Armageddon: Plan to evacuate 600,000 Americans from the Middle East US deploys 12 new A/A systems and F-16 Squadron France sends FS Tonnerre
State Department Evacuates Diplomats from Iraq - Bahrain-Kuwait to Follow
10/25/23
By WarNews24/7
Translated from Greek
In moves that refer to a generalized ignition in the Middle East, an Armageddon, the USA is moving forward. As Israel has publicly admitted, the ground operation has not yet begun because the US has not completed its preparations.
According to US media, the Biden administration is drawing up a plan to evacuate hundreds of thousands of American citizens from the Middle East if the bloodshed in Gaza does not stop, according to four officials familiar with the US government's emergency planning.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the details of the internal deliberations, said Americans living in Israel and neighboring Lebanon were of particular concern, though they stressed that an evacuation of this magnitude was considered a worst-case scenario.
The US administration, despite its strong public support for Israel, is deeply concerned by the prospect of escalation and in recent days has turned its attention in part to the complex logistics of moving large numbers of people suddenly, according to three of the people familiar with the discussions.
There were about 600,000 American citizens in Israel and another 86,000 believed to be in Lebanon when Hamas struck, according to initial State Department estimates.
But now, the U.S. administration's concern extends beyond those two countries, as officials monitor street protests that have spread across the Arab world, putting both U.S. personnel and civilians in the region at increased risk.
Top US officials have been reluctant to publicly discuss such contingency plans, hoping to avoid causing panic among Americans in the region.
But their stance has changed in recent days to convey anxiety about other actors entering the conflict.
Last week, the State Department issued an advisory to all US citizens around the world to "exercise increased caution" due to "increased tensions in various locations around the world, potential terrorist attacks, [and] demonstrations or violent actions against citizens and interests of the United States"
The US is sending 12 air defense systems to the Middle East and an F-16 squadron
At the same time, five US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III aircraft departed Pope AAF Base at Fort Liberty (Bragg) bound for Europe. All have similar shipping codes.
The US plans to send its entire stockpile of Iron Dome missiles to Israel, including two artillery pieces and more than 300 missiles, a US official said.
At the same time, 12 additional anti-aircraft systems are being developed in the Middle East.
This is a THAAD anti-ballistic missile defense system artillery currently en route to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while at least 11 MIM-104 Patriot air defense systems will be deployed to sites in Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq , Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
At the same time, the Pentagon announced that an additional squadron of F-16 fighter jets arrived yesterday in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility in the Middle East.
The US Air Force Command has decided to move the 119th Expeditionary Wing from the New Jersey Air National Guard to the Middle East region.
Note that the United States previously deployed an A-10 Thunderbolt II squadron to the United Arab Emirates on October 13 and an F-15E Squadron to Jordan.
State Department Evacuates Diplomats from Iraq - Bahrain-Kuwait to Follow
The US is evacuating diplomatic personnel from Iraq. Employees of the US Embassy in Baghdad and the US Consulate General in Erbil, as well as their family members, will return home, the State Department said in a statement.
"Family members and non-emergency government personnel at the US Embassy in Baghdad and the US Consulate General in Erbil have been instructed to evacuate due to heightened security threats," the directive said.
Recently, the State Department allowed the families of diplomats and some diplomatic personnel to leave Lebanon. Americans wishing to leave the country were also urged not to delay their departure "due to the unpredictable security situation." Those remaining in the country are advised to "prepare emergency plans".
"On the table" is also the option of evacuating the families of American soldiers, mainly from the bases in Bahrain and Kuwait.
According to the State Department statement, the embassy is aware of threats made on social media by Alwiyat al-Waad al-Haq, a militia group in Iraq, against US military bases in Kuwait. As a result, the US Embassy in Kuwait limits its activity on US military bases to essential and official events only. US citizens are advised to remain vigilant."
France has sent the amphibious assault ship Tonnerre to the Mediterranean
The French Navy has announced that FS Tonnerre (L-9014) a Mistral-class amphibious assault ship is currently deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean to join NATO Naval Forces, including the Battle Group led by USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN -78) off the coast of Israel.
The French Mistral-class helicopter carrier "Tonnerre" sailed today from the port of Toulon, in the south of France, around 16:00 local time (17:00 Greek time), according to the French source.
During his visit to Cairo, Emmanuel Macron announced earlier today that a French Navy ship would go to "support hospitals" in Gaza.
A French plane will also land on Thursday in Egypt to deliver medical supplies, the French president added, clarifying that "more will follow." Humanitarian aid has been gathering in Egypt for days before it trickles into Gaza through the Rafah crossing, the only one not controlled by Israel.
"Tonnerre" is a Mistral-class ship (class of amphibious assault ships). These ships are 199 meters long, are "amphibious helicopter carriers and capable of carrying out, in a short period of time, operations of crisis management, transport and even evacuation of patients and medical support by amphibious and aerial means ", according to the French Ministry of the Armed Forces.
He participated in operations to evacuate French and European citizens from the Middle East during the Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006 and in support of France's military intervention in Mali in 2013.
It has 69 hospital beds and two surgical units. The Tonnerre can act as a mobile command and control center and can carry 16 helicopters as well as 60 armored vehicles or 13 Leclerc tanks.
Photos and videos at source:
https://warnews247.gr/armagedon-to-galliko-fs-tonnerre-enonetai-me-tis-dynameis-tou-nato-schedio-ekkenosis-600-000-amerikanon-apo-ti-m-anatoli-oi-ipa-aneptyxan-12-nea-a-a-systimata-kai-mia-moira-f-16/
