Secretary of State explains how humanitarian aid is kept from Hamas
The push to get another $106 billion in supplemental funding for Ukraine, Israel and the border continued Tuesday, Oct. 31. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made the Biden administration’s pitch to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
“Only firm American leadership can ensure that tyrants, thugs, and terrorists worldwide are not emboldened to commit more aggression and atrocities,” Austin told the committee.
There is bipartisan agreement that the United States should continue supporting Ukraine and Israel.
“This is not a time to punt American leadership,” Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash., said. “The world is on edge and how the U.S. wields it’s leadership will be a critical factor in determining what happens next.”
Republicans added that they want to strengthen security at the southern border. Members of the committee said some of the requests, like money for more immigration judges, appear to make it easier to get people processed once they are already in the country but not prevent them from entering.
“What we’re working to do, from the perspective of the State Department, is to work closely with other countries to get them to assume their share of responsibility in dealing with this migration,” Blinken said.
“With all due respect it’s not working,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., said in response.
Humanitarian aid oversight
Senators also expressed concern about humanitarian aid being stolen. Chairwoman Murray asked Blinken how aid provided to Gaza will be kept out of the hands of terrorists. Blinken explained that both Israel and Egypt check every truck at Rafah gate on the Gaza border. These United Nations trucks go to distribution sites, also run by the U.N.
“We’re then able to do monitoring on the other end by contacting the designated recipients to ensure that it’s actually gotten to where it’s supposed to go,” Blinken said.
“Without swift and sustained humanitarian relief, the conflict is much more likely to spread, suffering will grow, and Hamas and its sponsors will benefit by fashioning themselves as the saviors of the very desperation that they created,” Blinken said.
Blinken said there will inevitably be some spillage, but that had not happened as of his testimony. He told the committee that, ultimately, an overwhelming majority of the assistance will get to the people who need it.
Protestors interrupted the hearing multiple times chanting “ceasefire now” and “save the children of Gaza.” Blinken addressed the concerns by stating the U.S. has informed Israel that it needs to do all it can to avoid civilian casualties.
“As President Biden has made clear from the outset, while Israel has the right —and indeed, the obligation – to defend itself, the way it does so matters,” Blinken said. “In our discussions with the Israeli government, the president and I have both stressed the need for Israel to operate by the law of war and in accordance with international humanitarian law, and to take all possible measures to avoid civilian casualties.”
US blames Iran for 25 recent attacks on American forces in Middle East
U.S. bases are being attacked in the Middle East, with the latest drone attack targeting a base hosting U.S. troops in Iraq on the morning of Oct. 31. It is the 25th attack on U.S. forces in two weeks.
U.S. Defense officials say that Iran is “actively facilitating” the assaults, while Iran’s Foreign Ministry says that the attacks are a result of “wrong American policies” that need to be corrected.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani urged the U.S. to stop backing Israel, saying “you reap what you sow.”
According to the Department of Defense, “Iranian-backed militia groups” are responsible for at least two dozen attacks on U.S. forces.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi denies that Iran has any direct involvement in the attacks on U.S. bases, but says it’s Iran’s duty to support the resistance groups responsible.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called Iran out, explicitly blaming the country for the attacks.
Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not let them.
Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense
“Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces,” Austin said. “We will not let them. If attacks by Iran’s proxies against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people.”
On Thursday, Oct. 26, U.S. forces conducted “self-defense airstrikes” on two of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard facilities in Syria used by Iran’s affiliated groups. Five attacks on U.S. bases have occurred in response to the retaliatory strikes.
Twenty-four troops have been injured and one American contractor died in the attacks on U.S. bases.
Iran financially and militarily supports Hamas — the group responsible for the terrorist attack on Israel. As Israel begins to ground operations into Gaza, Iran’s army chief, speaking for Hamas, said that they are ready for any ground invasion.
US strikes back at Iran-linked groups in Syria after troops attacked: The Morning Rundown, Oct. 27, 2023
The United States carries out airstrikes on Iranian-backed groups in Syria after attacks on U.S. troops. And a new Democratic candidate steps forward to challenge President Biden in 2024. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.
US strikes against Iranian-backed groups in Syria after troops attacked
The United States has carried out airstrikes in Eastern Syria on two facilities associated with Iranian-backed militant groups believed to be responsible for 19 rocket and drone attacks over the past week against U.S. personnel.
According to the Pentagon, the U.S. airstrikes in Syria were at President Biden’s direction, with two U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets striking two facilities, a weapon storage area and an ammunition storage area, used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups.
“These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on Oct. 17,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement Thursday night, Oct. 26.
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Austin added that these Iranian-backed attacks on U.S. forces are “unacceptable and must stop.”
U.S. officials said America’s response in Syria was not related to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. They were about protecting U.S. troops.
The U.S. military has deployed two aircraft carriers to the Middle East to show its support for Israel and to deter Iran or the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon from getting involved in the conflict.
Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about the U.S. not wanting the war to spread while letting Iran know it will defend itself.
“The United States does not seek conflict with Iran. We do not want this war to widen,” Blinken said. “But if Iran or its proxies attack U.S. personnel anywhere, make no mistake: we will defend our people, we will defend our security, swiftly and decisively.”
The Pentagon said all U.S. troops injured in the attacks by the Iranian-backed groups have returned to duty. There are approximately 900 U.S. troops stationed in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq.
Chinese fighter jet nearly collides with us B-52 bomber
The U.S. released a video of the near-collision on social media on Thursday, Oct. 26.
U.S. officials said the Chinese pilot “flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner” and “demonstrated poor airmanship” as he flew his J-11 jet within 10 feet of the B-52 bomber, which was conducting routine nighttime operations.
The Pentagon said the Chinese fighter jet’s intercept “violated international air safety rules.”
News of this latest incident comes as President Biden is expected to meet with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi at the White House Friday, Oct. 27.
Manhunt continues for Maine mass shooting suspect
The search continues this morning for the suspect in a mass shooting in Maine that killed 18 people and injured 13 others.
The multistate manhunt is underway for Robert Card, 40, accused of opening fire at a bar and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday, Oct. 25.
THREAD: In response to the tragedy in Lewiston, Maine, Troopers from the New Hampshire State Police have responded to assist our law enforcement partners.
➡️The SWAT team is assisting the Maine State Police SWAT team with ground searches throughout the area. pic.twitter.com/vmE5jv5Mjf
Residents of Lewiston and surrounding towns are being told to shelter in place.
Card is a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army Reserve and is considered to be armed and dangerous.
Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips announces bid for White House
A new candidate has entered the 2024 presidential election race and is challenging President Biden for the Democratic nomination. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., announced his White House bid in an interview with CBS on Thursday, Oct. 26.
BREAKING: Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) is running for president, challenging Pres. Biden in the Democratic primary race.
Phillips has been a loud critic of Biden’s re-election efforts, calling on other, younger Democrats to step up to run against and replace the 80-year-old president.
“My real call to action right now is not about me. The call to action is to ask the president to pass the torch,” Phillips said in a “Meet the Press” interview in August 2023.
Earlier this month, Phillips stepped down from his leadership role as co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Caucus after unsuccessfully calling on younger Democrats to challenge Biden for the Democratic nomination.
According to a recent CNN poll, two-thirds of Democrats agree with Phillips, wanting the party to choose another candidate besides Biden, with nearly half citing Biden’s age as the main concern.
Though the White House has not commented on Phillips’ announcement, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to reports of Phillips joining the race by saying the administration appreciates the congressman’s “almost 100% support of the president.”
Toyota recalls more than 750,000 vehicles over bumpers
According to the automaker, the recall covers certain Toyota Highlanders from 2020 to 2023, including gas-electric hybrid models.
According to Toyota, the vehicles have front lower bumper covers connected with mounting tabs that could detach on even minor impacts, causing parts of the assembly to fall into the road and creating hazardous conditions for drivers.
Dealers will inspect the bumper cover tabs for damage and install new hardware. Toyota said it will contact all owners affected by the recall by December 2023.
The track, titled “Now and Then,” was written and sung by John Lennon in the 70s, with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison working on the song again in the 90s.
But because of technological issues on the recorded track, where Lennon’s voice could not be separated from a piano, it was shelved for decades. The song needed help. Fast forward down the long and winding road to last year when director Peter Jackson and his team would not let it be, using artificial intelligence to hear Lennon’s clear vocals.
“In 2023, to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven’t heard, I think it’s quite an exciting thing,” McCartney said in a press release.
“Now and Then” will be released across the universe on Nov. 2. A 12-minute documentary film will premiere the day before on The Beatles’ YouTube channel, where fans will come together to watch.
“We’re taking every measure to make sure we can defend them, and if necessary, respond decisively,” Blinken said. “Not at all what we’re looking for, not at all what we want, but we’ll be prepared if that’s what they choose to do.”
“If any country is looking to widen this conflict or take advantage of this very unfortunate situation that we see, our advice is ‘Don’t.’” Austin said. “We maintain the right to defend ourselves and we won’t hesitate to take the appropriate action.”
The warning from U.S senior officials comes three weeks into the Israel-Hamas war as they look to end the conflict diplomatically with the help of other countries.
Over the weekend of Oct. 21, world leaders from Arab, African, and European countries met in Cairo for a peace summit to discuss how to de-escalate the war, but failed to reach a consensus.
Israel continues to strike targets in Gaza and, according to local Hamas-run agencies, 5,000 people have died so far in Gaza.
The United States has deployed additional military assets to the Middle East to deter other countries and organizations, such as Iran and Hezbollah, from escalating the conflict.
“We’re going to do what is necessary to make sure our troops are in a good position,” Austin said. “They’re protected, and that we have the ability to respond.”
“No one should take advantage of this moment to escalate further attacks on Israel, or further attacks on us, on our personnel,” Blinken said.
Meanwhile, the United States is not the only country sending naval power to the Middle East. China has reportedly deployed six warships to the area.
According to a report from the Global Times, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, the warship deployment is a routine mission and not an interference in the current Israel-Hamas war.
Beijing’s special envoy to the Middle East, Zhai Jun, has called for a ceasefire and reiterated China’s support for a two-state solution.
China has not directly condemned Hamas’ brutal attack against Israel that reportedly killed 1400 Israelis in south Israel on Oct.7.
Now the question remains: When will Israel launch its ground incursion against Gaza?
After months of negotiations, a handful of pilots from Ukraine are finally in Arizona. The pilots are part of the first group of Ukrainians learning how to fly the American-made F-16 fighter jet.
The small group of Ukrainian pilots first took English language courses at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Politico reported that the first batch of students to prove proficient in English were transferred to Morris Air National Guard Base in Arizona, where they will complete their flight training.
The Air Force’s 162nd Wing will lead the training. The 162nd is the primary F-16 training hub for the USAF. Every country currently flying the F-16 was taught by the 162nd.
BREAKING:
The Pentagon announces that the U.S. will lead a coalition of countries that will help Ukraine develop its own air force.
The F-16 are arriving late, but they will be coming.
The training regimen starts in the classroom, where students learn the operational basics of the F-16. From there, the pilots will move on to a simulator, and then finally to flying actual jets over the American Southwest. Ukraine’s pilots will most likely see an accelerated training course, as their skills are in dire need back home.
After rejecting the idea of sending F-16s to Ukraine for more than a year, President Joe Biden finally relented in May. At that time, Biden also approved an international effort to not only train Ukraine how to fly and maintain F-16s, but to equip Ukraine’s Armed Forces with the fourth-generation fighters.
F-16s are in wide use by many NATO countries. While they do not have the same sort of stealth capabilities as other fighter jets like the F-22 or F-35, Fighting Falcons are still a substantial upgrade over the Soviet-era aircraft Ukraine has been forced to fly throughout its war with Russia.
F-16s are multi-role aircraft with proven combat effectiveness in air-to-air and air-to-surface missions. They are faster, more maneuverable, and have more advanced radar and targeting systems than anything else in the Ukrainian Air Force.
The United States is part of an 11-nation coalition to get F-16s to Ukraine. The Netherlands and Denmark are also training pilots, and will give Ukraine its first batch of 42 F-16s. The planes should be in Ukraine sometime in the first part of 2024.
The prime minister of Belgium also promised delivery of F-16s to Ukraine in 2025. However, that deal would first require approval from Brussels before any planes trade hands.
Even with expedited training, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the earliest anyone can expect Ukrainian pilots to be flying F-16s against Russia would be next spring.
Iran warns of Israel war escalation as it continues to back terror group
In the Israel-Hamas war, the U.S. supports Israel and Iran defends Hamas. As a result, the long-running tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to be exacerbated.
The U.S. told outside countries and groups that might lend support to Hamas to stay out of Israel’s war.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian hinted on Friday, Oct. 13, that the country’s allies, including the terrorist organization Hezbollah, could soon join the war. Hamas officials also hinted at Iran joining in if Israel continues its retaliatory strikes on Gaza.
While the U.S. has Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Israel meeting with top Israeli officials, Iran’s foreign minister met with top officials from Hezbollah.
Hezbollah has fired more than a dozen rockets at Israel in recent days. While the conflict with Hamas is on the southern border, Hezbollah is attacking Israel from the north.
“If these organized war crimes that are committed by the Zionist entity don’t stop immediately, then we can imagine any possibility,” Amir-Abdollahian said.
Interests in the war are starkly different between the U.S. and Iran.
Iraq and Yemen, countries aligned with Iran, threatened to target U.S. bases with missiles and drone strikes if Washington continues to support Israel. Massive crowds of protesters in the Middle East are aligned with the Iranian regime against Israel and the U.S.
The U.S. remains suspicious of Iran’s involvement in the surprise attack by Hamas that sparked the war. There is enough suspicion and tension between the two sides that the Biden administration has gone back on part of its recent prisoner exchange deal with Iran and refroze the $6 billion dollars in Iranian assets after getting pressure from Democrats and Republicans alike.
Iran responded on Friday, contradicting the U.S.
“The U.S. government knows that it can NOT renege on the agreement,” Ali Karimi Magham said on X. “The money rightfully belongs to the people of Iran, earmarked for the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to facilitate the acquisition of all essential requisites for the Iranians.”
Iran and the U.S. have been at odds for decades over human rights violations, oil, terrorism, Iran’s desire for regional hegemony and the regime’s nuclear ambitions. The latest point of tension is not only the war overseas but accusations of Iranian infiltration in U.S. intelligence.
Days before the war in Israel broke out, senators called on the U.S. Department of Defense and State Department to investigate two top Biden administration officials over potentially compromising ties with the Iranian regime.
US moves assets to assist Israel; Turkey, Chechnya offer support to Palestinians
The first shipment of U.S. aid has arrived in the east Mediterranean Sea. The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, with its accompanying ships and fighter jets, was already operating in the Mediterranean Sea when President Joe Biden ordered the strike group to the Middle East to help deter other countries or groups, particularly Iran and Hezbollah, from escalating the Israel-Hamas war.
“Let me say again,” Biden said at a news conference Tuesday. “Any country, any organization, anyone thinking of taking advantage of the situation, I have one word: don’t, don’t.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the move Sunday, Oct. 8 after Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel. Hamas militants killed hundreds of Israelis and wounded thousands more.
Soldiers with the Israeli Defense Forces said they found approximately 40 babies and small children murdered, some even beheaded by Hamas terrorists in the attack.
“We walked door-to-door,” a soldier said in an interview on I24 News. “We killed a lot of the terrorists. We are stronger than them. They are aggressive, very bad. They cut head off children, cut head of women. But we are stronger than them.”
And now, the United States might deploy the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group later this week, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Escalation in the Israel-Hamas war is a real possibility. At least one NATO ally is split from the United States.
Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan criticized the United States Tuesday, saying the carrier strike group would commit “serious massacres” in Gaza. He also criticized Israel for cutting off electricity, food, water, and fuel to the Gaza strip, saying the act goes against “the universal declaration of human rights.”
Turkey has backed Palestine in the past, including having hosted members of Hamas. Erdogan also offered to provide mediation between Israel and Palestine to help end the conflict.
The Turkish president isn’t the only leader siding with the Palestinians against Israel. The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has declared support for the Palestinian people. Kadyrov wrote in a Telegram post that he can send his units to act as “peacekeeping forces to restore order.”
The Kremlin said it was maintaining diplomatic relations with both Israel and Palestine as conflict continues.
In Germany, the federal prosecutor said he will open an investigation into Hamas over suspicions that Hamas militants had kidnapped German-Israeli citizens.
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to Israel and Jordan where he will meet with senior officials, according to the U.S. State Department.
Blinken will also try and secure the release of more than 100 hostages Hamas militants are holding captive.
Days before Israel war, senators warn of Iranian infiltration in US intelligence
Two days before the war in Israel began, U.S. senators raised concerns to the Department of Defense over potential Iranian infiltration in U.S. intelligence communities. Reports released days before the war allege top Biden administration officials had been operatives in an Iranian spy ring in Washington.
Two top officials’ security clearances are under investigation, but one of the two still has access to top secret government documents. The senators wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Oct. 5, urging him to take immediate action.
“We find it simply unconscionable that a senior Department official would continue to hold a sensitive position despite her alleged participation in an Iranian government information operation,” the letter said.
An expose from Tablet Magazine reported the security concerns that senators are now asking the State Department to respond to. The article accuses at least two top government officials of helping “to fund, support and direct an Iranian intelligence operation designed to influence the United States and allied governments.”
The House Foreign Affairs Committee is investigating Malley’s ties to an official accused by the report of being an Iranian operative who still holds a sensitive position within the Pentagon.
Ariane Tabatabai has been serving as chief of staff for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations Christopher Maier. A trove of stolen Iranian government emails was reviewed by former Wall Street Journal reporter Jay Solomon then published in a Semafor article titled “Inside Iran’s Influence Operation.“
According to emails reviewed by Solomon, Malley helped Tabatabai obtain top positions within the U.S. government. Before her current role at the Pentagon, she worked at the State Department as a diplomat alongside Malley’s Iran nuclear negotiating team after Biden took office in 2021.
Based on the review of Iranian government emails, Tabatabai was part of a regime propaganda unit set up in 2014 by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. In 2021, she was brought into the State Department by Malley. According to the emails, a group of Iranian-Americans recruited by the Iranian regime met secretly to receive instruction from Iranian officials and pledge their personal loyalty to promote Iranian interests to U.S. government officials.
The allegations surrounding Malley and Tabatabai are currently being investigated. In the meantime, Malley remains on leave and Tabatabai remains at work. A State Department spokesperson responded to Tablet Magazine’s request for comment.
“We have seen the Semafor article, which does not presume it was a ‘spy ring’ and we reject that characterization. Rob Malley remains on leave and we have no further comment due to privacy considerations. The Biden administration appointed Ariane Tabatabai to serve various roles in the U.S. government because of her expertise on nuclear and other foreign policy issues.”
Critics are calling this a scandal yet to unravel within the State Department and say the damage is already done. Gabriel Noronha, former State Department special adviser on Iran, says Malley and his negotiating team “purposefully funneled billions of dollars to [Iran] through lack of sanctions enforcement and provision of sanctions relief that has given them somewhere between $50 [billion] and $80 billion over the last two and a half years.”
The U.S. is not so far removed from the war in Israel. Both Israeli and American flags are being burned in the streets of Iran.
Hamas — the terrorist organization behind the attack on Israel — receives most of its funding from Iran. Iran is alleged to have helped plot the attack on Israel — something Iran denies. U.S. officials say this wasn’t on the radar of U.S. Intelligence.
Zelenskyy asks NATO for help ahead of ‘winter battle against terror’
On Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited NATO headquarters, asking allies for more weapons and better air defense systems as winter looms. With October marking the war’s 20th month, Ukraine is preparing for winter, anticipating Russian attacks on power stations and other crucial infrastructure.
During the Wednesday meeting with the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, roughly 50 nations discussed how to provide more military aid for Ukraine.
It marks Zelenskyy’s first trip to NATO headquarters since the war began and comes when uncertainty in Congress could affect the amount of aid coming from the U.S. It also comes as the world watches war between Israel and Hamas unfold, following the deadliest attack on Israel in decades on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Zelenskyy’s trip to NATO also comes at a time when fewer Americans are backing government support for Ukraine. In May, a Reuters poll showed 46% of respondents supported sending aid, compared to the most recent poll showing support among respondents at 41%.
In Wednesday’s meeting, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged that the U.S. will stand for Ukraine for as long as it takes to defeat Russia. Austin added that a $200 million defense package would be headed to Ukraine soon.
Austin said that that package will include air defense munitions and weapons to fight Russian drones.
The NATO meetings come as U.S. senators discuss passing a significant, long-term aid package worth up to $100 billion. The status of that package is unknown, and whether it gets through Congress is uncertain as the House must first elect a new speaker.
Since the beginning of the war, U.S. Congress has approved more than $100 billion worth of aid to Ukraine.
Misinformation spreading online after war erupts in Israel
Israel declared war against Hamas after the terrorist group and governmental organization launched an unprecedented attack over the weekend of Oct. 7, killing hundreds of Israelis. Now, more than a thousand people have died since the Israeli-Palestinian (Hamas) conflict started, including at least nine Americans.
This attack raises several questions for the U.S. about sending aid and military support to Israel, and which sources to trust for information.
Right now, the Pentagon is sending assistance. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the United States is sending the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group, along with 5,000 U.S. sailors, several fighter aircraft and munitions to the eastern Mediterranean “to bolster regional deterrence efforts.”
A fake document, appeared to be signed by Biden circulated online over the weekend, saying the U.S. is sending $8 billion in aid to Israel. The White House confirms that this document is not real.
Any aid package to Israel will need congressional approval from both chambers, which may prove difficult. Last week, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted as U.S. speaker of the House, so the House cannot introduce new pieces of legislation.
This means that until the House votes in another speaker, additional aid cannot be sent to Israel.
During chaos on the ground in Israel, misinformation is spreading online over the deadly attacks. In some instances, video views have hit the millions.
One video that circulated on X has been seen more than 10 million times. It depicts members of Iran’s Parliament chanting “death to America.” This video is not new. It was in response to the killing by the United States of one its most influential commanders, Qasem Soleimani, in a drone strike near Baghdad international airport.
This video was recorded in 2020, and there has been no recorded similar activity since Saturday’s attack.
Another video depicting rockets being fired by Hamas toward Israel garnered nearly 2 million views on X, however, the video is three years old and from Syria.
There are hundreds, if not thousands of social media posts peddling misinformation. X’s “community notes” are used to combat misinformation on its platform, but with the situation in Israel changing hour-by-hour, it’s unclear if the feature will be able to keep up with the influx of fake or misleading videos and posts.
The community notes’ X page recently posted that it was working on the issue to speed up how fast it can address misinformation on the platform.
X owner Elon Musk isn’t helping the situation. As details were unfolding over the weekend, the tech billionaire directed his more than 150 million followers to get their war updates from accounts that have been known to spread misinformation in the past.
Musk deleted the post after three hours, however, it was seen by 11 million accounts.