US/Israel conduct airstrikes on Iran again

If only that were true. Unfotunately mine laying is relatively straightforward.

Mines can be laid in many ways: by purpose-built minelayers, refitted ships, submarines, or aircraft—and even by dropping them into a harbour by hand. They can be inexpensive: some variants can cost as little as US $2,000, though more sophisticated mines can cost millions of dollars, be equipped with several kinds of sensors, and deliver a warhead by rocket or torpedo.

It could be a double tap. But that would seem a very poor use of a limited and expensive resource (Tomahawks), so I would say it is unlikely. The more likely explanation is that someone assessed that their target would take multiple hits to destroy. For example, here is footage from Tuesday in Russia of an attack on a Russian weapons manufacturing factory by Ukraine…

Note the smoke rising from the previous missile strikes, as the next (rare and expensive) Storm Shadow hits. At least two missiles used, arriving separately, but multiple required to take out a big target. The Storm Shadows used here are essentially the Anglo/French equivalent of a Tomahawk.

You know, you could use their post as a learning experience and maybe grow beyond your own poisonous antisemitism. It poisons your own posts (such as the one above), and any message you are attempting to convey.

That poster is a far more effective communicator, and a far more effective advocate for the demise of the current Israeli government. I don't agree with all their opinions and posts, but I'll always read them and take them seriously. And that warmth of feeling for their experience in Israel, which you try and dismiss, actually makes their advocacy against the current Israeli government and their actions all the more powerful.

You don't often see the words "Witkoff" and "intelligence" in the same sentence!

Spot on - Muslims and Jews I met in Israel were only interested in whether I'd met the Queen, how much was a pair of 501s, are leprechauns real and the price of housing. The mother of my work colleagues wanted to know how big the Grand Canyon was, what was Las Vegas like and was Los Angeles as beautiful (and mad) as the TV portrayed it.

Not once did they ask about politics or mention their own political situations.

People just want to live a quiet happy life providing for their loved ones. As I'm sure many here also want.

And yet here we are. And the poorer for it.

I've been at loggerheads with many pro- Israeli posters over the last couple of years but I have learned a lot from them and I appreciate that they bothered to at least put up an alternative argument or talking point. I've agreed with them and thanked them also. And disagreed and lambasted them also. Likewise, I've been rightly excoriated when Ive gotten angry and lashed out. I hope I'm better than I was 2 years ago.

There are intelligent and considerate posters on both sides. All it takes is a deep breath, an open mind and walk in the other's shoes for that moment.

I've no beef with Jews in general or Arabs in general - they are exactly the same as us. Just with better weather.

The politicians and terrorists can just go and do one though and leave the rest of us alone to try and live as good a life as we can without harming each other.

Great posts @dmcdona. Very insightful and balanced as always. Your contributions on the Gaza thread were always top notch.

You may very well be right.

But I'd rather live in hope in the goodness of people than live as a bitter twisted soul that only sees the bad.

If that's a fool's errand, so be it.

For the record, I abhor the Iranian regime and where they have brought their citizens equally as much as the Israeli govt. and where they've brought their citizens. And any other govt. that is cruel either to its own or others.