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Page added on July 8, 2014
Mortars land in Saudi Arabia near Iraq border
Three mortars bombs landed inside Saudi Arabia close to its border with Iraq on Monday, causing no casualties but raising concerns about instability in the kingdom’s northern neighbour, where Islamist militants have occupied land near the frontier. Saudi authorities said they are investigating the incident to determine the source of the mortars, which caused no casualties after landing near a block of flats in a new district outside the town of Arar.
The attack was the second near a Saudi frontier in three days, after al Qaeda militants based in Yemen staged a raid in al-Sharurah in south Saudi Arabia in which 10 people were killed.
Last week Saudi King Abdullah ordered the country to a higher level of security following lightning gains made by militants in Iraq, who have declared the creation of a new caliphate and Islamic state on land extending to the Saudi border.
The birthplace of Islam and world’s top oil exporter constructed strong border defences with Iraq last decade.
But it is worried that the emergence of the Islamic State militant group – which has shortened its name from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) – will encourage more dissent among its own citizens.
Bringing down the al-Saud ruling family is a main goal for al Qaeda, which wants to establish a caliphate in Mecca, and staged attacks on foreigners and government targets in a campaign that was crushed by Saudi security forces last decade
21 Comments on "Mortars land in Saudi Arabia near Iraq border"
herrmeier on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 6:21 am
sweet
pctech on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 7:31 am
We are likely seeing to opening shots of WWIII, all the mayhem currently happening in the ME. Just wait until oil production is in jeopardy.
paulo1 on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 7:43 am
re last sentence: “that was crushed by Saudi security forces last decade”
Just like USA crushed Saddam’s power structures…How’s that working out?
Surround Bagdhad and mortar it from hidden and shifting locations with a small force. Then, start on KSA. A few gains will mobilize the rot and anger from within. The KSA security apparatus cannot be everywhere. It could fall quite fast once it begins.
Of course they want Mecca. The fall of Saud will be classic irony as they funded this nightmare that now unfolds. Looks good on ’em.
Somebody’ll have to find and disable Pakstani nukes before much longer.
Paulo
bobinget on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 8:22 am
pctech, opening shots fired, they may have come from a sling-shot. Not trivializing just editorializing.
Here’s an update:
The Israeli army announced it was carrying out airstrikes early Tuesday in the Gaza Strip, calling it Operation Protective Edge.
The airstrikes came after Hamas — the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza — intensified its rocket assault on southern Israel, with more than 60 rockets launched Monday night, the Israeli Defense Force said. One injury was reported.
Israel’s Iron Dome, an anti-rocket system developed jointly by Israel and the United States, intercepted 12 rockets over the southern cities of Ashdod and Netivot, but several rockets fell close to Beersheva, the capital of the country’s south.
Eight Palestinian militants were killed in fighting Monday. At least nine Palestinians were injured in Tuesday morning’s airstrikes, Gaza health official Ashraf Al-Kedra said.
On Monday, Israeli army spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said Israel was “prepared for a potential deterioration” in Gaza “with potential to use military force as required.”
Hamas earlier vowed revenge, saying “the enemy will pay a tremendous price.”
The attacks come after Israel arrested six Jewish suspects Sunday in connection with the young Palestinian’s death. Three of the six have confessed to the killing and re-enacted the crime, an Israeli official told the Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of a gag order.
Israel is calling up 1,500 reservists for a potential mission in Gaza, a senior military official announced after Monday’s meeting of Israel’s security Cabinet, the Jerusalem Post reported. Hamas is not stopping other militant groups from firing at Israel, and its fighters are taking a lead role in such attacks, mostly mortars and rockets, the official said, according to the Post.
Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, head of the right-wing Jewish Home Party, said “all options are on the table. We need to broadcast to Hamas a message of deterrence.”
Residents throughout the southern part of the country were instructed to stay close to bomb shelters.
Air-raid sirens sounded as far north as Beit Shemesh, a city between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in central Israel. Many residents of the center part of the country do not have bomb shelters because, until recently, they were considered to be out of rocket range.
Many residents in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv rushed to clean out shelters, many of which double — illegally — as storage areas.
The increased attacks along the Israel-Gaza border represent a second front for Israel, which has been trying to contain Palestinian rioting in many parts of Israel following last Wednesday’s murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, 16, whose charred body was discovered in a Jerusalem forest.
His death followed last week’s discovery of the bodies of three Israeli teens who were abducted in the West Bank on June 12 and killed.
The six suspects included two brothers, and one of the suspects is the son of a rabbi, the Israeli official said. Three minor suspects were allowed to meet with lawyers Monday, while the primary suspects were not.
Israel’s Channel 10 TV said the suspects were the son and five grandsons of a prominent rabbi in Jerusalem, without further identifying him. Israeli officials did not confirm the report.
Masked militants march with guns, on July 7, as they attend the funeral of the two Fatah militants in central Gaza Strip’s Bureij refugee camp.Masked militants march with guns, on July 7, as they attend the funeral of the two Fatah militants in central Gaza Strip’s Bureij refugee camp. (Photo: Khalil Hamra, AP) Fullscreen
Masked militants march with guns, on July 7, as they attend the funeral of the two Fatah militants in central Gaza Strip’s Bureij refugee camp. Israeli soldiers stand near tanks positioned on the Israeli side of the border with the Gaza Strip on July 7. Palestinian mourners carry the body of Marwan Salem in al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. The Palestinian militant was killed during an Israeli airstrike the night before. An Israeli soldier drives an armored personnel carrier vehicle on the Israeli side of the border with the Gaza Strip. Israeli air strikes on Gaza, which killed at least seven Palestinian militants overnight, came after a day in which armed groups fired at least 25 rockets and mortar rounds at southern Israel. Israeli soldiers carry equipment near the Israel-Gaza border in Israel. The Islamic militant group Hamas that rules Gaza vowed revenge on Israel for the death of several of its members killed in an airstrike early July 7. Palestinian relatives of Abed Rahman al-Zamli gather around his body at the morgue of the Najar hospital in Rafah, Gaza Strip. He was a member of the Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam brigade, the military wing of Hamas. Masked Palestinian protesters from the West bank city of Hebron, stand watch as they clash with Israeli soldiers on July 6. Masked Palestinian protesters from the West bank city of Hebron, stand watch as they clash with Israeli soldiers on July 6. Israeli riot police watch over an area in Shuafat, East Jerusalem, during clashes with Palestinian protesters. Smoke rises after an Israeli missile strike hit Gaza City. Palestinian relatives of two dead fighters gather at a morgue in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, on July 6. Two Palestinian fighters were killed and another wounded late Sunday by an Israeli drone strike in the Gaza Strip. Tariq Abu Khder, a teenager who was allegedly beaten while in police custody, is hugged by his mother following a hearing at Jerusalem Magistrates Court on July 6. He was arrested in Shuafat during violent clashes with Israeli riot police and was given nine days house arrest while authorities continue to look into the matter. Israeli soldiers stand by armored personal carriers at the Israel-Gaza border near the city of Sderot, Israel. The Israeli army started new deployments at the border. Tariq Abu Khdeir, 15, a U.S. citizen, is escorted by Israeli prison guards during an appearance at Jerusalem magistrate’s court, on July 6, 2014. Israeli police said he resisted arrest, attacked officers and was carrying a slingshot for lobbing stones when he was arrested. Relatives say he was beaten and arrested by Israeli police during clashes sparked by the July 3 killing of his cousin Mohammed Abu Khdeir. The Israeli military patrols the streets in the West Bank city of Hebron early on July 6. A Palestinian youth inspects the rubble of a house that was hit by an Israeli missile strike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli airstrikes targeted what the army said were militant sites including rocket launchers and a weapons manufacturing site. Palestinian youths inspect a house detroyed by an Israeli missile strike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Israeli border police charge at Palestinian protesters during clashes in the Israeli Arab city of Ar’Ara in northen Israel, on July 5. Palestinian protesters throw fireworks at Israeli border police during clashes in the Israeli Arab city of Ar’Ara in northern Israel. Tear gas canisters land as Palestinian stone throwers clash with Israeli security forces on July 4, following a weekly protest against the expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel in the village of Kfar Qaddum, near the northern city of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank. Israeli soldiers take positions during clashes with Palestinians on July 2 in Jenin, West Bank. Fighting erupted after the discovery of the body of Palestinian teenager, a possible victim of a revenge attack for the killing of three Israeli teenagers who disappeared June 12 in the West Bank. Police investigate the scene where the body of Palestinian teenager Mohammed Abu Khdeir, 16, was discovered near Jerusalem. Palestinians throw stones at Israeli police near the home of Palestinian teenager Mohammed Abu Khdeir in Jerusalem. Israeli police found Khadair’s burned body in a forest west of Jerusalem. A Palestinian argues with Israeli border police in Jerusalem. Palestinian protesters fire a makeshift slingshot at Israeli police. Israeli security troops confront Palestinian protesters in the Shuafat neighborhood in East Jerusalem. A Palestinian demonstrator shoots fireworks at Israeli police. A Palestinian cleans up after Jewish settlers burned a house in Aqrabeh village near Nablus, West Bank. Injured Palestinians are treated at a hospital in Jenin. Palestinian protesters roll a burning tire at Israeli police in Shuafat.
JuanP on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 8:54 am
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is under terrorist attack on its border with Iraq and Yemen, North and South. This will only get worse, the whole area will end up a total mess. These are only the first shots in a new front of the ME war.
Plantagenet on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 9:37 am
This article implies that mortar attacks on KSA must come from the Caliphate, but the Shia who run Iraq and Syria are also mortal enemies of Sunni KSA
Northwest Resident on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 9:40 am
I get the feeling that there are untold masses of people living in the ME countries who despise America, Israel, The West and anybody and everybody who collaborates with them.
These seething masses are smelling blood in the water.
With peak oil conditions upon us, with global debt weighting down on the economy like a multi-trillion ton rock and with many other severe problems stacking up, those in the ME who hate all things Western and who want nothing more than to rule their own roost without interference from oil consuming nations are sensing that NOW is the time to strike.
That’s a guess on my part. But look at what is happening. JuanP and paulo1 are absolutely correct about the citizenry inside the KSA. Many if not most of them want to see the Saudi Royalty destroyed — hanging on crosses would probably be their first choice. All throughout the ME the pressure is building. When it finally reaches a critical point and blows, that will be a turning point in world history, and for the world as we have known it.
And it isn’t even a matter of if. It is only a matter of when.
Soon enough is a pretty safe bet, imo.
JuanP on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 9:54 am
Plant, you are right about that. Anyone could be firing from Iraq. If the Shias feel that the KSA is behind ISIS, they would be tempted to fire on KSA and blame ISIS to try and discourage KSA from supporting ISIS. Either way KSA has trouble on its borders.
Davy on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 9:59 am
Look KSA will only be brought down from an internal revolt IMHO. If one looks at the KSA military no guerrilla outfit will have a chance in symmetrical nor asymmetrical warfare.
http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=saudi-arabia
The desert is a lonely place for armored columns and troop concentrations with a country like KSA with a sophisticated air force. IMA a well-trained air force. Individual mortar attacks don’t even register on the scale. Effective attacks on KSA would be oil infrastructure and these are very well protected. Even Iran would have little chance of a KSA invasion without the risk of huge losses of course to both sides. Iraqi Shia’s less so especially now with them fighting for their lives against IS. The west will not permit a fall of KSA from an outside power. Internally is another story with power plays I am sure going on inside with religious factions, security factions, and ruling family power struggles. It will be the internal fragmentation of KSA that could bring it down. Effective attacks on oil infrastructure if well placed could bring the KSA to its knees. With a vast area of Syria and Iraq now open country run by bandits just such weapons to effectively target oil infrastructure are conceivable. I see the reluctance of any more sophisticated weapons being supplied to the rebels by TPTB in the ME but I could be wrong. This is definitely a worrisome situation knowing what we know here about PO dynamics and what the loss of significant ME production would do to the global economy. The panic and resulting financial compression would be a death rattle of BAU if a reboot did not happen in short order.
JuanP on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 10:08 am
NR, I also get the feeling that a large minority of the ME population basically hates the western world, in general, and the USA and Israel, in particular, right now.
A highly motivated, angry, hopeless, mostly young, large minority is a force to be considered and respected as a potential enemy. Young men in the ME are in a very bad spot.
The Saud family will lose power over parts of KSA when push comes to shove, and it could happen in a few weeks, but it could take much longer than we imagine and play out over years.
JuanP on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 10:16 am
Davy, I agree that KSA will break from inside, probably with outside help.
I believe most of the world, and the ME, in particular will break up into increasingly smaller pieces and revert to dispersed tribal societies. I think that will be a temporary outcome of the end of BAU and globalization.
herrmeier on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 10:30 am
JuanP wrote: “and it could happen in a few weeks, but it could take much longer than we imagine and play out over years.”
LOL. Now that is a rock solid prediction.
Davy on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 11:01 am
Juan, I agree, but it will take the end of BAU to start the natural ME disposition forward to smaller tribal affiliations in an inhospitable land especially facing AGW and the end of the oil age. The population must decrease in ME more than most other location because of food and water stress per capita post oil age. It will be ugly soon considering the violent tendencies and lack of food and water.
Arthur on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 11:26 am
Look Arar up in google maps to verify that this town is located opposite to western part of the country formerly known as Iraq, that is Sunni territori.
No Shiit, man.
rockman on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 11:27 am
And not that i’s probably true but I’ve read top many novels about covert actions and political manipulation. The attack on the Yemen border might have been real. But maybe those mortar rounds were fired by KSA troops. Can you imagine a more effective way to get the US and EU to ramp up their military support for the KSA? The KSA might just see such a ploy as a preemptive effort to encourage reactions that might be needed eventually any way.
Yes…too much time on my hands to “think”. LOL.
meld on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 11:37 am
Everyone is getting ready to press the fuck it button, Countries, armies, road users , you name it, they can’t help but shout like spoiled children over and past each other. Fuck it button ENGAGE!
Northwest Resident on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 11:44 am
I think it is almost impossible for most of us to really know what is going on in the ME. Over there, it is Spy vs Spy, right out of M.A.D. Magazine. Mirages everywhere. Nothing is what it seems. The only thing we do know is that without a powerful and vigilant American military presence in the area (thanks to the “war on terror”), the powder keg known as “the ME” would blow wide open.
meld, I think you are correct. The level of hopelessness combined with the sense that now is the time ends up looking like a big red “fuck it” button, with the young men and wanna-be jihadists lining up to get their turn at pushing that button. They don’t care what comes next, they just want to destroy what currently exists, and will die to accomplish that goal. Hate and misery are powerful motivators, and there is plenty of that in the ME countries.
JuanP on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 12:23 pm
Rock, I like the way your mind wandered to the Saudis shelling themselves as a false flag operation. I instantly loved the idea. My mind is addicted to wandering like that, too.
rockman on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 1:43 pm
Juan – Sadly it wouldn’t be the first time a gov’t contrived a threat to garner support for itself. As I think someone in the Clinton administration once said: “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. And I guess the add-on would be: “And if you don’t have a crisis to use just create one”.
Makati1 on Tue, 8th Jul 2014 8:36 pm
Summer is heating up and it still has two months or so to go. Difficult to tell the false flags from the real thing…lol. But, that’s the idea. They may have been trained by the CIA, the world’s false flag experts.
ianB on Fri, 11th Jul 2014 11:20 am
I live in the UK. I am 67 yrs old and am a pensioner now. I would like to believe that the oil and gas supplies that heat my house and cook my food, and fuel my vehicle, are assured. I understand we have limited and diminishing reserves, but the problems in the ME are not purely abstract arguments about who is hitting whom with missiles. We were told by our politicians that the 1st and 2nd Gulf Wars were not about oil, but democracy. Well, just look at the area now. Democracy involves an election and the losing side take up arms against the winners-now in power-and some country decides to arm the rebels.The whole ME becomes so “hot” that western governments keep clear. Watch how long it takes for Russia or China (or both) to step in, do an oil deal paid for in weapons, and then what supplies are left become unattainable to the western countries. It would have been more sensible if both Gulf Wars HAD been about oil, perhaps our energy supplies would be assured. I seem to remember the Oil For Aid program after Gulf War 1 was being abused by China sending arms to Saddam Hussein in containers marked as agricultural machinery in exchange for oil shipments. When this was exposed and China forced to pay open market prices it caused a massive price increase and eventual collapse when they welched on paying for delivery. If the West wants fair play and peace in the ME that’s one thing, but guaranteeing our oil supplies is quite another, possibly requiring a different moral standpoint. Tragically the people (or their rulers) in the various ME countries will keep fighting each other, probably over religion. We should keep in mind that in Europe and the USA much blood was spilt over centuries on religious and moral grounds and we should accept it may take an equally long time for the ME to attain a degree of peaceful coexistence. Meanwhile we need to get the oil and gas out of the ground and sold to those that need it. Or we need to find an alternative, a theme that here in the UK appears to be a hot potato with wind-farms and nuclear power very politically sensitive. Perhaps we should should just burn our rubbish in our power stations as was done in London more than a century ago.
If the Moslem nations basically do not wish to accept the existence of Israel next door the them, and that is the basis of their dislike to western countries, then maybe we should persuade the people of Israel to all move to the western countries to live, in exchange for the oil reserves being signed over to us in perpetuity. I personally have no antipathy to Israel or its people. However having been on a plane in the mid-seventies which was hi-jacked and ended up in Syria for 4 days under armed guard I am not of a friendly or trusting disposition towards that country or it’s leader.Will I be able to keep my house warm this coming winter with all these missiles flying over borders?