Russian nuclear-capable Iskander missiles deployed in Syria

Russia has deployed its most advanced tactical missile system, the Iskander-M, in Syria in the last few days, DEBKAfile reports exclusively from its military and intelligence sources. The Russian Iskander is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and has never been made available to any foreign army for operational use.
No nuclear-capable surface missiles were deployed in any Arab country bordering on Israel since 2007 when Chinese DF-21 missiles were installed in Saudi Arabia.

The Russian missiles (NATO codenamed SS-26) have a range of 500 kilometers (see map).

The Iskander’s transfer to the Kaliningrad enclave in the Baltic Sea in 2015, putting it in range of Central and Western Europe, was a mark of heightened tensions with the West over Russia’s intervention in Ukraine.

Its deployment in Syria, amid a bloody five-year civil war, is a game changer in terms of the balance of strength in the Middle East. Its range - from the Russian Hmeimim base in western Syria - covers all of Israel up to the southern town of Beersheba, points in Turkey up to the outskirts of Ankara and the eastern and central Mediterranean including Cyprus.

The Russian decision to scale down its forces in Syria was only part of the picture: Warplanes and bombers are being pulled out, but as fast as they leave, they are being replaced by the most advanced missile systems in the Russian arsenal.

On March 15, Moscow announced that the formidable S-400 ground-to-air missiles would stay in Syria after the withdrawal. Ten days later, on March 25, the Iskander-M systems were in place. The Iskander-M is rated the top short-range ballistic missile in the world.

The combination, say DEBKAfile’s military sources, makes the Hmeimim base the hub of the most sophisticated missiles in the Middle East.

Its mobile launching vehicle carries two missiles. It only takes a few minutes to prepare them for launch; each may be fired separately. In flight, its operating team can retarget the weapon, adjusting it if necessary to hit  moving targets such as missile launchers, tank columns or supply convoys.

Another special feature of the Iskander-M is the control of its warhead by an encoded radio signal that even UAVs or AWACS cannot intercept. The missile can therefore lock on the target without being shot down. The missile’s computer receives an image of the target, locks on it and zooms toward the target at supersonic speed.

The Iskander-M is adaptable for use against small or large targets and can easily evade air defense batteries. Its targets can be set by satellites, surveillance planes, intelligence mechanisms or even field soldiers directing artillery fire from images scanned to their computers. Furthermore, its independent navigation system is not affected by poor weather conditions, including fog or darkness, like other ballistic missiles. It is moreover almost impossible to pre-empt the launch of the Iskander-M due to the mobility of its launching system.

The hooks are in

Ezekiel 38:
Prophecy against Gog
…3and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. 4"I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; 5Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;

Russia sending reinforcements, military equipment to Syria 

DEBKAfile March 30, 2016, 10:23 AM (IDT)

Analysis of the movements of warships and cargo ships from Russia to Syria reveals that Moscow is increasing the pace of its support for the Syrian regime, despite President Vladimir Putin's March 14 announcement that the Russian military would reduce its presence in the Middle East. Internet site marinetraffic.com said that the Yauza, a Russian military transport and icebreaking ship that left Syria in the first week of March, left its home port of Novorossiysk in the Black Sea and is headed back to the Russian naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus. The ship is sailing at a very low speed, indicating that it is carrying heavy equipment, with a Turkish research body reporting that the Yauza is not even leaving a trail in the ocean. Up to 12 Russian military ships are currently sailing in the Mediterranean including oil tankers, patrol ships and the Zeleniy Dol destroyer armed with Kalibr cruise missiles.     

'Papa Noel' -- the militant recruiter in Brussels who groomed young men for violence - LA Times

Papa Noel' -- the militant recruiter in Brussels who groomed young men for violence - LA Times:
"He was also the generous sort, providing advice, logistical aid and travel expenses to his proteges — mostly young Belgians of Moroccan descent harboring an identity-affirming, if potentially fatal, obsession: to go off to Syria for jihad."

Why does Europe let this terror grow within its own border? There's religious tolerance but when that religion is at war with peaceful society it has to be addressed as the enemy it is.

Belgium Presses Manhunt After New Plot Revealed

Belgium Presses Manhunt After New Plot Revealed: "On Friday, a series of raids produced three arrests in connection with what French authorities said was an imminent new attack.

President Francois Hollande said a jihadist network which hit both Paris and Brussels was being "destroyed" but also warned that the threat remained and everyone must be on guard."


I imagine Easter weekend would be a popular holiday for jihadis to launch their attacks. No rest for the police on this Christian holiday.

Daniel 7:25 (a)
 “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High...

Taliban says it targeted Christians in a park on Easter Sunday, killing 70 - LA Times: "A splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast, which it said was aimed at Christians celebrating the Easter holiday. "

More Islamic Terror Coming: ISIS Has Sent 400 Trained Fighters Into Europe To Conduct Terror Attacks

More Islamic Terror Coming: ISIS Has Sent 400 Trained Fighters Into Europe To Conduct Terror Attacks
"The recent attacks in Paris and in Brussels were just the tip of the iceberg of a massive wave of Islamic terror that is soon coming to Europe. "

Something for the Loadicean church to ponder

1 Timothy 5:

20 Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others.

21 I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the highest angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone.

When's the last time these verses were followed in a church near you? Do today's Christian pastors even know these verses are in the New Testament? Probably conveniently ignored or explained away as they would impact tithe levels.

Will Russia exit Syria for now but then soon return?

Ezekiel 38New Living Translation (NLT)

This is another message that came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, turn and face Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. 3 Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: Gog, I am your enemy! 4 I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army—your horses and charioteers in full armor and a great horde armed with shields and swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you, too, with all their weapons.

A deep rift with Tehran over the continuation of the Syrian war and an irreconcilable spat with Syrian ruler Bashar Assad over his future prompted Russian President Vladimir’s shock order Monday, March 14, for the “main part” of Russian military forces to quit Syria the next morning. This is reported byDEBKAfile’s military and intelligence sources.

The final limits of the military withdrawal, five months after the Moscow embarked on its intervention, were not defined. But the Kremlin did say that Moscow would retain a military presence at the naval port of Tartous and the Hmeymim airbase outside Latakia. This left the bulk of Russian military aerial and naval presence in situ; Putin is unlikely to give up this strong foothold in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Russian president did not fix a timeline for the military withdrawal – only its start. Neither did he promise to discontinue all military operations in Syria.

He did say only that “The task put before the defense ministry and Russian armed forces has on the whole been fulfilled” and he spoke of a “fundamental turnaround in the fight against international terrorism.”
A sign of where Moscow as heading now was disclosed by his order to the Russian foreign Minister to “Intensify our participation in a peaceful solution of the Syrian conflict”

This was a reference to the UN-brokered talks resuming in Geneva Tuesday, March 15, between the warring sides of the Syrian conflict.

DEBKAfile’s intelligence circles noted that, after Putin’s bolt from the blue, Russian warships in the Caspian and Mediterranean Seas remain ready to interfere in the fighting from a distance, if the Assad regime’s situation deteriorates. They saw an omen of Moscow’s impending military exit in last month’s massive delivery to the Syrian army of advanced T-90 tanks and heavy self-propelled artillery.
Western sources viewed the shipments as further Russian investment in high-stakes Syrian military victories in the battles for Aleppo in the north and Deraa in the south.
But this assumption was negated by the Kremlin announcement Monday. The tanks and artillery were, in fact, provided to enable Syria and its Iranian ally to carry on fighting without Russian support.
The rift between Moscow and Tehran over the Syrian war came to a head on Feb. 19 during Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Hossein Dehghan’s visit to Moscow. The Iranian minister presented his government’s demand for Russia to back away from its deal with the US for a Syrian ceasefire.

Tehran wants the war to continue without pause. After walking handed in hand with Moscow in the Syrian arena for a time, the Iranians were aghast to find Putin turning aside and entering into collaboration with the Obama administration for an end to hostilities and a political solution to the conflict.

As for Assad, he has no intention of playing along with Putin’s plans for him to step down and hand over rule in Damascus in stages. Assad does not mean to quit at any time.

The Russian president may have acted now because he was simply fed up with the interminable bickering with his two allies, which was going nowhere except for the continuation of the calamitous five-year war. He therefore presented them with a tough fait accompli. If you want to carry on fighting, fine; but count the Russian army out of it.

Lying Persians

Iran’s Tested Ballistic Missiles Adorned with Hebrew Message: "Destroy Israel" 
"The last time an Iranian official used Hebrew to communicate with Jews was Rosh Hashanah 5776, when President Hassan Rouhani wished a happy new year for the Jewish community all over the world. “May our shared Abrahamic roots deepen respect and bring peace and mutual understanding,” Rouhani tweeted"

The world recently signed a nuclear agreement with Iran. Can anyone seriously consider Iran trustworthy?

Russia to deploy its only heavy aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean

DEBKAfile March 7, 2016, 12:50 PM (IDT)

Moscow is planning to send its only heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" to the Mediterranean sea in the summer to lead a permanent naval group, said a high-ranking source in the main command of the Russian Navy. It will be upgraded for new types of aircraft and munitions, including the new MiG-29K and "other planes.” DEBKAfile: The Kuznetzov can carry forty  SU-33, Mig-29 and SU-25UT fighter jets and 24 helicopters