Meanwhile, In the Middle East

Todd Moses
April 22, 2024

The Intercept confirms that Google offers advanced artificial intelligence to the Israeli military through its controversial "Project Nimbus" contract.

Inputs that matter: Israel used a long-range, supersonic missile in its strike on Iran earlier this week, reported The Times of Israel.

  • An Israeli strike on Iranian air defenses near the Natanz nuclear site had used a high-tech missile that was able to evade Iran's radar systems.
  • The report cited officials as saying that the move was "calibrated to make Iran think twice" before launching another direct attack on Israel.
  • BBC Verify has analyzed two images showing damaged parts of an air-defense system at an airfield in Isfahan.
  • Satellite images reveal a destroyed anti-aircraft mobile radar station.

The opportunity: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $95 billion legislative package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

  • Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah overnight killed 18 people.
  • Israel has carried out near-daily air raids on Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million has sought refuge from fighting elsewhere.

Zoom in: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Palestinians to unite amid Israel's war in Gaza following hours-long talks with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul on Saturday.

  • Hamas was founded by members of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1987 and designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., the E.U., and Israel.
  • A rival of the Fatah faction, Hamas rules the semi-autonomous Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank.

Between the lines: It was reported last year that the UK's Royal Air Force was considering buying the advanced Israeli missile after having donated many of its own Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine.

  • As the world takes sides, BRICS members (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the U.A.E) are siding with Iran while the G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. the U.S., and unofficially the E.U.) is behind Israel.

Follow the money: The G7 has expressed "strong concern" about the transfer of materials and weapons components from Chinese businesses to Russia for its military offensive in Ukraine.

  • Washington has made it very clear to Beijing and others that they must not help Russia in its military operations in Ukraine.
  • President Xi Jinping is in a difficult position at home, with an economy still struggling and worsened by the U.S. and other allies diversifying supply chains away from Chinese manufacturing.

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Read More

  1. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/israel-hamas-war-turkeys-recep-tayyip-erdogan-meets-hamas-chief-ismail-haniyeh-urges-palestinian-unity-5485846
  2. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68863981
  3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/21/us-house-passes-almost-100-billion-in-aid-for-ukraine-israel-what
  4. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68866548
  5. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/report-israel-used-air-to-surface-missile-called-the-rampage-in-iran-attack/
  6. https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-hit-iran-with-half-ton-rampage-supersonic-missile-report-2024-4
  7. https://banananomics.co/big_techs_role_in_war
  8. https://banananomics.co/the_economic_repercussions_on_iran