Israel and IDF Prepare For Gaza Incursion

Israel prepares international opinion for assault on Gaza
The Jerusalem Post
As Hamas drew Ashkelon into the circle of communities coming under heavy rocket attacks, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the Foreign Ministry on Thursday began preparing both Israeli and world opinion for the possibility of a large-scale incursion into Gaza.
Barak, during a series of meetings at the Defense Ministry, said, “We should be prepared for an upswing in hostilities in Gaza. The big ground operation is a reality and it is tangible. We are not eager to embark upon such an operation, but we are not put off by it either.”
According to defense sources, the goals of such an operation – reportedly in the planning stages for weeks if not months – would not “merely” be to reduce the threat of rocket fire and rocket manufacturing in the Gaza Strip, but would also likely entail paralyzing the Hamas government’s ability to operate, and even include “regime change.”
Barak spoke with Quartet envoy Tony Blair and Egyptian intelligence head Omar Suleiman and said Israel could not tolerate the current level of rocket fire in the South without offering a wider response.
And the Foreign Ministry, in talking points sent to its representatives abroad, instructed them to say that when Israel left the Gaza Strip in 2005 it did so without the intention of ever returning, but that the continuation of terrorist attacks was likely to place the country in a position where it may have no other choice.
Entire article HERE

….And there is this…….
IDF forces prepare for Gaza incursion
ynet news
Dozens of tanks, artillery battery positioned just north of Gaza to reinforce infantry, engineering corps forces already inside Strip ahead of possible large-scale ground operation. PM returns from Japan, updated on Grad, Qassam rocket attacks on Ashkelon
Over the past few days the IDF has positioned an artillery battery near Kibbutz Beeri, located about three kilometers (1.8 miles) from the Gaza border, and dozens of tanks have made their way to an assembling area just north of the Strip.
Forces from the Givati Brigade, the Armored Corps’ 9th Battalion and the Engineering Corps have already entered the Strip ahead of a possible large-scale ground incursion.
The reinforcements, while limited, appear to indicate increased readiness on the part of the IDF.
Meanwhile, during his flight back from Japan Friday morning, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was updated on Thursday’s Grad and Qassam rocket attacks on Ashkelon and the western Negev. The political-security cabinet is scheduled to convene Wednesday to discuss the escalation in the south.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Egyptian intelligence chief Omer Suleiman are due in Israel Tuesday.

…… And this……..

Hey FuzzyMuzzys – the U.S.S. Cole is back, an this time your the target!

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The amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4) leads a formation of ships during an Atlantic Ocean crossing of the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrew King (Released)

U.S. Navy ships move closer to Lebanon ( 9 ships )
WASHINGTON (CNN)
The U.S. Navy has moved the guided-missile destroyer USS Cole and other ships to the eastern Mediterranean Sea off Lebanon, Pentagon officials said Thursday.
The deployment comes amid a political standoff over Lebanon’s presidency, but the Navy would not say whether the events are linked.

“It’s a group of ships that will operate in the vicinity for a while and as the ships in our Navy do, the presence is important,” Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday.

“It isn’t meant to send any stronger signal than that,” he said. “But it does signal that we’re engaged and we are going to be in the vicinity, and that’s a very important part of the world.”

The destroyer and two support ships are close to Lebanon but out of visual range of the coast, Pentagon officials said. Another six vessels, led by the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau, are close to Italy and steaming toward the other three, the officials said.
Mullen would not say whether the deployment has anything to do with the upcoming Lebanese parliamentary vote on a new president, which was postponed for a 15th time earlier this week. But he said the vote was “important,” and Washington was waiting for it to take place.
And a Bush administration official told CNN the decision to move ships to the region was a message to neighboringSyria that “the U.S. is concerned about the situation in Lebanon, and we want to see the situation resolved.”

“We are sending a clear message for the need for stability,” said the official, who was not authorized to speak for publication. The ships “should be there a while,” the official added.

…… And this……..
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Hezbollah on Friday rejected the deployment of U.S. warships off Lebanon, calling it a threat to the country that will not affect the militant group.

“We are facing an American threat against Lebanon,” Hezbollah legislator Hassan Fadlallah said. “It is clear this threat and intimidation will not affect us.”

Wild Thing’s comment……..
I was wondering why CNN would let out about our ships, then I realized that if we didn’t want anyone to know they wouldn’t know. It seems they want this to be public for a reason, its a show of force. It would be a safe bet that there is stuff going on in the background that we don’t know about. This is way too major a move just to act as a show of force for Lebanese domestic politics. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Enough with the world opinion I am tired of having to consult with the world about anything. Israel’s only giving the world a chance to restrain them. Just do what you gotta go & let the world scream afterwards, when there’s nothing they can do about it anymore.
This is actually quite serious. First of all, the Russians have 3 ships to the north at the Syrian port. Its something to consider.
Second, Israel is going to put the hurt on in Gaza.
Clearly, these ships are there as a deterrent to prevent Hezbullah from opening up a second front while Israel mops up Hamas in Gaza. But, Iran may have no choice. We (US, Israel, NATO to a degree) are going to systematically remove Iran’s chips from the ches board.
Israel is going to wipe out Hamas maybe not sure. If so in return, Iran almost has to activate Hezbullah to open fire. That is when the US will be ready to pound them, or Israel will pound them. If not, then Iran loses Hamas and is left only with Hezbullah, who will get pounded later.
The wildcard is Russia.
Just some thoughts on this of course I have no idea.
The main thing ……prayers for our troops and the IDF, and for America and Israel.