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A Year to the Start of the Latest Round of the Israel-Hamas Conflict: Q&A with RAND Experts
The lates round of war between Israel and Hamas has highlighted a complex web of strategic, geopolitical, and humanitarian challenges. In this Q&A, RAND experts delve into the regional and global implications of the conflict, the factors that led up to it, and where it could be headed.
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A Year of Devastation: With Hope and Trust Shattered, What Can Bring an End to the Violence in Israel-Palestine?
Hate comes easily in the face of injustices. It is hard to empathize with the misfortunes of “others” who may or may not have brought their miseries upon themselves. Those who have been severely aggrieved by this human tragedy may struggle to apply the same yardstick to others, certainly in the near future. But the rest of us can, and should, do better.
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The Weapons Which Killed Nasrallah
The 83 tons of explosives which were dropped on 28 September 2024 in the heart of the Dahiya district in Beirut destroyed a deeply dug network of tunnels and bunkers which served as Hezbollah headquarters, killing Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and about two dozen of his senior aids. The bombs were BLU-109 type bombs, which were fitted with a JDAM system to turn each “stupid” gravity bomb into a precision-munition smart bomb.
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The Nasrallah Killing Is a Crushing Blow to Hezbollah
Hezbollah leader Sayed Hassan Nasrallah possessed a rare set of abilities that made the group a formidable foe to Israel and a power broker in Lebanon. His killing by Israel sharply weakens the threat posed by the group and its patron, Iran.
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Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah Likely Killed in Israeli Air Strike
Shortly 18:00 Friday, Israel time, advanced fighter jets of the Israel Air Force (IAF) directed eight heavy bunker-penetrating bombs — similar to the munitions the IAF used against Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip – into the basements of several high-rise buildings in the southern Beirut section of Da’aheha. The Da’aheh district is a sprawling Shi’ia neighborhood, and the deeply dug network of basements under the high-rises served as Hezbollah headquarters. The target: Hassan Nasrallah, Hezollah leader since 1992.
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Online Signals of Extremist Mobilization
Olivia Brown’s study analyses the online behaviors of individuals who mobilized to right-wing extremist action, revealing that discussions about violent actions and logistical planning, rather than ideological content, are key indicators of mobilization.
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Remotely Exploding Pagers Highlight Supply Chain Risks
The attacks against Hezbollah using weaponized pagers and walkie talkies serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of compromised supply chains and why Australia must secure its own against the threats from China.
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Neo-Nazi Telegram Users Panic Amid Crackdown and Arrest of Alleged Leaders of Online Extremist Group
An analysis by ProPublica and FRONTLINE shows a surge in activity on Telegram channels aligned with the Terrorgram Collective, as allies tried to rally support for their comrades in custody and sought to oust users they believed to be federal agents.
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DHS Awards $18 Million to Help Prevent Targeted Violence and Terrorism
DHS awarded 35 grants, totaling $18 million, under the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). The program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants to develop sustainable, multidisciplinary targeted violence and terrorism prevention capabilities in local communities.
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Online Extremist Threats: A View from the Trenches
Threats posed by online extremism are evolving— extremists are younger, using operational security, and adhering to non-traditional ideologies. Understanding these trends is imperative for the professionals charged with mitigating them.
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What We've Learned About the Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Norwegian Links To Hezbollah's Pagers
A Bulgarian company with Norwegian links has surfaced in the supply chain of the pagers that detonated in Lebanon this week, killing 37 people and injuring several thousand others. The pagers, which were being used by members of Hezbollah, Iran’s most powerful proxy in the Middle East and designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, exploded simultaneously across Lebanon on September 17.
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Pagers and Walkie-talkies Over Cellphones – a Security Expert Explains Why Hezbollah Went Low-Tech for Communications
In general, I believe the adversary in an asymmetric conflict using low-tech techniques, tactics and technology will almost always be able to operate successfully against a more powerful and well-funded opponent. But from a cybersecurity perspective, Israel’s attack on Hezbollah’s pagers shows that any device in your life can be tampered with by an adversary at points along the supply chain – long before you even receive it.
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At Least Two Saudi Officials May Have Deliberately Assisted 9/11 Hijackers, New Evidence Suggests
Newly revealed information also raises questions about whether the FBI and CIA mishandled or downplayed evidence of the kingdom’s possible ties to the plotters.
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Murder of Dallas Police Officer Latest in String of Violent Sovereign Citizen Encounters with Law Enforcement
The murder of a police officer in Dallas last month by a suspected adherent of the sovereign citizen movement became the latest in an alarming rise of violent incidents this year involving individuals who subscribe to the extreme right-wing, anti-government ideology and law enforcement officials.
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Will German Police Get to Do Secret House Searches?
Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office wants to secretly break into homes as part of anti-terrorism measures. That is currently prohibited, but the interior minister has far-reaching plans.
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The long view
The Chilling Crime Spree of The Order – and Its Lasting Effect on Today’s White Supremacists
The new historical crime drama, “The Order,” starring Jude Law and Nicholas Holt, is being described as a riveting “cat-and-mouse thriller.” But for criminologists like us, the white supremacist extremism that takes place in the film is not a nod to a distant past, but a reflection of beliefs and rhetoric that still percolate on social media and inspire acts of terror.
Islamist Terror Incidents Targeting U.S. Increase in 2024
Islamist terror incidents targeting the United States increased in 2024 after several years of reduced activity, with federal and state authorities arresting individuals in seven different incidents on charges related to five unsuccessful plots and two actual attacks.