Pakistan is open to Iran joining
Saudi-Türkiye defense pact:
Exclusive
August 12, 12:24pm
(Al Mayadeen English)
Pakistan’s envoy to Moscow told Al Mayadeen that the regional
security deal is not aimed at any specific country and
welcomes broader regional participation.
Islamabad has no objection to Iran and Egypt joining the mutual
defense agreement signed with Ankara and Riyadh, Pakistan’s
ambassador to Moscow, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, told Al Mayadeen
on Wednesday.
Tirmizi said the agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye “is not
a hostile pact directed against any country, but rather an effort
to establish a regional security architecture.”
He stressed that "Pakistan welcomes the participation of other
countries in the region that are committed to achieving peace
and stability". "No development can be achieved without the
participation of influential regional actors", he stressed.
'Israel is the one carrying out acts of aggression'
Tirmizi said Pakistan had never harboured hostile intentions toward
"Israel", but argued that "Israel" is the party carrying out acts of
aggression, targeting not only neighbouring countries, but also
states far beyond the region.
He stressed that “actions speak for themselves, and therefore it
is clear - which party is carrying out aggression in the region.”
"We do not want war with anyone, but if any party has
hostile intentions toward us, we have the strength,
will and capability to respond", he said.
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan announced in a joint statement
on August 7 ---- that they had signed the Mecca Mutual Defense
Agreement, expressing their shared commitment to further
strengthening collective security.
The three countries also emphasized that “the agreement
is not directed against any specific party and is open to
other regional countries.”
Source: Al Mayadeen English
__________________________________
Iran’s new military appointments:
signal ‘offensive’ posture toward
US, Israel: Analyst
August 12, 12:16pm
(Press TV Website Staff)
The new appointments to Iran’s top military and security posts
signal a more offensive posture toward the United States and
the Israeli regime, according to an Iranian political and
military analyst.
Speaking to the Press TV website, Hossein Kanani Moghaddam, a
former senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps
(IRGC), said the changes are aimed at accelerating decision-
making and enhancing military responsiveness.
“The rearrangement of the military and security structure that was
carried out indicates an offensive military posture in confronting
threats from the United States and the Israeli regime,” he said.
On Monday, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed
Mojtaba Khamenei, appointed new figures to six senior military
posts. The move followed the appointment of former IRGC
commander-in-chief Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of the
Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).
In decrees issued on Monday, Major General Ali Abdollahi was
appointed chief of staff of the Armed Forces, with Brigadier
General Kioumars Heidari named as his deputy.
Major General Ahmad Vahidi was appointed commander-in-chief
of the IRGC, with Major General Mostafa Izadi as his second-in-
command. Rear Admiral Ali Ozamaei was named commander
of the IRGC Navy, while Hossein Taeb was appointed head
of the Basij Organization.
A day earlier, Ayatollah Khamenei had appointed Rezaei as his
representative - to the country’s top security body. President
Masoud Pezeshkian subsequently appointed him secretary
of the SNSC, Iran’s highest security and decision-
making institution.
Kanani Moghaddam said the new appointments would
help accelerate decision-making in the security and
defense arena.
“As a result of these appointments, forces have been brought under
greater coordination, the gap in decision-making between the
military branches has been shortened - and the speed of
decision-making and response has increased,” he said.
“One could almost say that our armed forces have
become a rapid-reaction force.”
He added that, based on his familiarity with the newly appointed
commanders, many have stronger field and operational back-
grounds and are well positioned..... to expand operations
beyond Iran’s borders.
“I know these friends, and they are more field-oriented and
operational, and they have the capability to expand
operations beyond the borders,” the former
senior IRGC commander told the Press
TV website.
He stressed that Iran’s security doctrine - includes an “offensive
hybrid-war” component, saying this dimension should be taken
into account ....when assessing the country’s new military
command structure.
The appointments come months after the US-Israeli war of
aggression, which led to the assassination of Leader of
the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei,
as well as senior officials and military commanders,
apart from civilians, including school children.
Iran responded with strikes on US and Israeli assets
across the region, inflicting heavy blows and
forcing them to unilaterally seek a truce.
The Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU),
signed in mid-June, was intended to bring the
imposed war to a permanent end.
However, after Washington violated provisions concerning the
Strait of Hormuz - in a fresh round of aggression against Iran,
Tehran responded with retaliatory attacks on US-run bases
and assets across the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait
and Jordan.
With firefighting currently paused amid Iranian-Omani negotiations
over the management of the Strait of Hormuz, the United States
has continued an illegal maritime blockade while threatening
further military aggression against the Islamic Republic.
Kanani Moghaddam said the broader confrontation should
ultimately be viewed through the prism of military power
rather than diplomacy alone.
“I believe that no peace happens without
war,” he told the Press TV website.
“We can reach a lasting peace when, in a direct war, we achieve
the consolidation of our power. At that point, the enemy retreats
and lasting peace is achieved. Otherwise nothing will be gained
through negotiations and ceasefires followed by another war;
as this cycle will continue.”
_____________________________________
Strait of Hormuz closure exposes AI’s
hidden helium dependence, putting
''globalist'' chipmaking at risk
August 12, 11:52am
(By Yousef Ramazani)
The world’s most advanced artificial intelligence systems, whose
capabilities .....appear to exist beyond physical constraints,
ultimately depend on a narrow maritime passage in the
Persian Gulf – the Strait of Hormuz – through which
much of the helium used to cool the lithography
machines that etch the chips powering AI
models.... is transported.
The continued closure of the strategic waterway, in the wake of
US maritime banditry has exposed how easily the digital revolution
can be severed from its physical foundations and the largely
invisible vulnerability ---- at the heart of the global
artificial intelligence industry.
While the world’s attention has focused on oil markets and energy
prices, the disruption of shipping through the narrow waterway
has exposed an intricate web of dependencies linking the
seemingly ethereal world of algorithms and machine
learning to the physical movement of critical
industrial materials.
At the centre of this vulnerability - is helium, an irreplaceable element
in semiconductor manufacturing, that is produced predominantly, as
a byproduct of natural gas processing at Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility.
When the US-Israeli war machine carried out an unprovoked and
illegal aggression against the Islamic Republic and the Strait of
Hormuz became impassable, approximately one-third of global
helium production was disrupted, while 100s of specialized
cryogenic containers became stranded, their valuable
cargo ....gradually warming and evaporating.
The convergence of a major production disruption, and a maritime
blockade has threatened to constrain semiconductor fabrication
in Taiwan and South Korea, where some of the world’s most
advanced chips are manufactured.
The resulting supply shock could slow the expansion of AI
infrastructure and expose the extent to which the digital
revolution remains dependent ....on fragile physical
supply chains.
Unlikely link between a narrow strait
and advanced algorithms
The Strait of Hormuz, a maritime passage approximately
thirty-three kilometres wide at its narrowest point, has
long been recognized as one of the world's most
consequential energy chokepoints.
Before the US-Israeli aggression against Iran -- roughly 20 million
barrels of crude oil and refined products passed through it daily,
representing about one-quarter of all seaborne oil trade.
Yet the strategic significance of this waterway extends far beyond
energy markets, reaching into the sophisticated supply chains
that underpin the global technology industry.
The disruption of shipping through the strait ........has exposed a
dependency that few had anticipated: the reliance of advanced
semiconductor manufacturing on helium. This gas cannot be
manufactured when needed ...or be stockpiled indefinitely.
Helium is extracted as a byproduct of liquefied natural gas
production through cryogenic distillation, and Qatar sits
atop the world's largest single natural gas field,
accounting for approximately one-third of
the global helium supply.
The Ras Laffan Industrial City in an Arab country, home to the
world's largest LNG plant, has been the cornerstone of
global helium production for years.
When the US aggression and the Iranian retaliation --- forced the
shutdown of this facility in early March 2026, and QatarEnergy
subsequently declared force majeure on affected contracts,
about 5.2 million cubic metres of annual helium production
capacity ---------- was removed from global markets.
The damage to the facility was so extensive - that Qatari
officials estimated it would take three to five years for
full repairs to be completed.
The simultaneous closure of the Strait of Hormuz... meant that
even helium that had already been produced and loaded into
specialized containers could not reach its customers,
creating a production-and-logistics disruption
unprecedented in the history of the
helium industry.
Qatar's Ras Laffan helium
Helium crisis: Precarious
supply chain
The vulnerability of the helium supply chain --- was immediately
apparent to industry experts when the crisis unfolded. Helium
industry consultants described the situation in stark terms.
Approximately two hundred specialized cryogenic containers
used to transport liquid helium were stranded in West Asia,
each worth roughly one million dollars.
These containers are not ordinary freight vessels but
sophisticated pieces of equipment designed to
maintain helium at temperatures near
absolute zero.
Liquid helium has an extremely low boiling point, approximately
4.2 Kelvin at atmospheric pressure, and its storage containers
inevitably experience boil-off. The longer a shipment remains
in transit, the more difficult it becomes...... to preserve the
original cargo volume.
The containers can store helium for approximately 35-40 days
before warming becomes a critical problem, after which the
helium transforms into gas and escapes through pressure
release valves.
The timing of the disruption could hardly have been worse
for the semiconductor industry, which was already
operating at maximum capacity to meet surging
demand for AI chips.
Semiconductor manufacturing and microchip fabrication
are the largest consumers of helium globally, and the
gas is irreplaceable ---- for these uses.
Helium's combination of properties --- including its extreme
thermal conductivity, chemical inertness, and low boiling
point, makes it uniquely suitable for wafer temperature
management, cooling during extreme ultraviolet
lithography, and mass spectrometry
leak detection.
No viable alternative exists for these applications. When
helium runs short, semiconductor companies tend to
outbid every other industry for the available supply
because the cost of idling a fabrication facility
dwarfs any premium on the gas itself.
This has led to price increases that have rippled
through the entire technology supply chain.
South Korea and Taiwan:
Vulnerability... of
concentration
The strategic exposure to the helium crisis is particularly
acute in East Asia, where the semiconductor industry
is predominantly concentrated.
South Korea, home to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix,
which together control nearly 80% of the high-bandwidth
memory market ---- essential for modern AI clusters ----
imported about 64% of its helium from Qatar in 2025.
The country's dependence on Qatari helium made it one of
the most vulnerable economies to the disruption, with
government officials and industry analysts warning
that prolonged shortages could constrain the
country's most important growth engine.
The Asia Group, a US-based advisory firm, highlighted this
vulnerability in a report that noted continued disruptions
in the Strait of Hormuz would affect South Korean
chipmakers, which are the world's largest
helium consumers.
Taiwan, which accounts for over 60 percent of global foundry
revenue and more than 90 percent of leading-edge chip
manufacturing, also faced significant exposure
to the helium crisis.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world's
most advanced semiconductor manufacturer, consumes
approximately 10% of Taiwan's electricity demand and
depends heavily on imported helium ------- for its
fabrication processes.
While Taiwanese companies have invested heavily in helium
recycling systems that can recapture ninety to 95 percent
of the helium used in certain processes, leak-detection
helium... is essentially unrecoverable, and even a 5%
loss at high consumption volumes adds up rapidly.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company reportedly
held inventory of four to six months and had locked in
multiyear helium supply contracts as part of its
Arizona fab planning, but the prolonged
nature of the disruption raised
concerns about the
sustainability of
these buffers.
Crumbling foundation of
the AI Infrastructure
The helium crisis is only one element of a broader vulnerability
that runs through nearly every layer of the AI infrastructure.
The International Energy Agency has documented that data
centres consumed approximately 415 terawatt-hours of
electricity in 2024, with projections suggesting this
figure could roughly double by 2030.
The accelerated servers that drive AI workloads are set to grow
far faster in electricity use than conventional servers, creating
a massive industrial load .......that depends on stable
electricity supplies.
The Strait of Hormuz matters to AI because AI is becoming a
massive industrial electricity customer, and the Strait of
Hormuz still shapes fuel availability and pricing for
several of the Asian economies that power and
manufacture the AI stack.
The relationship between the Strait of Hormuz and AI is not
direct but operates through multiple layers of dependency.
Taiwan and South Korea, the two economies most critical
to AI hardware production, are heavily dependent on
imported energy that transits through the Strait.
Taiwan, which imports over 95 percent of its energy needs,
had relied on Qatar for approximately one-third of its LNG
before the war. South Korea - relies on the strait for 61%
of its crude oil imports and 54% of its naphtha imports.
When energy supplies are threatened, the entire semiconductor
manufacturing ecosystem faces disruption, including the
production of the advanced logic chips and the high-
bandwidth memory ...that power AI systems.
The New York Federal Reserve has warned that mounting
global supply chain strains tied to the recent US wars of
aggression in West Asia... ...could hamstring the AI
investment boom.
Container bottleneck - and
the limits of diversification
Efforts to diversify helium supply have been complicated by the
physical limitations of the industry. New helium projects under
development in Canada, Tanzania, and Minnesota are years
away from meaningful production.
The specialized cryogenic containers used to transport helium
are in limited supply, and the stranded containers in West
Asia represent a significant portion of the global fleet.
Even if production were to resume immediately, repositioning
these containers would require a minimum of three months,
creating a supply gap that outlasts the war itself.
This logistical bottleneck has been described by industry experts
as potentially the worst part of the shortage, as the disruption
affects not only the production of helium but also the ability
to transport it to customers.
The crisis - has accelerated efforts to develop alternatives and
improve efficiency. ASML and Applied Materials are designing
next-generation tools to use less helium in some processes,
substituting nitrogen for non-critical cooling.
These are incremental improvements, measured in percentage
points, not ---- a structural fix. Helium recycling systems have
become.. more widespread, with most advanced fabrication
companies now operating on-site helium recovery systems
capable of recapturing a high percentage of the helium
used ...in certain processes.
However, the fundamental dependence on helium
in EUV lithography and other critical processes
means that no quick solution is available.
AI industry's new geography
The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has forced
a reconsideration of the physical geography of
the AI industry.
Tech companies accounted for around 40% of corporate
renewable power purchase agreements signed in 2025,
and the AI momentum is helping to push interest in
nuclear, geothermal, batteries, and more flexible
data-centre designs.
The move toward domestic energy sources reduces
dependence on imported fossil fuels and lowers
vulnerability to maritime chokepoints.
However, the concentration of advanced semiconductor
manufacturing in Taiwan and South Korea means that
even US companies remain exposed to the helium
supply chain through their dependence on
fabrication facilities in these regions.
The economic implications of the disruption extend beyond
the immediate cost of helium. Memory chip prices have
already risen sharply amid booming AI demand, and
any further supply constraint on helium could force
chip makers to prioritize high-margin AI silicon
over consumer products.
When helium runs short, semiconductor companies tend to
outbid every other industry for available supply because
the cost of idling a fab, dwarfs any premium on the gas.
This leaves other helium-dependent sectors, including medical
imaging and pharmaceuticals, short of supply, creating a
cascade of economic effects that reach far beyond
the technology industry.
The disruption has demonstrated that the world's AI revolution
ultimately depends not only on GPUs, advanced lithography,
and enormous data centres, but also on obscure physical
commodities whose supply chains can be disrupted
thousands of kilometres away from Silicon Valley.
Long-term implications
for global technology
The ongoing crisis - triggered by US maritime banditry and military
aggression against Iran has served as a stress test for the global
technology ecosystem, revealing vulnerabilities that will shape
investment and policy decisions.... for years to come.
The dependence on a single waterway for a third of global helium
supply has been identified as a strategic weakness that requires
immediate attention.
South Korea's government has launched a review of more than a
dozen semiconductor materials and equipment types with high
dependence on West Asian sources.
The longer-term response to the crisis will likely involve a
combination - of diversification, recycling, and redesign,
according to experts. New helium production facilities
outside Qatar are under development, 'though they
will take years to reach meaningful production.
Helium recycling systems are becoming more sophisticated
and widespread, reducing the amount of fresh helium
required for semiconductor manufacturing.
Equipment manufacturers are redesigning tools to reduce helium
consumption, though the pace of these changes is limited by
the complexity of semiconductor fabrication processes.
However, the fundamental challenge remains, which is that helium
is irreplaceable for certain critical applications in semiconductor
manufacturing, and its supply will remain concentrated - for the
foreseeable future.
The Strait of Hormuz does not literally determine whether artificial
intelligence can continue to develop. The world's AI industry has
multiple layers of redundancy, semiconductor inventories,
alternative helium suppliers, recycling systems, and
geographical diversification.
The crisis has demonstrated that the AI hardware ecosystem
has vulnerabilities far removed from the factories where
chips are designed and fabricated.
A strategic waterway primarily associated with oil and LNG
can also influence the availability of a rare industrial gas
used throughout advanced manufacturing.
The lesson is not that AI depends on passing the Strait of
Hormuz, but that AI depends on a remarkably long and
geographically concentrated chain of energy, gases,
chemicals, machinery, semiconductor fabrication,
and logistics.
Helium is one of the clearest examples
...of this hidden dependency.
(source: PressTV)
_______________________________
Iran, Russia discuss cybersecurity
cooperation, and the protection
of critical infrastructure
August 12, 10:38am
(PressTV)
Iran and Russia have held a new round of talks in Moscow
on strengthening cybersecurity, combating cybercrime,
and improving the resilience of critical infrastructure
& communications networks against cyberattacks.
The talks were held on Wednesday with the participation of an
Iranian delegation headed by the Foreign Ministry’s director
general of the Department of International Peace and
Security, as well as the director of the Department
for International Information Security at Russia’s
Foreign Ministry.
Officials from relevant agencies in both countries reviewed
the latest progress in implementing a bilateral agreement
and action plan on information security.
The discussions focused on identifying and implementing joint
cybersecurity projects, strengthening the resilience of critical
infrastructure and communications networks, and developing
measures to better withstand cyberattacks.
The two sides also discussed efforts to combat cybercrime,
train and strengthen personnel capable of responding to
cyber incidents, and expand cooperation in artificial
intelligence infrastructure.
The bilateral agreement on information security cooperation
was signed in Moscow in January 2021 and approved by
Iran’s parliament in late 2023. It entered into force
following approval by the legislatures of
both countries.
The latest meeting marked the second round of technical
consultations between Iran and Russia on implementing
the agreement since its ratification.
Cybersecurity cooperation is also addressed in Article 11 of the
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Iran and
Russia, signed by the two countries’ presidents in Moscow in
January 2025. The treaty calls for greater cooperation on
international information security ....and improving the
cybersecurity of the two countries’ infrastructure.
The latest consultations followed separate talks in Moscow
on Tuesday between Iranian and Russian foreign ministry
delegations on international security issues, including
arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation.
___________________________________________
Any ground offensive against Iran
will be crushed: Army general
August 12, 10:37am
(PressTV)
The Iranian Army’s Deputy for Executive Affairs says the country’s
military preparedness and strategic maneuvering have forced
Washington to repeatedly revise its political objectives,
warning that any ground offensive attempt against
Iran will be crushed.
Brigadier General Alireza Sheikh said on Wednesday that Iran’s
“smart maneuvering on the chessboard of the battlefield” has
compelled the White House ......to continuously redefine its
political objectives.
He rejected US claims that Iran’s naval forces were completely
destroyed during the recent US-Israeli aggression, arguing
that military power cannot be measured solely by
weapons and equipment.
“Power --- is not merely a hardware component that can be
measured by tools and equipment,” Sheikh said. “Power
---- is the art of maneuvering on the battlefield and
combining defensive capabilities, to achieve
an objective.”
He said a country may possess superior technology and achieve
tactical successes in a direct confrontation, but that such
successes.... do not necessarily translate into a
strategic victory.
“The real effectiveness on the battlefield comes from the thinking
that can create a new combination from available tools, change
the battlefield, and turn an operational action into a strategic
outcome,” he said.
According to Sheikh, Iran changed the nature of the confrontation
by shifting the battlefield toward other elements of national
power and thereby reducing the effectiveness of its
enemies’ military capabilities.
“You may stand against an opponent with military capabilities,
equipment and technology, but if you cannot impose your will
on the other side, you are the real loser of the war,” he said.
Sheikh also noted that Israel and the US had developed plans
to create insecurity and pursue separatist activities in
western Iran. He said Iran responded ---- through a
preemptive move.
“We identified their plans, understood their intentions
and identified and destroyed their groups before
they could take action,” he said.
Iran’s power exposed US vulnerability, shifted
war costs onto aggressors: IRGC spokesman
Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi says Iran’s response to the
US aggression shifted the costs of the war onto Washington
and its allies, exposing the aggressor’s vulnerability.
He described Washington’s changing political
objectives during the war --- as a major sign
of strategic failure.
“Changing political objectives continuously during an operation
and the mismatch between military tools and major political
objectives ---- are the biggest signs of America’s failure,”
he said.
Asked about Iran’s missile deterrence and its ability to respond to
a potential wider war, Sheikh said more than 75 percent of Iran’s
missile and drone capabilities ---- remain operational.
He also highlighted the evolution of Iranian drones, particularly
the Arash, saying the system has been modified in response
to battlefield requirements.
“The Arash drone, after demonstrating its effectiveness at
long distances, was equipped with new capabilities and
the obstacles in its path were overcome,” he said.
Sheikh added that the Iranian Armed Forces have adapted their
technology during both the 12-day and 40-day periods of
fighting, describing the process as an ongoing effort
to adjust military capabilities ---- to changing
battlefield conditions.
“Today, the Arash drone has become a
nightmare - for the enemy,” he said.
Addressing the possibility of a ground aggression, Sheikh said
Iran is closely monitoring potential enemy strategies and will
respond ....according to developments on the battlefield.
“As soon as their plans became clear, we crushed
them before they could make any move,” he said.
He argued that Iran’s ability to alter regional power equations
also strengthened its position in the negotiations.
“The enemy now knows.. that we have the power to change
regional equations,” Sheikh said. “When you are capable
of changing the equation, you can also become an
architect of understanding and agreement.”
The US and Israeli regime -- launched their war of aggression
against Iran on February 28 by assassinating the Leader of
the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei,
along with senior military commanders.
However, forty days later, on April 8, they were forced to
accept a ceasefire amid Iran’s resistance, successful
retaliatory operations, and powerful grip ---- on the
Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran and Washington signed the Islamabad MoU
on June 17, but the US effectively violated the
agreement by striking Iran.
In response, the Iranian Armed Forces have conducted
devastating attacks against strategic US targets
across West Asia.
_______________________________
Eight months at sea: Families --- raise alarm
over mounting mental toll aboard US carrier
August 12, 9:16am
(PressTV)
Families of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln say an
eight-month deployment in the US war against Iran has
taken a heavy toll, with concerns growing over
exhaustion, mental health, living conditions
and the safety of the carrier’s crew.
The aircraft carrier, which carries roughly 5,000 sailors and
Marines, has been deployed since November 21 and has
remained at sea for more than eight months as US
military aggression against Iran continues.
Its deployment, originally expected to end in May, has been
extended .....without a publicly announced return date.
The Abraham Lincoln has been deployed for 263 days and
is currently languishing in the Indian Ocean, according
to a separate report.
The carrier has spent 208 consecutive days at sea, apart
from a brief stop in Oman in July, making the deployment
one of the longest continuous periods at sea for a US
aircraft carrier in the modern era.
According to Military Times, one sailor’s wife, Annabelle
Loma, said her husband attempted to go overboard
from the carrier during the current deployment
and is now on medical hold.
She said she has spoken with him only a few times
since the incident and that he had been severely
overextended before it occurred.
Loma said her husband was concerned that the incident
could end his 13-year Navy career, adding that his
immediate focus should be on his recovery
rather than disciplinary consequences.
The Navy did not provide a precise figure for the number
of sailors who have attempted to go overboard or
engaged in self-harm aboard the Lincoln
during the current deployment.
In a separate incident, a sailor on watch intervened after
seeing a shipmate preparing to go overboard, according
to the sailor’s wife, Maria Rodriguez.
The sailor called out to the individual, reached them and
pulled them back onto the deck. Three other sailors
subsequently arrived to help.
The incident was also reported by Stars and Stripes,
which said the crew was informed through a
shipwide announcement.
The reports have intensified concerns among families
about the psychological strain of the carrier’s
extended deployment and sustained
hostile operations.
More than 200 family members attended a meeting in San
Diego last week with acting Secretary of the Navy Hung
Cao. During a separate virtual meeting later that day,
families raised concerns about sailors’ mental
health, exhaustion and safety.
Vice Adm. Joseph Cahill, commander of Naval Surface Forces,
acknowledged the impact of the deployment on service
members and their families, saying the Navy was
aware of concerns about the long-term effects
of the deployment.
Officials cited deployment-resilience counselors and Human
Factors Councils that examine conditions affecting sailors’
well-being and identify risks related to sailors’ health
and readiness.
Families, however, say this prolonged separation and uncertainty
about when the carrier will return home, are adding to the strain.
Shelby Sanders, whose mother is serving aboard the Lincoln,
said communication had been difficult during the 8-month
deployment. She said her mother appeared to be
''struggling'' when she was able to send
messages home.
The prolonged deployment has also raised concerns
about basic living conditions aboard the carrier,
according to reports.
Personnel have reportedly protested inadequate food
supplies, with meals at times reduced to as little as
half a cup of rice and two pieces of meat.
The carrier’s laundry facilities have reportedly been
out of service for two weeks, while mold in shower
areas has allegedly caused fungal infections
among crew members.
The reports come amid a separate account of a deadly
confrontation aboard the Abraham Lincoln in which
seven sailors were reportedly killed and several
others wounded. This incident - has added to
concerns... about the conditions facing the
carrier’s crew in its extended deployment.
The Navy.. is preparing the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier
strike group to relieve the Lincoln, Cao told families at the
San Diego meeting. Officials have not provided a timeline
for the transition, citing operational security.
The extended deployment has left families facing continued
uncertainty over when their relatives will return home,
while sailors aboard the carrier remain engaged
in operations..... far from the US.
______________________________________
'Israel' - wages ecocide against
southern Lebanon’s woodlands
August 12, 6:28am
(Al Mayadeen English)
"Israel" is deliberately setting fires across southern Lebanon,
destroying woodlands, olive groves and farmland while
threatening ecosystems and forcing communities
from their land.
Firefighters and residents in south Lebanon have accused the
Israeli occupation forces of deliberately starting wildfires, as
forested areas have been consumed by flames ......following
Israeli bombardments.
Environmental organizations said the fires reported in recent
weeks reflect a longstanding pattern of Israeli attacks
affecting Lebanon’s natural environment.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military dropped flares in a wooded area
outside Khiam in south Lebanon, igniting fires. As firefighters
moved in to put out the flames, a drone struck nearby,
forcing them to retreat, Hussein Fakih, head of
civil defense in the Nabatieh region, told
the Guardian.
“Most of our missions - are now related to fires. There are enormous
areas of woodland that have burned; I don’t have the exact figures,
but in the areas close to the [frontline], around 30-40% of the land
has been affected by fires”, he stressed.
'White phosphorus shells are fired at the woodlands'
According to videos and testimony from first responders, the Israeli
occupation forces have caused fires throughout southern Lebanon,
particularly in olive groves and agricultural areas, during the
nearly two months since the June 17 'ceasefire' ----- that
"Israel" is violating daily.
Green Southerners stresses that the response to the large-scale
detonations carried out in the immediate vicinity of Beaufort
Castle must go beyond documenting the incident and the
damage currently visible at the site.
“They started doing this right after the ceasefire, and there have
been incendiary bombs every day,” said Fakih. “Small drones
come out and drop incendiary materials, [white] phosphorus
shells are fired at the woodlands, in addition to illumination
flares that they drop during the daytime so the vegetation
catches fire".
Similar fires reported in border areas
Firefighters and residents elsewhere in southern Lebanon
have also described fires they say were started by Israeli
munitions and drones - in dry scrubland & wooded areas.
On Friday, Israeli munitions sparked major wildfires in two
densely forested locations: Kfarchouba, near the border,
and an area between Jezzine and the western
Bekaa valley.
Samir Hardan, chief of the local civil defense station, reported
that a fire broke out near Kfarchouba on Friday afternoon
after a drone .....dropped a munition into woodland.
Firefighters fought the flames through the night
and extinguished them on Saturday ----- but
another drone ignited a second fire, on
Sunday, Hardan added.
Firefighters must coordinate their movements with the Lebanese
army, which passes their requests to a “deconfliction” group
that includes the Israeli military. They were authorized to
tackle fires at only two locations, while being denied
permission to reach other areas where the flames
were spreading.
Environmental groups warn of wider damage
Environmental organizations said the fires form part of a broader
pattern of Israeli attacks on Lebanon’s environment, with
experts warning that the country’s forests and the
biodiversity they sustain --- are at risk.
“These are long-established woodlands, dominated by productive
stone pine alongside oak. They perform critical functions. The
wider area is also an important passage and resting ground
for migratory birds”, said Hisham Younes.... founder of the
Lebanese conservation organization Green Southerners.
Younes described the Israeli aggression as an “ecocide”, saying
they formed part of a military pattern targeting the environment
of southern Lebanon and damaging its ecosystem ----- through
munitions, fire and chemicals.
Younes said, "It is not about any single fire or attack, but a pattern
of destruction that progressively erodes the ability of ecosystems
to function, regenerate and sustain life. When those cascading
effects also undermine livelihoods and people’s ability to
return to and remain on their land, environmental
destruction ------- becomes inseparable from the
wider transformation of the territory itself".
Longstanding accusations of environmental destruction
Since the Israeli aggression on Lebanon began on October 8, 2023,
"Israel" has repeatedly targeted wooded areas in Lebanon.
Ecologists and rights organizations have warned that fires and other
forms of extensive environmental destruction ...could have broader
consequences for civilian populations.
During the summer of 2024, Israeli troops used trebuchets, medieval
catapults, to hurl flaming debris over the border wall into Lebanon.
The Lebanese army ---- also published photographs of Israeli
drones carrying hoses.. that were used to spray forests
with flammable materials.
Health and environmental experts raised concerns in February
after Israeli aircraft dropped herbicides linked to cancer
on farms in southern Lebanon.
Residents mourn destruction of their land
Beyond the environmental and health effects of the fires, residents
of southern Lebanon have grieved the destruction of the green
spaces in the villages where they grew up.
On August 1, forcibly displaced residents of the border village of
Yaroun discovered that their olive and fruit groves, along with
their homes, had been burned by Israeli troops occupying
the area.
"They had already bulldozed the whole village. Then they set fire to
the trees. What remained in this particular area, were the olive
trees, large groves, with very old olive trees. They started
there, then the fire spread along the outskirts of the
village", said Hafez Ghasham, mayor of Yaroun.
Residents of Yaroun had already seen the Israeli forces bulldoze all
but 20 of the village’s 900 homes in previous months. During their
forcible displacement, they pooled money to purchase costly
satellite imagery of the village.
“Many of these trees, most of them, in fact, were inherited from our
grandparents and parents. They have enormous sentimental value.
The trees were also an important source of income for the people
of the village,” Ghasham said.
“They are trying to make the land uninhabitable. They are erasing
our entire history, our entire culture, all our memories. Maybe the
idea is that after some time, it will look as though nobody had
ever lived here,” he concluded.
Source: The (weeping) Guardian