOT bomb that hospital. I hope that the IDF can do the job with boots on the ground.
China and the U.S are co-dependent. They depend on us as much as we depend on them. Neither wants war with the other if it will disrupt commerce, but if China invades or blockades Taiwan, the U.S. will back off, especially when we are involved in so many conflicts elsewhere. We'll see what happens....
The IDF ground personnel are now going street to street, house to house. The fighting is said to be intense, but the IDF is slowly, but surely, wiping Hamas out, bit by bit. In spite of the call for a humanitarian pause, PM Netanyahu said that "We will not stop until Hamas is destroyed". Egypt has finally allowed wounded Palestinians to cross over into Egypt. Hundreds of Egyptian ambulances crossed into Gaza and they are picking up wounded. Also, small numbers of those with foreign passports are being admitting to Egypt ... except British. Yemen has been firing ballistic missiles, at Israel but so far they have all been shot down.
In an interview today Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister said that the relief supplies entering from Egypt are being stolen by Hamas and sold in the open air markets in Gaza at exorbitant prices, and that the fuel tanks of those trucks are being siphoned off by Hamas. She also said that Hamas is still very much in control of the Gazan civilian population.
In my opinion Hamas has absolutely no chance against the IDF. It has been estimated that there are between 25-30 Hamas fighters. The IDF has 165,000 full-time soldiers and another 465,000 reservists of which 360,000 have been called up and are currently serving in Gaza, for a total of 525,000. That makes it about 14 to one against Hamas. Historically speaking, it has always been accepted that to win, an attacking force needs an advantage of 3 to 1. Additionally, the IDF has a powerful air force, which is far superior to anything in the mid-east AND the IDF has tanks, armored personnel carriers, high tech satellites and high tech drones, which of course , Hamas does not have. Hamas has no ability to shoot down any IDF war planes. Moreover, Israel has a nearly inexhaustible supply of armaments and more if needed from the U.S and U.K. Hamas, however, can not resupply their forces. Absolutely nothing is getting in from outside. When all those factors are considered, Hamas is doomed. We have no way of accurately counting the number of Hamas casualties, but it is thought to be several hundred while the IDF losses are only 17, so far. Working against Israel, however, is the flood of negative publicity produced by a largely liberal media when reporting the death of Palestinian civilians.
How can Hamas lose several thousand when they only have 25-30 fighters? (Did you mean 25,000 to 30,000?) I think the IDF casualties are WAY understated. The IDF published a tank unit of I believe consisted of 8 men who were killed in one incident by a suicide drone. I am certain that is not unique. While Hamas may be doomed, you are disregarding Hezbollah, who CAN resupply from Iran. Their announcement is to come tomorrow. We'll see what they say. Israel will be fighting on at least two and perhaps three fronts, so the entire IDF will be split, not concentrated solely against Hamas.
Oops, I made a typo. I didn't put a "K" after the 25-30. You could be correct about the IDF casualties. Yes, Hezbollah is the "wild card". And you are absolutely correct that Hezbollah can easily resupply. However, I have faith in the IDF's ability to handle any and all "outside" fronts. Keep in mind that Israel has never lost a war AND they have a history of pulling off the most amazing feats. Remember the 1948 war of independence where they were vastly out numbered, yet they still won. Time and time again Israel has beaten whole modern armies. The IDF is fighting to protect their families just a few miles from the terrorists.
What I find amusing is the contortions that leftists have had to go through with this one. Despite their natural inclination to hate Israel and Jews in general, they don't want to be called anti-Semites after accusing everyone else in the world of being Nazis. So they don't know what to do. Our elected officials (in both parties) are trying to balance helping Israel and Gaza all at the same time, which is how we come to support both sides in so many wars. Democrats and neoconservative Republicans love their wars, but they feel the need to pretend to be seeking peace, so that's always a hoot. Plus, the Democrats are trying to curb the most outspoken members of their party, hoping to prevent too many quotations from Democrats calling to gas the Jews, but at the same time, they know that this is their base, so they don't want to alienate them. Meanwhile, leftists who aren't in the loop and don't get the talking points don't know what to do or who to support, so they ignore the dead Israeli babies and go on and on about the suffering of the Palestinians, hoping that people will read between the lines rather than listening to what they're not saying.
We saved their bacon in 1973 though. If Nixon hadn't pulled emergency powers and aided them in 73, they may well have been defeated. I wonder how the world will look if Israel is eliminated. They have face the Arab armies before, but not the Persians, Russian and Chinese.
I don't believe that there is any chance of Israel being eliminated. They are just too powerful. The Iranians, of course, have no border with Israel. Therefore, I see no way that they could do much EXCEPT launch rockets and supply Hezbollah with weapons. Israel has the Patriot anti-missile system to deal with any rockets that Iran might launch. BUT, I doubt that Iran would dare to use them for fear of what the Israelis could do in return, not to mention what the U.S. would do. Iran will just continue to use their "proxies". As far a Russia and China are concerned they will do little except saber-rattle. Oh, to be sure, they will supply Hezbollah with weapons. AND Russia COULD send a fleet from the Black Sea, but I doubt that Putin would be so foolish. As everyone knows by now, the U.S. has sent 2 full aircraft carrier fleet to the western Med. Following a first attack on Israel , the U.S. Navy would destroy them. I see no sign YET, that Syrian and/or Egyptian armies/air forces will jump in. Yemeni insurgents are continuing to fire rockets at Israel, but the U.S Navy has shot them down. So, they present little serious threat to Israel. The U.N continues to bluster, but they can do very little except cause possible economic sanctions against Israel.