This is the most dangerous moment that we have seen in the Middle East in modern times.  As you will see below‚ Israel has decided to hit Iran.  There is still debate about whether it should be a devastating blow or a more limited strike.  But in either case‚ the Iranians are pledging to retaliate.  In fact‚ the Iranians are promising to respond to any attack with overwhelming force.  Needless to say‚ that would certainly provoke another response from Israel.  The cycle would continue until someone finally decides that enough is enough.  But what if neither side backs down and the conflict escalates to an unthinkable level&;#63; According to the Times of Israel‚ Channel 12 is reporting that the Israeli government has decided to hit Iran “clearly and forcefully”… In an unsourced report‚ Channel 12 claims the war cabinet has made the decision to hit back “clearly and forcefully” against Iran for its missile and drone attack on Saturday night. The response will be designed to send the message that Israel “will not allow an attack of that magnitude against it to pass without a reaction‚” the report says. The response will also be designed to make plain that Israel will not allow the Iranians to “establish the equation” they have sought to assert in recent days. This appears to be a reference to Iran’s warning that future Israeli strikes on Iranian territory‚ including its international diplomatic premises‚ will henceforth again be met by Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel. Of course that isn’t the only outlet that is indicating that a decision has already been made. According to Axios‚ Yoav Gallant has told Lloyd Austin that Israel feels that it must respond to Iran’s attack on Saturday… Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Sunday that Israel has no choice but to respond to the unprecedented missile and drone attack launched by Iran over the weekend‚ a U.S. official and another source briefed on the call told Axios. And on Monday‚ Herzi Halevi publicly stated that Iran’s attack “will be met with a response”… Israel’s war cabinet met Monday to discuss how and when to respond to Iran’s attack‚ which Tehran said was in response to the killing by Israel of a senior Iranian general at an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus‚ Syria. Israel hasn’t confirmed or denied involvement. “We are looking ahead and considering our steps. The launching of so many missiles‚ cruise missiles and drones into Israeli territory will be met with a response‚” said the head of Israel’s military‚ Herzi Halevi‚ during a visit to an Israeli air force base that was damaged by the Iranian attack. Some news sources were suggesting that an attack was imminent‚ but that appears to be very unlikely. The war cabinet is going to meet again on Tuesday‚ and any strike on Iran will almost certainly have to wait until some time after that meeting… The war cabinet is scheduled to meet again tomorrow‚ the report notes‚ and Home Front command regulations have not been changed‚ indicating that an Israeli attack is unlikely to take place today. But the clock is ticking‚ because Passover is coming up‚ and that is a major national holiday in Israel. So I would expect something to happen well before then. Many in Netanyahu’s coalition are getting restless‚ because they want to hit Iran extremely hard. In fact‚ Itamar Ben-Gvir has said that it is time for Israel “to go crazy”… Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing base is already disgruntled that the ground operation in Rafah hasn’t taken place and doesn’t seem imminent‚ since Israel has pulled most of its soldiers out of Gaza. Israel is calling up two reserve brigades in the coming days for reinforcement in Gaza but will need more forces for any major operation. Now‚ Netanyahu’s supporters want a strong retaliation against Iran as well. “To create deterrence in the Middle East‚” Israel “has to go crazy‚” Itamar Ben-Gvir‚ Israel’s national security minister and a voice of Israel’s hard right‚ said on Sunday. Failure to act against Iran or in Rafah could further harm Netanyahu’s already diminished political support‚ said Chuck Freilich‚ a former Israeli deputy national security adviser. On the other hand‚ some Israeli leaders want to strike Iran without greatly escalating matters. But it appears that Iran is poised to respond to any Israeli attack with tremendous force. The new leader of the IRGC is saying that whenever Israel attacks Iranian interests anywhere in the region from now on the response will come from Iran itself… The head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps‚ Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami‚ said Sunday that Iran would respond to future Israeli attacks on Iran-linked targets from Iranian soil‚ potentially opening the door for escalatory responses from Israel. “We have decided to create a new equation and it goes this way: from now on if the Zionist regime anywhere attacks our interests‚ assets‚ figures and citizens‚ we will reciprocally attack it from the origin of Iran‚” Salami told a state-run television station. That is a major shift in Iranian strategy. And Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has announced that if Israel strikes Iran directly‚ “it will face a response at least tenfold greater and of similar nature”… It comes as Iran today vowed to launch ten times the amount of missiles in a fresh strike against Israel if it unleashes a retaliatory hit on Tehran. The new threat could see 1‚460 missiles hurled at Israel as world leaders hold their breath to see if an “uncontrollable war” breaks out in the Middle East. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council vowed to retaliate if Israel launches a counter-strike – for which IDF plans have already been drawn up. The Council issued a chilling warning that said: “If the Zionist regime persists in its evil actions against Iran‚ by any means and to any extent‚ it will face a response at least tenfold greater and of similar nature.” I believe that the Iranians are serious. So if Israel strikes Iran‚ they will also need to be ready to deal with Iran’s response. And this time around they won’t be pulling any punches. According to one Iranian official‚ the response could even include a weapon that Iran has never used before… The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission‚ Abolfazl Amouei has stated tonight that Iran is prepared to utilize “A Weapon it has never before Used” if Israel decides to launch a Retaliatory Attack. Sadly‚ I don’t expect either side to back down. Israel will hit Iran‚ and then Iran will strike back. And then it will officially be on. Meanwhile‚ action continues to heat up on the northern front. On Monday‚ there were more IDF airstrikes in southern Lebanon… Israeli fighter jets struck additional buildings the IDF says are used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The IDF says the Hezbollah sites were hit in the villages of Markaba and Majdal Zoun. Troops also shelled areas near Jabal Blat with artillery to “remove a threat‚” the army says. And four IDF soldiers were reportedly wounded after a small group crossed over the Lebanese border… Four Israeli soldiers were wounded Monday after a bomb was detonated inside Lebanese territory‚ in a rare moment where it appears the IDF was seeking to breach the border. Hezbollah took responsibility for the explosion‚ saying it planted the bomb near the border. Hezbollah militants “planted explosive devices in the Tal Ismail area” inside Lebanon‚ and detonated them after Israeli soldiers “crossed the border‚” according to a statement from the group. The IDF subsequently acknowledged the four soldiers were injured‚ and it was reported by news wires as happening “hundreds of meters within Lebanon.” One of the soldiers has been listed by the IDF as “severely injured” after the explosion was set off “in the area of the northern border” – according to the military statement. Israeli army radio admitted that “Golani fighters carried out an operation near the border‚ tens of hundreds of meters away from Israeli territory‚” and that the troops were injured “inside Lebanese territory.” We have been waiting for this war for a very long time. Now it is here. Here in the western world‚ we will probably see enormous protests in our major cities and the price of gasoline is likely to go absolutely nuts. But in the Middle East‚ the consequences could be much more severe. The Iranians and the Israelis have both been preparing for this showdown for decades. The Iranians would like to see Israel wiped off the face of the map‚ and the Israelis are absolutely determined to do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening. In a conflict where the stakes are this high‚ it can be very easy to panic. Both sides have some surprises up their sleeves‚ and unfortunately I have a feeling that it will not be too long before some of those surprises are finally unveiled. Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com‚ and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here. About the Author: Michael Snyder’s extremely controversial new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com. He has also written seven other books that are available on Amazon.com including “End Times”‚ “7 Year Apocalypse”‚ “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”‚ “The Beginning Of The End”‚ and “Living A Life That Really Matters”.  When you purchase any of Michael’s books you help to support the work that he is doing.  You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter.  Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog‚ End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News‚ and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites.  You can find Michael on social media on YouTube‚ Facebook and Twitter‚ and sharing his articles on your own social media accounts is definitely a great help.  These are such troubled times‚ and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world‚ that he gave his only begotten Son‚ that whosoever believeth in him should not perish‚ but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so‚ we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today. The post Alert&;#33; Israel Is Preparing To Hit Iran “Forcefully” And The Iranians Are Promising To Retaliate appeared first on End Of The American Dream.

by Martin Armstrong‚ Armstrong Economics: It took President Javier Milei of Argentina a mere two months to push his nation into a surplus. The Economy Ministry declared that the government posted a $589 million surplus‚ the first surplus in recent memory. Western media has been silent about Milei’s victory as his policies are pushing the nation […]

from Mark Dice: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

Apparently‚ some Indianapolis public officials have forgotten how their own self-defense laws work and why they exist in the first place. In an interview that’s equal parts amusing and alarming‚ Indiana’s Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears recently lamented an increase in self-defense shootings in Indianapolis. Mears complained to reporters that shootings involving self-defense claims are challenging to prosecute. This “mean[s] that someone lost their life” and “that case might ultimately be cleared” without the shooter being charged‚ he said. Mears also implied that defensive gun users who can’t be prosecuted are just as bad as the criminals they shot‚ simply by virtue of the fact that both parties were armed. With all due respect to Mears‚ the county prosecutor seems to miss the point. As in virtually every other state‚ Indiana law justifies the use of deadly force only when a person has a reasonable belief that such force is necessary to prevent serious bodily injury‚ commission of a forcible felony‚ or unlawful entry into a home or vehicle. Moreover‚ a person generally can’t rely on the protection of self-defense laws if he or she was committing a crime or fleeing after committing one‚ provoked the threat‚ or engaged in “mutual combat.” In other words‚ to the extent that self-defense shootings are difficult to prosecute‚ it’s because there’s pretty good evidence that the shooter was morally and legally justified in doing what he did. You would think that someone like Mears would comprehend this‚ given his position as a prosecutor. The importance of armed self-defense can’t be overstated. Almost every major study has found that Americans use their firearms in self-defense between 500‚000 and 3 million times annually‚ according to a 2013 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2021‚ the most comprehensive study ever conducted on the issue concluded that roughly 1.6 million defensive gun uses occur in the United States every year. For this reason‚ The Daily Signal publishes a monthly article highlighting some of the previous month’s many news stories on defensive gun use that you may have missed—or that might not have made it to the national spotlight in the first place. (Read other accounts here from past years.) The examples below represent only a small portion of the news stories on defensive gun use that we found in March. You may explore more using The Heritage Foundation’s interactive Defensive Gun Use Database.  (The Daily Signal is the news and commentary outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) March 2‚ Waco‚ Nebraska: Police said a man refused to remove his camper from a family member’s property‚ then assaulted the relative with a blunt object‚ hitting him in the head and knocking him to the ground. The victim drew a gun and shot the man in the arm to end the assault‚ police said. The man was charged with second-degree assault‚ among other offenses. March 4‚ Bristol‚ Tennessee: An off-duty corrections officer thwarted an armed robbery at a convenience store while on the way to work‚ police said. The officer held the robber at gunpoint until police arrived‚ and the Police Department later issued a statement of gratitude. The suspect was charged with aggravated robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. March 8‚ Chicago: Police said a 60-year-old holder of a concealed carry permit engaged in a shootout with an armed robber who approached him while he made an ATM withdrawal. Despite sustaining a gunshot wound himself‚ the permit holder fatally shot the robber. The victim was admitted to a hospital in stable condition. March 9‚ Espanola‚ New Mexico: An elderly homeowner fatally shot a burglar who assaulted him and his wife after they confronted him in their garage. Police said the burglar was well known to them in connection with similar crimes in the area. March 11‚ Lakeland‚ Florida: Police said a legally armed man used two of his firearms—a handgun and rifle—to defend himself‚ his girlfriend‚ and her two children during an exchange of gunfire with two gunmen who approached them as they prepared to leave a friend’s house in their car. The legally armed boyfriend shot and killed one assailant‚ but unfortunately not before the attackers’ gunfire fatally struck the woman’s 3-year-old boy. Her boyfriend was wounded‚ but not in a life-threatening way. The woman and the other child were unharmed‚ police said. March 14‚ Blackfoot‚ Idaho: Police said that an elderly homeowner fatally shot an intruder who broke into her home in the middle of the day and viciously assaulted her‚ causing injuries that required hospital treatment. March 19‚ Zolfo Springs‚ Florida: A sheriff’s deputy responded to a call about an armed domestic violence offender violating a no-contact order‚ investigators said. The deputy found the offender in the backyard of the victim’s home‚ armed with an AR-15‚ and exchanged gunfire with him. When the offender began shooting at the house‚ the victim’s father became worried for the safety of his family. He grabbed his own handgun and joined the deputy in the gunfight. The suspect fled but was captured two days later and faces serious criminal charges. The victims and the deputy were not injured. March 20‚ Rock Cave‚ West Virginia: Police said a 15-year-old boy fatally shot his father in self-defense after the man fired a shotgun at his wife‚ then pointed the weapon at the boy. The victims weren’t injured. March 25‚ Madison Township‚ Ohio: Police said scammers targeted an elderly man‚ telling him over multiple phone calls that an incarcerated relative needed a significant amount of money for bail. They threatened the man with violence when he seemed hesitant to comply with instructions. A woman whom police believe associated with the scammers came to the elderly man’s house and assaulted him‚ inflicting serious injuries. He fatally shot her in self-defense‚ police said. March 28‚ Melrose‚ Florida: An armed driver shot and wounded a mentally disturbed man who assaulted him with a shovel‚ breaking his arm‚ police said. This followed a bizarre and frightening rampage in which the mentally disturbed man—claiming to be God—walked into traffic while holding his baby and a Bible‚ laid down on top of the baby in the middle of the street‚ and assaulted anyone who tried to intervene. The baby was evaluated at a pediatric emergency room;  the driver was treated at a hospital for his injuries. The suspect was expected to face criminal charges. March 31‚ Lincolnton‚ North Carolina: Police said a customer at a gas station shot and wounded a robber who tried to steal his car and threatened him with a knife. The robber was arrested; the customer was not injured. These examples provide just a small glimpse into how ordinary Americans routinely use their firearms to protect themselves and others. Lawfully possessing a firearm didn’t turn them into “bad actors” deserving of condemnation and punishment. Rather‚ it gave them the means to make effective use of their unalienable right to self-defense. The post Indiana Prosecutor Laments That Self-Defense Laws Exist‚ Protect Defensive Gun Users appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The House of Representatives voted Monday to block reconsideration to reauthorize FISA Section 702‚ which allows warrantless spying on Americans. On Friday‚ the House passed the measure by a 273–147 vote. 126 Republicans voted in favor of reauthorizing this egregious betrayal of the American people. However‚ in a “rare procedural maneuver‚” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) said she would force a second vote on Monday. “You cannot have a free and open society with the warrantless spying of Americans. Today‚ the bipartisan vote to force intelligence communities to get a warrant was lost by one vote. In an effort to stop this‚ I requested a rare procedural maneuver that will force a second vote on Monday‚” Luna said. “Hopefully we can change minds. I will be writing all 435 members over the weekend. Please help me. Talk to your reps. We have one last shot at this‚” she continued. WATCH: You cannot have a free and open society with the warrantless spying of Americans. Today‚ the bipartisan vote to force intelligence communities to get a warrant was lost by one vote. In an effort to stop this‚ I requested a rare procedural maneuver that will force a second vote on… pic.twitter.com/f4apWu62I6 — Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) April 12‚ 2024 “Today‚ we are voting on FISA&;#33; I have sent letters to all 435 members asking them to vote NO on the motion to table the motion to reconsider. This would allow us to kill the current bill and amend it so it is constitutional‚” Luna said Monday. Today‚ we are voting on FISA&;#33; I have sent letters to all 435 members asking them to vote NO on the motion to table the motion to reconsider. This would allow us to kill the current bill and amend it so it is constitutional. #GetAWarrant — Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) April 15‚ 2024 117 Republicans ignored Luna and voted yes on the motion to table the motion to reconsider. The House passed the motion 259-128. BREAKING: Controversial FISA 702 Legislation Clears House with Strong Majority‚ 259-128: Moves to Senate Lacking Key Privacy Protections for Americans‚ NOTE: Bill Advances Without Warrant Requirement for Searches Involving U.S. Citizens pic.twitter.com/wZ9UPMRw2F — Simon Ateba (@simonateba) April 15‚ 2024 The House just voted 259 – 128 to block reconsideration of FISA 702&;#33; No provision to allow warrants before the government can spy on us‚ yet Congress is exempt&;#33; pic.twitter.com/26tlukg2zA — ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) April 15‚ 2024 “117 House Republicans voted YES to blocking the reconsideration of FISA reauthorization and 14 Republican Not Voting‚” WarRoom CFO/COO Grace Chong wrote. BREAKING: 117 House Republicans voted YES to blocking the reconsideration of FISA reauthorization and 14 Republican Not Voting https://t.co/SpqBCRiDPt pic.twitter.com/4Q5j5Pwk7T — Grace Chong (@gc22gc) April 16‚ 2024 “FISA made carveouts for Members of Congress but not for everyday Americans—privacy for me but not for thee‚” Luna wrote. WATCH: FISA made carveouts for Members of Congress but not for everyday Americans—privacy for me but not for thee. #GetAWarrant pic.twitter.com/PJrxSA2wI6 — Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) April 15‚ 2024 As a reminder‚ the House also rejected an amendment proposed by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) that would require a warrant to spy on Americans. 86 Republicans voted against the amendment. NEW: 86 Republicans just voted against @RepAndyBiggsAZ’s amendment to require a warrant to spy on Americans under FISA causing it to fail. Here are the names: pic.twitter.com/6mAoJfnlac — Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 12‚ 2024 “This is how the Constitution dies. By a tie vote‚ the amendment to require a warrant to spy on Americans goes down in flames. This is a sad day for America. The Speaker doesn’t always vote in the House‚ but he was the tie breaker today. He voted against warrants‚” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) commented. This is how the Constitution dies. By a tie vote‚ the amendment to require a warrant to spy on Americans goes down in flames. This is a sad day for America. The Speaker doesn’t always vote in the House‚ but he was the tie breaker today. He voted against warrants. pic.twitter.com/i49GnCzyPm — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 12‚ 2024

A fire reportedly erupted at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton‚ Pennsylvania‚ prompting a response from emergency personnel. “At approximately 3:20 p.m. today‚ emergency personnel responded to a fire at the heat treat building at Scranton Army Ammunition Plant‚” the plant said in a statement posted on Facebook. “The fire has since been extinguished‚ with no injuries and all personnel accounted for. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. We are currently assessing the damage to determine possible impacts to facilities or production. The safety of our workforce is our primary concern‚ and we appreciate the quick response of our emergency personnel‚” the statement continued. “The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant(SCAAP) is a United States Army Joint Munitions Command (JMC) facility that manufactures large-caliber metal projectiles and mortar projectile. It is operated by General Dynamics-Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS)‚” The Brief noted. BREAKING: There is a fire at Scranton Army Ammunition Plant. The Scranton Plant‚ a government owned contractor operated facility‚ is the main producer of 155mm artillery shell bodies in the United States. pic.twitter.com/gO0n1pbtma — Colby Badhwar (@ColbyBadhwar) April 15‚ 2024 “Scranton Firefighters currently responding to the Army Ammunition Plant / General Dynamics on Cedar Avenue for a structure fire‚” NEPA Fire Photography said. Breaking News: There is currently a fire at the US Army's ammunition plant in Scranton Pennsylvania. A large quantity of the United States' conventional artillery ammunition is manufactured on site. &;quot;Putin did it.&;quot; – CNN in 20 minutes pic.twitter.com/f1XXqAL3jj — DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) April 15‚ 2024 Fire reported at the Scranton Ammunition Plant today. Some of the rounds they make there: 155mm and 105mm artillery projectilesthe 105mm PGU-45/B High Fragmentation (HF) Cartridges120mm Mortar (M120/M121) ProjectilesM931 Full Range Training Cartridges (FRTC)M933 and M934… pic.twitter.com/c9lwFBeB34 — Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) April 15‚ 2024 BREAKING: A large fire has broken out at the Scranton Army Munitions Plant in Scranton‚ Pennsylvania. It is a huge producer of 155mm artillery shells&;#33; pic.twitter.com/NrvtNmUljD — Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) April 15‚ 2024 From The Brief: It currently produces: 155mm and 105mm artillery projectiles the 105mm PGU-45/B High Fragmentation (HF) Cartridges 120mm Mortar (M120/M121) Projectiles M931 Full Range Training Cartridges (FRTC) M933 and M934 High Explosive (HE) M930 and M983 Illumination M929 White Phosphorus (WP) Smoke 5″/54 (5 inch) Naval Gun Projectile. 8 inch (203mm) and 175mm artillery It is not currently clear if there is a structure fire‚ but emergency services are on scene. This is one of only 7 production arsenals that produce military munitions for the United States military. There are a total of 17 JMC facilities in the U.S. This story is developing.