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(The Economic Collapse Blog)—For as long as any of us have been alive, those that study the Bible have been warning us that there would be an apocalyptic war in the Middle East in the end times. Personally, I have specifically warned about this war in many of my books.
Now a great end times war is playing out in the Middle East right in front of our eyes, but a lot of people out there still don’t seem to get it. This isn’t just another war in the Middle East. What we are witnessing is the final showdown between Israel and Iran.
On Tuesday, Iran shocked the entire world when it fired large numbers of missiles into Israel. The following comes from CNN…
Missiles have been launched from Iran toward Israel and sirens are sounding across the country, according to a statement from Israel’s military.
CNN teams on the ground in multiple locations across Israel have observed dozens of missiles flying above them. Some have been intercepted by Israel’s air defenses, although it is not clear how many.
There are conflicting reports about the exact number of missiles that were fired at Israel.
But everyone seems to agree that “hundreds” of missiles were in the air, and videos posted on social media appear to show many of them making impact.
Iran is claiming that 80 percent of their missiles made it through, and the IDF is admitting that at least some of the missiles were not intercepted…
Iran’s state TV claimed that 80 percent of their missiles launched at Israel hit their target. It’s unclear exactly what the targets were.
Israeli army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the country’s air defense system was fully operational, detecting and intercepting threats.
‘However, the defense is not hermetic,’ he noted.
Just prior to Iran’s attack, the White House warned that there would be “severe consequences” if Iran launched missiles at Israel…
White House and Defense Department had warned earlier that Iran was preparing to launch ballistic missiles at Israel.
“We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran,” a senior White House official told NBC News.
So what will those “severe consequences” look like?
Is the Biden administration about to fire missiles at Iran?
The Israelis are also promising to respond “in the place and the time we determine”, but we don’t know any specifics at this stage.
If the Israelis strike back at Iran, and I am entirely convinced that they will, the Iranians are warning that they will launch a “crushing attack”…
“Should the Zionist regime respond to Iran’s operation, it will face crushing attack,” said the IRGC, Iran’s paramilitary organization.
This is not going to end well, but most of you already knew that.
Just before Iranian missiles were launched on Tuesday, there was a horrifying terror attack in Jaffa that resulted in the deaths of eight people…
Eight people were killed and at least seven wounded, as well as a dog, in a shooting terror attack in Jaffa, in central Israel, on Tuesday evening, Magen David Adom reported.
At least four people were reported critically wounded. Magen David Adom announced that the incident involved multiple causalities.
The shooting occurred near a light rail station in the central Israeli city. Two terrorists who were observed exiting the train were shot dead by security forces.
We should expect to see a lot more terror attacks in the days ahead.
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Now that IDF forces have entered southern Lebanon, there is no turning back. Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari is characterizing the incursions into southern Lebanon as “localized raids”, but everyone realizes that this is just the beginning.
So far, it is unclear how much success Israeli troops are having in southern Lebanon.
There were reports that Israeli forces successfully entered a number of villages in southern Lebanon, but Al Jazeera insists that the IDF is encountering “fierce resistance” from Hezbollah militants…
Ali Rizk, a security and political affairs analyst based in Beirut, says Israeli troops attempted to “overwhelm” Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon late last night but were repelled and forced to withdraw.
“What the Israeli side might be doing is a propaganda war when they speak about successfully entering Lebanese territory. So this might be part of an Israeli psychological war, which wouldn’t be the first time they resort to such tactics,” Rizk told Al Jazeera.
“We’ll have to see how the ground invasion unfolds. But – according to a source with ties to Hezbollah – the Israelis did meet fierce resistance in the late hours of last night. It does appear this is not going to be an easy battle for Israel, even if Hezbollah has lost its leader and senior military commanders. That still leaves Hezbollah to be a formidable foe to inflict heavy costs on the Israelis in their ground invasion.”
Right now we are in the early hours of fighting, and so we may not get a fully accurate picture of what is transpiring on the ground for a while.
But without a doubt this is going to be far different from what we witnessed in Gaza.
Hezbollah is far more powerful than Hamas was, and Hezbollah has much more powerful allies.
Following the overnight raids into southern Lebanon, Israeli officials “called on residents in more than 20 areas in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes”…
Following the overnight raids, IDF officials this morning called on residents in more than 20 areas in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes, signalling more ground operations were imminent.
‘The IDF (Israeli military) does not want to harm you, and for your own safety you must evacuate your homes immediately.
‘Anyone who is near Hezbollah members, installations and combat equipment is putting his life in danger,’ army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.
This seems to indicate that Israeli forces will soon be attempting to move into those areas.
Of course Hezbollah sees this as an “invasion”, and Hezbollah officials have warned over and over again that an “invasion” of southern Lebanon will mean all-out war.
And now that hundreds of missiles have been fired into Israel, it appears that the Iranians and the Israelis are on the verge of all-out war too.
We have been warned that this was coming for decades, and now it is here.
A great end times war in the Middle East has begun, and it isn’t going to be pretty.
Michael’s new book entitled “Why” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
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.
