Republicans lay legal groundwork for election challenges

In Arizona, one of seven competitive US states that are expected to decide the 2024 presidential election, an advocacy group founded by Donald Trump adviser Stephen Miller is advancing a bold legal theory: that judges can throw out election results over "failures or irregularities" by local officials.

The lawsuit by the America First Legal Foundation, a conservative advocacy group, says the court in such cases should be able to toss the election results and order new rounds of voting in two counties in Arizona, where Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris is leading Trump in the polls by a razor-thin margin.

Almost four years after former president Trump and his allies tried and failed to overturn his election defeat with a flurry of more than 60 hastily arranged lawsuits, Republicans have launched an aggressive legal campaign laying the groundwork to challenge potential losses.

The Republican National Committee says it is involved in more than 120 lawsuits across 26 states, in a strategy that some legal experts and voting rights groups say is meant to undercut faith in the system.

Republicans say the lawsuits are aimed at restoring faith in elections by ensuring people don't vote illegally. Trump and his allies have falsely claimed that his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden was tainted by widespread fraud.

While the Arizona case is likely a long shot, legal experts say it fits with a pattern of Republican-backed lawsuits that appear aimed at sowing doubts about the legitimacy of the election before it occurs and providing fodder for challenging the results after the fact.

“This is part of creating the narrative that there will be irregularities that will require outside intervention,” said Columbia Law School professor Richard Briffault.

America First Legal Foundation, its lawyers and Miller did not respond to inquiries.

A spokesperson for the Republican National Committee said the party's top priority is fixing what they say are problems with voting systems before Election Day to ensure no ballots are illegally cast.

“Our Election Integrity operation is fighting to secure the election, promoting transparency and fairness for every legal vote. This gives voters confidence that their ballot will be counted properly, and in turn, inspires voter turnout,” said RNC spokesperson Claire Zunk.

Trump and Harris are locked in a tight battle ahead of the Nov. 5 election, fueling a wave of litigation by both Democrats and Republicans as they spar over the ground rules.

Republicans typically sue to enforce restrictions on voting that they say are necessary to prevent fraud, while Democrats generally ask courts to keep voting accessible.

The Harris campaign said in a statement that Republicans are "scheming to sow distrust in our elections and undermine our democracy so they can cry foul when they lose."

"Team Harris-Walz enters the home stretch of this campaign with a robust voter and election protection operation and the best lawyers in the country, ready for any challenge Republicans throw at us. We will give Americans the free and fair election they deserve so all eligible voters can vote and have that vote counted,” the campaign said.

In Michigan, another closely contested state, Republicans are suing to prevent state agencies from expanding access to voter registration, restricting the use of mobile voting sites like vans and imposing tighter verification rules for mail-in ballots.

In Nevada and other states, Trump allies are seeking to purge voter rolls of allegedly ineligible voters and noncitizens , though the deadline for systematically culling rolls in time for the election has passed.

And in Pennsylvania, Republicans are fighting to enforce strict mail-in voting rules and limit voters' ability to correct mistakes on their ballots. On Sept. 13, Republicans scored a victory when the state's highest court ruled mail ballots with incorrect dates will not be counted.

SOWING CONFUSION

Election litigation arose in 2020 as COVID-19 spurred changes to voting procedures wider use of mail-in ballots. Those fights were often reactions to granular, location-specific issues.

More than 60 lawsuits Republicans filed challenging Trump's loss in 2020 were rejected by courts.

This time, Republicans are filing legal challenges earlier and leveling allegations of widespread fraud that strike to the very core of the election process.

Trump's continued false claims that his 2020 defeat was the result of fraud has taken root in the Republican Party: 71% of Republican registered voters responding to an August Reuters/Ipsos poll said they believed voting fraud was a widespread problem, well above the 37% of independents and 16% of Democrats who held that view.

“They're out front and early and are moving preemptively, whereas 2020 was kind of reactive. Here they're getting ahead of it,” Briffault said.

The Arizona lawsuit, filed in February in Yavapai County court, underscores the proactive approach by Trump's allies. It alleges a litany of "missteps and illegalities" by election officials in Maricopa, Yavapai and Coconino counties in past election and asserts that only court intervention can restore the public trust.

Maricopa County was dismissed from the case on procedural grounds.

The complaint asks a judge to impose a list of 24 orders enforcing the America First Legal Foundation's interpretation of election laws and correcting errors by any means necessary, including nullifying results and ordering new rounds of voting.

Errors could include failure to staff ballot drop boxes at all times or failing to take certain steps to verify signatures on ballots.

That is a novel and sweeping request that a judge is unlikely to grant, according to legal experts and election attorneys. But a judge nullifying results in a crucial state could lead to chaos, confusion and delays, which some legal experts and voting rights group say is a central goal of the Republican legal strategy.

Uncertainty could give local officials and state legislatures the opportunity to meddle with the results, according to Sophia Lin Lakin, an attorney litigating voting rights cases on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union. For example, officials could try to throw out votes or refuse to certify the outcome.

“It's about laying the groundwork for there to be enough doubt in the election process that a political maneuver could be brought to bear to impact the outcome,” Lakin said.

https://www.xm.com/fr/research/markets/allNews/reuters/in-legal-blitz-republicans-lay-groundwork-for-us-election-challenges-53935263

'Harris talks racial identity, marijuana on basketball podcast'

 Vice President Kamala Harris addressed Donald Trump's comments on her racial identity, the value she places on mental health, and her support for legalizing marijuana with former NBA stars Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes on a podcast that aired on Monday.

Harris was interviewed by the two former professional basketball players at her home in Washington for their podcast, "All the Smoke," as her campaign tries to reach more men, especially Black men, among whom polls show support for Republican opponent Trump.

According to a Reuters/Ipsos survey from Aug. 21-28, 41% of male respondents said they would vote for Harris if the election were held immediately versus 47% saying they would back Trump. About two-thirds of Black men supported Harris.

Barnes alluded to Trump's confusion over Harris' racial identity when he asked how she felt about "people questioning the fabric of who you are." Harris is the daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father.

"I’m really clear about who I am and if anybody else is not, they need to go through their own level of therapy, that’s not my issue," she said.

Harris reiterated a view she had expressed before becoming the Democrats' presidential candidate in July that cannabis should be decriminalized, citing the disproportionate impact that marijuana criminalization has had on Black people. "We know historically what that has meant and who has gone to jail."

Harris also talked about the stigmas around seeking help for mental health, and said she protects her own with daily exercise, cooking and not reading the comments section on social media.

"I think the mental health issue is probably one of the biggest public policy failures in our country," she said. "We have acted as though the body starts from the neck down, instead of understanding we need healthcare also from the neck up."

Harris said she had trouble sleeping right after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed her as the Democratic candidate because everything was moving "in speedy, speedy motion."

One morning she got out of bed long before anyone was awake and started cooking, she said.

"I just went out and got a pork roast and started marinating it."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/harris-talks-racial-identity-marijuana-165933417.html

Goldman Finds Highly Exposed Retailers in Port Strike

 Goldman analyst explained last week that a walkout by ILA members would jeopardize $5 billion in daily international trade coming into the Gulf and East Coast ports. 

Goldman's Jordan Alliger told clients, "Upwards of $4.9bn per day is at risk in international trade along the East and Gulf coasts, along with the potential for supply chains to likely become less fluid due to emergent congestion, which in turn could result in a re-emergence of transport price inflation."

"The biggest wild card in the presidential election that nobody's talking about? The looming port strike that could shut down all East and Gulf Coast ports just 36 days before the election," Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen wrote on X earlier this month. 

On Monday morning, with just a little over half the day left, a team of Goldman analysts led by Brooke Roach provided clients with the "current state of the supply chain and freight environment for the retail industry." 

• What is happening: The International Longshoreman Association and US Maritime Alliance contract is set to expire on September 30th. Our US transports analyst, Jordan Alliger, detailed the potential ramifications should labor disruption arise at East / Gulf Coast Ports in this note published on 9/26. While we take no view on the likelihood of any outcome, our team has fielded an increased number of investor queries focused on potential disruption to US retail as a result of potential congestion, which could come at a critical shipping period for US retailers ahead of the holidays.

• Comments from retail associations: The American Apparel and Footwear Association estimates that 53% of all US apparel, footwear, and accessories imports are routed through the East and Gulf Coast ports. The AAFA also noted risk from East Coast / Gulf port disruption to impact West Coast port operations, creating strains/delays across the supply chain. Separately, the Retail Industry Leaders Association has also stated that while retailers have activated contingency plans to mitigate potential effects of work disruption, it becomes harder to mitigate the longer a work stoppage goes on.

• Our view on potential impact: We surveyed our hardlines and softlines coverage universe to assess exposure, and we found the majority of companies who responded pointed to the following: (1) A higher rate of reliance on West Coast ports for their primarily Asia-sourced product; (2) Proactive rerouting and other plans ahead of potential disruption to ensure critical product arrives on-time for holiday; (3) Other contingency plans in place, including airfreight for select items. Many companies indicated they were already planning for higher freight expense in 2H due to a variety of risk factors, with port contract negotiations one factor alongside ongoing Red Sea disruption and higher rates on spot product. That said, we note that the magnitude of potential disruption is likely a function of the length of any work disruption and subsequent port congestion (which could likely impact both West and East Coast ports). Historically, a longer period of congestion for retailers has typically been associated with a higher risk of delayed product arrival, which can be a headwind to full-price sales for holiday or seasonal items. Full detail of exposure by company is listed in the tables below.

Here is the historic labor action example the analysts laid out:

• While not an exact corollary given the higher level of importance of West Coast ports to the retail industry (a function of Asia-based supply chains), we note one historical example in 2014/15. The West Coast port labor dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association lasted from June 2014 through February 2015, with the situation worsening in January and February as an apparent work slowdown escalated to closure of 29 ports for several days around Presidents' Day weekend in 2015 before reaching an agreement on February 20th, 2015. Delayed product impacted seasonal timing of spring apparel product launches, with inventory drawdown during the initial period of disruption (likely due to delayed shipments) and then a subsequent build in inventories which lasted through the year for many companies. Several of our covered companies cited port delays as a driver of gross margin pressure, with promotional pricing in mid-2015 seen across department stores, specialty retail, mass retailers and apparel/accessories brands.

The analysts then surveyed retailers about their freight exposure at US ports. In one instance, Dollar Tree warned that half its products pass through Gulf and East Coast ports.

Some retailers warn that supply chain snarls could spark chaos for them:

Source: Goldman Sachs 

Another industry survey found which retailers will be the most flexible in an East Coast port strike environment.

Source: Goldman Sachs 

Earlier this morning, when Biden was asked about "Yemen strikes," the president responded incoherently to reporters: "I've spoken to both sides. They gotta settle the strike. I'm supporting the collective bargaining effort. I think they'll settle the strike."

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/time-running-out-us-port-strike-could-begin-tuesday-goldman-finds-highly-exposed-retailers

Dockworkers go on strike at East and Gulf Coast ports

 Unionized dockworkers at 36 East and Gulf Coast ports went on strike early Tuesday amid an impasse in negotiations over a new contract with a group representing port employers.

The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), which represents 45,000 dockworkers, began its first strike since 1977 after its six-year contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents port employers, expired Monday night.

Negotiations between the ILA and USMX have been deadlocked thus far over the union's demands related to wage hikes and compensation, as well as protection from automation at ports. 

The ILA has said that it will exempt cruise ships and military cargoes from the strike and will continue to handle those to prevent disruptions to travelers' schedules as well as national security.

USMX reportedly made a new offer to the ILA on Monday afternoon that would've raised wages by nearly 50% over the new contract as well as tripling employer contributions to retirement plans, better health care and kept language about automation in the deal. Sources told FOX Business that the ILA rejected the offer and didn't make a counter.

The strike comes after USMX filed an unfair labor complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against the ILA last week, arguing that the group was breaking labor laws by refusing to negotiate. The ILA criticized the move as a "publicity stunt" and said USMX should file labor complaints against port employers for not paying dockworkers better wages.

U.S. seaports from Maine to Texas will be impacted by the strike. Those ports collectively handle about half of U.S. imports and are also critical hubs for exports from American businesses. 

Imports of cars and auto parts, agricultural products like bananas, machinery, fabricated steel, furniture, apparel and more will be affected. East and Gulf Coast ports also handle significant percentages of exported cars and auto parts, pharmaceutical products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs, wood, plastics and other products or commodities.

An analysis by J.P. Morgan estimated the daily cost of a port strike by East and Gulf Coast port workers would cost the U.S. economy between $3.8 billion and $4.5 billion per day as operations slow.

President Biden, whose administration has tried to facilitate talks between the two sides, has said that he won't use a federal labor law known as the Taft-Hartley Act to intervene in the strike. Under that law, Biden could take action that results in an 80-day "cooling off" period for negotiations to resume while workers are back at work.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest trade group representing American businesses, urged Biden in a letter to invoke Taft-Hartley to "protect our economy" by avoiding a work stoppage.

"Taft-Hartley would provide time for both parties in negotiations to reach a deal on a new labor contract," Chamber President Suzanne Clark wrote on Monday. "Significant differences remain between USMX and ILA on a new contract that cannot be resolved before the current one expires today."

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/dockworkers-go-strike-east-gulf-coast-ports

Hospitals, Health Systems Dropping Medicare Advantage In 2024

 Medicare Advantage (MA) provides health coverage to more than half of the nation's older adults, but some hospitals and health systems are opting to end their contracts with MA plans over administrative challenges.

Medicare Advantage provides health coverage to more than half of the nation's older adults, but some hospitals and health systems are opting to end their contracts with MA plans over administrative challenges.

Among the most commonly cited reasons are excessive prior authorization denial rates and slow payments from insurers.

In 2023, Becker's began reporting on hospitals and health systems nationwide that dropped some or all of their Medicare Advantage contracts.

In January, the Healthcare Financial Management Association released a survey of 135 health system CFOs, which found that 16% of systems are planning to stop accepting one or more MA plans in the next two years. Another 45% said they are considering the same but have not made a final decision. The report also found that 62% of CFOs believe collecting from MA is "significantly more difficult" than it was two years ago.

Fifteen health systems dropping Medicare Advantage plans in 2024:

Editor's note: This is not an exhaustive list. It will continue to be updated this year. Here is the latest as of July 24, 2024.

1. Canton, Ohio-based Aultman Health System's hospitals stopped being in network with Humana Medicare Advantage July 1, and its physicians will no longer be in network after Aug. 1.

2. Albany (N.Y.) Med Health System stopped accepting Humana Medicare Advantage on July 1.

3. Munster, Indiana-based Powers Health (formerly Community Healthcare System) went out of network with Humana and Aetna's Medicare Advantage plans on June 1.

4. Lawton, Oklahoma-based Comanche County Memorial Hospital stopped accepting UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans on May 1.

5. Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System stopped contracting with Humana Medicare Advantage on Jan. 1.

6. York, Pennsylvania-based WellSpan Health stopped accepting Humana Medicare Advantage and UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans on Jan. 1. UnitedHealthcare D-SNP plans in some locations are still accepted.

7. Newark, Delaware-based ChristianaCare is out of network with Humana's Medicare Advantage plans as of Jan. 1, with the exception of home health services.

8. Greenville, N.C.-based ECU Health stopped accepting Humana's Medicare Advantage plans in January.

9. Zanesville, Ohio-based Genesis Healthcare System dropped Anthem BCBS and Humana Medicare Advantage plans in January.

10. Corvallis, Oregon-based Samaritan Health Services' hospitals went out of network with UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plans on Jan. 9. Samaritan's physicians and provider services will be out of network on Nov. 1.

11. Cameron (Mo.) Regional Medical Center stopped accepting Aetna and Humana Medicare Advantage in 2024.

12. Bend, Oregon-based St. Charles Health System stopped accepting Humana Medicare Advantage on Jan. 1 and Centene MA on Feb. 1.

13. Brookings (S.D.) Health System stopped accepting all Medicare Advantage plans in 2024.

14. Louisville, Kentucky-based Baptist Health went out of network with UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage and Centene's WellCare on Jan. 1.

15. San Diego-based Scripps Health ended all Medicare Advantage contracts for its integrated medical groups, effective Jan. 1.

https://www.thestreet.com/retirement-daily/social-security-medicare/15-u-s-hospitals-health-systems-dropping-medicare-advantage-in-2024

Patients sue over alleged stomach paralysis linked to Ozempic, Mounjaro

Dana Filmore, a grandmother from Columbus, Ohio, is among thousands of plaintiffs filing a federal lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, alleging Ozempic and Mounjaro caused gastroparesis, USA Today reported Sept. 27. 

Gastroparesis, a condition characterized by stomach paralysis that severely impacts digestion, caused Filmore, who turned to the medication to control her blood sugar to have persistent nausea and bowel issues. 

The lawsuit alleges that the drug manufacturers failed to adequately warn patients about the risks associated with the medications and central to the lawsuit were claims of gastroparesis, according to the USA Today report. 

Regardless of the lawsuit's outcome, Fillmore told the news outlet that she wants others to reconsider taking the drug she believes upended her life. 

The federal lawsuit is expected to go to trial in 2025.

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/pharmacy/patients-sue-over-alleged-stomach-paralysis-linked-to-ozempic-mounjaro.html

Biden-Harris commerce secretary says she is staying out of potential port worker strike

 Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Monday that she "hasn't been particularly involved" on the potential strike of port workers that has some experts worried that it could cost the U.S. economy billions every day. 

"This is the first time since the 1970s that you would see strikes all up and down, not only the East Coast, but the Gulf ports," CNBC host Becky Quick said. "What would this mean for commerce in this country? What would this mean for businesses if we go into this strike? And what do you know about it?" 

"I would say, look, it's not a secret that this would be, depending on how long it lasts, could be incredibly disruptive to commerce," Raimondo, who appeared as a surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign, responded. 

She added that she hopes the parties come together to an agreement because if not, the effects on the economy could be "very disruptive." 

Secretary Gina M. Raimondo's job duties include "advancing our economic and national security."  (Fox Business Digital)

Quick followed up by asking what the effects would be if the strike lasted longer than a week. 

"I have not been very focused on that. I would refer you to the White House or the transportation secretary," Raimondo responded. 

When Quick pressed again on the possible effects of the strike, Raimondo dodged and said she didn't want to violate the Hatch Act because she was there in her personal capacity. 

"I haven't been particularly involved," she added. 

Unionized dockworkers in the International Longshoremen's Association, which represents 45,000 members at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports, may go on strike beginning Oct. 1 if an agreement isn't reached by the end of Monday. 

The strike by workers at ports from Texas to Maine will reportedly impact U.S. farmers already dealing with an economic downward spiral. An analysis by J.P. Morgan estimated a strike would cost the U.S. economy up to $5 billion per day.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Commerce Department for comment and did not immediately receive a response.  

https://www.foxbusiness.com/media/biden-harris-commerce-secretary-says-she-staying-out-potential-port-worker-strike

Is Huntington Beach Ahead of the California Curve?

 by Christian Milord via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Once again, Surf City in California appears to be ahead of the curve on common sense issues.

For years, Huntington Beach officials have fought for ideas like voter ID requirements in political elections and for greater local autonomy regarding residential housing construction in the city over the next decade. The city has also pushed back against the concept of California as a sanctuary state.

Along with a few other city councils and school boards in California, including the Chino Valley Unified School District, Huntington Beach City Council has battled for the protection of parental rights regarding their own children’s wellbeing in the schools.

The council has filed a lawsuit against several state officials over Assembly Bill 1955 (labeled the “Safety Act”), which mandates that public schools hide any changes in the gender identity or sexual orientation of students from parents, unless the student gives permission to share the information.

This month, the Huntington Beach City Council filed suit with support from America First Legal Foundation in its fight to protect parental rights. A number of parents have also signed on to the recent lawsuit against the state. Under the Education Code, parents have the “absolute right” to access student records.

Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark has called the bill an “egregious piece of legislation that seeks to compel educators to keep secret from parents sensitive, private, and often life-saving information related to their child’s gender issues and/or expression.”

Why would any school official want to hide critical information from parents regarding this issue unless they have something to hide? Students are in the community and with their families about 80 percent of an average week, so why would any school think they can dictate terms to parents? While some parents do abandon children or are derelict in their duties, most parents are in charge of their children’s upbringing and protection. Their children don’t belong to government entities.

One would hope that state leaders would have recognized by now that the unscientific transgender issue is primarily a social contagion. It is being advanced by social media influencers and some medical personnel who haven’t clearly thought out the moderate to longterm effects of gender transitions. What they label as “gender-affirming care” actually condemns healthy young people, who might have some gender identity confusion, to a life of regret and suffering.

Indeed, some nations in Europe and elsewhere have paused cross-sex hormones and radical sex change surgeries for children. They have begun to realize the devastating effects and suffering of transition recipients who were not fully informed about the mental and physical consequences of such life-altering decisions.

Whether the state’s intentions are good or not, controversial gender issues and political activism aren’t within the province of public education. The role of public education is to impart a rigorous curriculum that will build character and prepare students for higher education and for life in general. Public education should not be using minors as guinea pigs in an experiment that defies moral and natural laws.

Most children have challenges as they experience puberty. These youngsters learn to deal with the process of growing up with some counseling, guidance, and spiritual advice from parents and others who genuinely care about their entire wellbeing. Despite individual human flaws, most can celebrate the gender they were born with, as it was gifted by God and their parents.

In recent years, Sacramento has waded into the culture wars that have an impact on businesses and taxpayer-funded government agencies such as public schools. Sacramento ought to stick to providing essential services, such as educational improvements, fire prevention and suppression resources, infrastructure repair, law enforcement, water storage facilities, etc. Leave personal and sensitive issues out of the classroom, because students already have enough challenges to cope with on a daily basis.

Moreover, instead of inserting divisive issues into the schools and keeping parents in the dark, school officials at all levels ought to focus on raising test scores in the public schools. They should approve additional charter schools, keep phones out of the hands of students during the school day, and teach both academic and occupational courses to secondary students. Kudos to the “Parents’ Rights” city of Huntington Beach and other governing bodies that fight back against the pervasive unlawful intrusions of Sacramento politicians.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/huntington-beach-ahead-california-curve

Israel Launches Ground Invasion Of Lebanon: Operation Northern Arrows

 Update(1908ET): Israel has named the new cross-border offensive "Operation Northern Arrows". Below is an early description by the IDF as posted to Telegram and other government channels [emphasis ZH]:

IDF troops have begun limited, localized and targeted raids against Hezbollah terror targets in the border area of southern Lebanon

In accordance with the decision of the political echelon, a few hours ago, the IDF began limited, localized, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon. These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel.

The IDF is operating according to a methodical plan set out by the General Staff and the Northern Command which IDF soldiers have trained and prepared for in recent months.

The Israeli Air Force and IDF Artillery are supporting the ground forces with precise strikes on military targets in the area.

Some Lebanese accounts have claimed that Hezbollah has already killed and wounded some invading Israeli soldiers, but these reports will remain hard to verify within the opening hours of the campaign and amid the fog of war.

Heavy strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs during the night hours (local):

New strike on Damascus:

* * *

Update(1630ET): The Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon has begun, with various regional news correspondents saying IDF tanks have been spotted breaching areas earlier deemed 'closed military zones'.

"Israeli forces have launched limited incursions in Lebanon, the United States said, as Israel vowed to keep fighting Hezbollah and sealed part of the border after killing the Iran-backed militants' leader," AFP reports.

"This is the moment," Retired Israeli Brig. Gen. Aviv Amiri has told CNN. The southern areas were reportedly subject to carpet bombing raids within the hours prior to the border breach. "We cannot create terms for Israelis to return to their homes without pushing Hezbollah out of South Lebanon, certainly at minimum eight miles, which would be anti-tank missile range," Amiri has said.

Israel's military has also issued new warnings telling Lebanese civilians in the southern suburbs of Beirut to evacuate, ahead of more imminent airstrikes on Hezbollah locations.

Thus a ground war has begun in Lebanon a mere month before the US presidential election. Meanwhile neither President Biden nor VP Kamala Harris have had much to say. Quite the opposite: they might prefer to hide from the media. 

There are meanwhile reports that it was a US-provided 2,000 pound bomb which killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last Friday. Israel's use of the US-supplied "bunker busters" has been described Monday as follows:

A video published by the Israeli military on Saturday showed jets it said were used to carry out the attack carrying at least 15 2,000-pound bombs, including the US-made BLU-109, according to Trevor Ball, a former senior explosive ordnance technician for the US Army who reviewed the footage for CNN.

Biden has meekly called for ceasefire, while simultaneously backing the high level assassination. 

Intense airstrikes are now once again hitting the Lebanese capital...

* * *

Israel has been busy over the weekend striking multiple fronts. Not only has it expanded airstrikes on Beirut in the wake of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's Friday death, but it is attacking Yemen and Syria as well.

Starting late last week into Saturday, Yemen's Iran-linked Houthis announced the launch of several ballistic missiles toward Tel Aviv, which Israel's military said were intercepted. And on Friday, in an incident which went underreported (given headlines were focused heavily on Beirut events), three US warships in the Red Sea came under simultaneous rocket attacks from the Houthis.

"The Houthi said they had targeted three U.S. warships which media reports tonight are identifying as the guided missile destroyers USS Spruance and USS Stockdale and the littoral combat ship USS Indianapolis. They were reported to have been north of the Bab el-Mandeb at the time," The Maritime Executive reported.

"U.S. officials are confirming that warships in the Red Sea were targeted with possibly the largest barrage since the conflict began with the Houthis in Yemen nearly 10 months ago," the publication added.

On Sunday Israeli jets had the assistance of US military intelligence as they conducted a massive airstrike on Yemen's key port of Hodeidah. It happened in the early evening local time. Axios reports that "sensitive" Houthis facilities were on the target list.

Yemen's Health Ministry in the aftermath announced that at least four people were killed and 40 others injured in the Israeli raid, which left massive plumes of smoke over the area. Videos show a huge fire engulfing the port.

Israeli media has confirmed that it was the biggest Israeli strike on Yemen since the conflict began in the wake of Oct.7 of last year. "Dozens of Israeli aircraft, including F-15I fighter planes, participated in the operation, striking 1,800 kilometers from Israeli territory after the Houthis fired three ballistic missiles on the Tel Aviv and central Israel areas in recent weeks, including one on Saturday," Jerusalem Post details.

During Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Friday United Nations speech, the Israeli leader said his country is fighting a war on seven fronts. He brought props, as has been his pattern at major UN speeches:

The Israeli leader explained “the blessing” was establishing a “landbridge” from India to Israel. The blessing requires Saudi Arabia to enter the Abraham Accords and normalize ties with Israel. Netanyahu claimed that would have happened, but the October 7 Hamas attack prevented the deal.

In the map titled “the curse,” five countries were represented in black: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. The Israeli leader claimed that Tehran was working to eliminate Tel Aviv using its allies in the region. Netanyahu presented the conflict as a battle between forces of civilization against barbarism.

He is now targeting the very countries he listed in the speech. According to more details of the Hodeidah attack from Yemeni sources:

In a statement, the army said “dozens of air force aircraft” struck power plants and sea port facilities at the Ras Isa and Hodeidah ports. The attacks killed at least four people - including a port worker and three electrical engineers - and wounded 30 others, according to Yemen’s ministry of health.

Also on Sunday, and also largely underreported in Western media, there was another Israeli raid on Syria, which reportedly targeted a base with 'pro-Iranian' assets. It happened on the outskirts of the capital Damascus. "At least seven pro-Iran militants were injured in an Israeli strike in the countryside of Damascus, near the Syria-Lebanon border, a war monitor reported on Monday, amid soaring regional tensions against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war," regional source Rudaw reports.

"Seven elements, most of them non-Syrians, were injured in an Israeli airstrike on a border crossing on the Syrian-Lebanese border in Rif Dimashq from the Syrian side," the report said. A similar raid occurred on Friday, as Israel was bombing Beirut. Syrian state SANA said the Friday aggression killed five Syrian soldiers.

Meanwhile on Monday Israel has expanded its strikes in Lebanon to include targeted attacks on central Beirut, which is a first since the 2006 war. The apparent targets included three senior figures in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Subsequently the leftist group which conducted airline hijackings in the 1970s said its officials Mohammed Abdel Aal, Emad Odeh, and Abdel Rahman Abdel Aal were killed in Beirut's Cola district.

Aftermath of the airstrike on an apartment building in central Beirut:

The Guardian described of the attack, "Initial footage from the scene showed two storeys of an apartment building completely blown out, and onlookers running towards the building. Two bodies could be seen lying on the street on top of a car outside the building, seemingly ejected by the force of the blast."

As if all this weren't a chaotic enough powder keg ready to explode further, Iran-backed paramilitaries in Iraq are now ramping up attempts to directly attack Israel, with a fresh drone operation against Israel's port city of Haifa:

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq said in a statement today that it attacked four Israeli targets in response to Israel's attacks on Lebanon and Gaza.

It said that it attacked two “vital” targets in the Israeli port city of Haifa using drones, as well as two other unspecified targets.

Amid what's clearly a rapid escalation on several fronts in the Middle East, the US Commander-in-Chief doesn't seem to know what's going on...

This despite Yemen and the Red Sea being scene of what one US military commander previously called America's most serious and intense naval combat going back to WW2.

In northern Israel, the IDF continues building up forces along the border with Lebanon, as well as in the Golan region, ahead of a potential ground invasion. There have also reportedly been repeat incursions into Lebanese territory by Israeli special forces troops. Hezbollah has continued sporadic missile fire into northern Israel over the past days as well, but the big expected retaliation for Nasrallah's killing has yet to come on any large scale.

Netanyahu on Monday issued a new warning: "There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach.  There is nowhere we will not go to protect our people and protect our country," he said, describing that Israel is in "a war for our very existence."

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/netanyahus-war-seven-fronts-massive-new-attacks-yemen-syria-central-beirut