Ukraine war latest: Counteroffensive ongoing on southern front line, Syrskyi says

"Counteroffensive ongoing on southern front line, Syrskyi says Ukraine's Flamingo missile maker promises FP-9 ballistics will reach Moscow.
Ukraine deploys interceptor drones, experts to protect US bases in Jordan, Zelensky says
'He took on the most risky tasks' — Ukraine's 39th Tactical Aviation Brigade commander killed in action.
Ukrainian forces are continuing a "counteroffensive" on the southern front line, the country's top general Oleksandr Syrskyi said."KI

Zelensky orders development of support plan for Middle East allies hit by Iran strikes

"President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 4 that he had ordered Ukraine's government to develop options to support Gulf countries facing Iranian drone and missile attacks.

"Our military has the necessary capabilities," Zelensky said. "Ukrainian experts will work on site, and teams are already negotiating this. We are ready to help protect lives, protect civilians."
Ukraine's offer comes as Middle Eastern countries report large-scale attacks involving Shahed-type attack drones — the same systems Russia has used extensively against Ukraine since 2022.
The Ukrainian president said he had spoken with leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, and Bahrain, and is preparing talks with Kuwait's leadership." KI

Saudi Arabia condemns Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations, offers all its capabilities in the fight against Tehran

"Saudi Arabia said it’s ready to put “all its capabilities” at its allies’ disposal, warning of

“grave consequences” if retaliatory Iranian strikes continue — sparking fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
It comes after the Islamic Republic launched a barrage of missiles on US military bases in Saudia Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE and Jordan — in retaliation for US and Israel military strikes against Tehran overnight.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns and denounces in strongest terms the blatant Iranian aggression,” the Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said on a statement on X." NYP

World leaders throw their weight behind the Gaza ceasefire deal

"The U.S. and Egyptian presidents are chairing a gathering of world leaders dubbed “the Summit for Peace” to support ending the two-year

war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal.
Leaders from Turkey, Jordan, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, the United Nations and European Union also have all said they will attend.
The summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh comes on the same day that Hamas is to release its 20 remaining living Israeli hostages and Israel is to free hundreds of Palestinians from its prisons, crucial steps after a ceasefire began." 

AP

King of Jordan Tells Trump He Will Take In 2,000 Sick Gaza Children

"King Abdullah II of Jordan told President Trump at the White House

on Tuesday that his country would give refuge to 2,000 children from Gaza who are sick with cancer or other illnesses.
During a meeting with Trump on Tuesday, the king said to “keep in mind that there is a plan from Egypt” and other Arab countries, and that they had to look out for the best interests of the people of the United States, Jordan, and the Middle East." 

Breitbart

Deadly gunfight erupts near Israeli embassy in Jordan

"Three law enforcement officers were wounded in a shootout around dawn near the Israeli Embassy in Amman, the Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported. The suspected gunman was shot dead.

The incident unfolded when the suspect opened fire on a police patrol and then attempted to flee the scene, the agency said, citing Jordan’s Public Security Directorate." RT

IDF Soldiers Kill Palestinian Terrorists in Jordanian Uniforms

"Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers killed two Palestinian terrorists who infiltrated into the country across the eastern border, wearing Jordanian military uniforms. Two Israeli soldiers

were wounded in the exchange. The military said IDF troops killed two terrorists who infiltrated Israeli territory near the Jordanian border while ground and aerial searches were underway for an additional terrorist who had probably fled the scene.
An observation soldier saw the terrorists cutting the fence with a wirecutter and declared a “Parash Turki,” a codeword meaning infiltration through the fence. … The terrorists opened fire with Glock pistols as the IDF force charged at them. They hit one soldier in the leg and one in the buttocks. One terrorist was killed about 30 yards from the jeep, the other managed to make it to the jeep and died on its hood." 

MichaelSavage.com

Jordanian National Guns Down Three Israelis At Popular Border Crossing

"Among the most frequented land border crossings to get into Israel and the Palestinian

territories used by tourists, backpackers, and religious pilgrims alike is the Allenby Bridge Crossing between Jordan and the West Bank. A Jordanian truck driver reportedly arrived at Allenby Bridge Crossing, or what's officially known in Jordan as the King Hussein Bridge (and is the sole crossing with Jordan), emerged from his truck and opened fire on Israeli crossing workers. Three Israeli border officials were struck and killed, and the victims have been identified as Yohanan Shchori from the West Bank Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Efraim, Yuri Birnbaum, 65, from Na’ama, and Adrian Marcelo Podzamczer, from Ariel. Security serves later identified him as 39-year old Jordanian citizen Maher Dhiab Hussein al-Jazi." ZeroHedge

Biden Tells Bibi: US Will Not Support A Counterattack Against Iran After Hundreds Of Drones, Missiles Sent

"Israel's military is reporting the Iranian attack has stopped, several hours after Iran said its 'limited' operation has "concluded" - which involved an unprecedented hundreds of suicide drones as well as ballistic missiles sent against Israel in retaliation for the April 1st Israeli attack on Iran's embassy in Damascus. Below is the top story from English-language Times of Israel:

Hebrew media reports claim that not a single drone or cruise missile managed to infiltrate Israeli airspace.
According to the unsourced reports, most ballistic missiles were also knocked down outside of Israeli airspace.
A report in Ynet says some 20 cruise missiles were downed short of Israel’s borders. The US, UK and Jordan helped take down many of the drones.
Israel is reporting very little damage inside the country (though previously admitting "minor damage" against at least one key airbase in the south).
After the enormous Iranian drone and missile swarm a senior Israeli official has been quoted by Israel's Channel 12 as saying "Iran’s attack was a strategic failure." The official added in a threatening manner, "Now they can get ready and not sleep in peace." Israel's war cabinet appears to be readying a military response... the Biden White House appears to be strongly signaling to the Netanyahu government that the attack is 'done' and that the United States will not back any follow-up counterattack operations against Iran:
US President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US will not aid any Israeli counterattack on Iran, US media report, citing senior administration officials.
Axios and CNN report that message was passed during a phone call between the pair.
Axios reports that Biden told Netyanyahu the US will oppose any Israeli counterattack.
CNN reports that Biden said the US will not take part in any such counteraction.
Israel has called on a United Nations Security Council meeting to condemn the Iranian aggression, which is expected to take place late Sunday. The US administration appears to be lobbying for a status quo and for Israel to not mount a strong response." ZH

New Phase of Wishful Thinking: Biden Claims Arab States Are Ready to Recognize Israel

"Speaking at a recent campaign event in New York, US President Joe Biden announced the willingness of Arab nations to recognize the Jewish state, but remained mum on the status of a Palestinian state......"I’ve been working with the Saudis and with all the other Arab countries, including Egypt and Jordan and Qatar. They’re prepared to fully recognize Israel. There has to be a post-Gaza plan, and there has to be a trade to a two-state solution. It doesn’t have to occur today. It has to be a progression and I think we can do that," Biden said." Sputnik

Surreal Images As Humanitarian Air Drop Over Gaza Goes Wrong

"While Jordan has thus far conducted an estimated 16 airdrops to Gaza, Monday's drop saw at least part of the aid destroyed as it was accidentally released over the Mediterranean Sea." ZeroHedge

Congressional Hawks Urge 'Hit Iran Hard' After 3 US Troops Killed By Tehran-Aligned Militants

"It took a mere minutes after the headlines spread across the globe for the hawks to call on the White House to "hit them hard"—in reference to Iran and Iranian-linked groups believed responsible for the attack on a US outpost along the Jordanian border which killed three American troops and injured 25 more.

The government of Jordan has since said that none among their own troops were injured, which suggests all of the injured were Americans too." ZH

Dutch Election Winner Geert Wilders Causes Uproar After Declaring ‘Jordan Is Palestine!’

"The country of Jordan should be considered the true national homeland for the Palestinian people, according to Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who caused an uproar after making the declaration online." Breitbart

Jordanian national arrested in Houston allegedly planned attack on Jews

"A “radical” Jordanian national living in Texas was allegedly plotting an attack on Houston’s

Jewish community before he was arrested on gun charges.Sohaib Abuayyash, 20, had been studying how to build bombs and posted about his support for killing Jews, federal officials claim.
“He has viewed specific and detailed content posted by radical organizations on the Internet, including lessons on how to construct bombs or explosive devices,” FBI Director Chris Wray told the Senate Homeland Security Committee, though he declined to identify Abuayyash by name.“And that defendant has made statements to others that support the killing of individuals of particular religious faiths.”Abuayyash even allegedly made a direct reference in one social media post about an event in Houston for the Jewish community, according to court documents obtained by CNN. MS

Jordan pulls ambassador from Israel in protest of Gaza war

"Jordan, a major U.S. ally in the Middle East, pulled its ambassador from Israel 

to protest the ongoing war in Gaza." AP

Israel Delays Gaza Invasion (Again) As US Scrambles To Put Missile Defenses In Place

"Both US and Israeli officials have told The Wall Streat Journal in a breaking major

development that Israel has decided to further stall its planned ground invasion of Gaza, at the request of Washington.
Though airstrikes have been ramped up - it has become clear in the last several days that Israel has been waiting in terms of a ground assault. This also as four hostages have been freed due to negotiations involving Qatari mediation with Hamas. The WSJ frames this further delay, however, as related to putting additional air defense from the US in place.
"The Pentagon is scrambling to deploy nearly a dozen air-defense systems to the region, including for U.S. troops serving in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to protect them from missiles and rockets,"."ZH

Protesters storm Israeli Embassy in Jordan

"Protesters have stormed the Israeli Embassy in Jordan as violence breaks out throughout the

Middle East.
Footage circulating on social media from Shehab Agency, a Palestinian news outlet, shows demonstrators sieging the building.
Former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal called for protests in front of Israeli embassies across the world after Israel's attack on a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds of Palestinians, a statement by the Hamas group said on Tuesday.
The Jordan News Agency has said a group trying to breach the embassy were unsuccessful and were removed.
Scenes in Ramallah are chaotic, as police fire tear gas and protesters throw rocks." GBN

Jordan disperses pro-Palestinian protesters heading to border with West Bank

"Jordanian riot police forcibly dispersed hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach

a border zone with the Israeli-occupied West Bank as thousands held anti-Israel demonstrations across the country." MS

Taliban Asks Middle East Countries for Passage to Join Terror Campaign in Israel

"The Taliban announced that it’s asked Iran, Iraq and Jordan for passage so they may help

Palestinian jihadist terror group Hamas “conquer Jersusalem,” ....Taliban is much better positioned to wage major offensives in the Middle East thanks to Joe Biden’s strategically inept withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 which saw $86 billion in abandoned military equipment fall into the hands of the jihadist group." IW

China recently denounced "appalling" US actions of "plundering" Syrian resources...

"Chinese state media is reporting based on Syrian war monitors that the Pentagon has
expanded its presence inside Syria by establishing a new hub of operations in the northeastern province of Hasakah this past weekend.

"The new military base was set up in the village of Naqara, 3 km southwest of the city of Qamishli in Hasakah province, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights" - as cited in Xinhua.

The biggest, and main US base in Hasakeh province remains at Syria's al-Omar oil fields,...While President Joe Biden has rejected this overt rhetoric focused taking energy resources, the past month witnessed multiple alleged instances of coalition forces ferrying oil across the Iraq border in tanker trucks.  

Another major American base, but which is not in Hasakah, is at al-Tanf. US special forces at the base are there ostensibly in support of Arab and Kurdish anti-Assad fighters. The base's location is strategic, given it is near the three-way border between Iraq, Syria, and Jordan. Despite the Pentagon for years touting its "counter-ISIS" mission in Syria, the main US target has clearly remained both the Assad government and its Iranian allies.  

China's foreign ministry denounced the "appalling" US actions of "plundering" Syrian resources..." ZH