Stephen James Townsend

News today by Gen Stephen James Townsend
Sad News 💔😥
Israeli police investigate ‘terror attack’ near Tel Aviv

One woman has died and at least 17 other people were injured following a car ramming and stabbing attack north of Tel Aviv. Israeli police say two men, who are related and from Hebron, have been arrested in connection to the incident.😥

Israel war on Gaza: Son of Al Jazeera journalist among dead in attack

News in Gen Mark D. Williams

At least two more journalists killed after their vehicle is targeted in an Israeli air strike, including the son of Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh.
At least seven Palestinians killed in an Israeli drone attack on Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

Israel war on Gaza: Son of Al Jazeera journalist among dead in attack

Al Jazeera's bureau chief in Gaza, Wael Al-Dahdouh (C) hugs his daughter during the funeral of his son Hamza Wael Dahdouh, a journalist with the Al Jazeera television network, who was killed in a reported Israeli air strike in Rafah in the Gaza Striary leration
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At least two more journalists killed after their vehicle is targeted in an Israeli air strike, including the son of Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh.
At least seven Palestinians killed in an Israeli drone attack on Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU policy chief Josep Borrell visit the Middle East amid efforts to ease tension following last week’s assassination of a Hamas leader in Beirut.
At least 22,835 people have been killed – including 9,600 children – in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. About 1,139 people were killed in Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.
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Israel trying to put Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital ‘out of service’
The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza has said the medical centre in central Gaza is coming under heavy Israeli drone fire that is targeting “anything that moves” and that is aimed at disabling the hospital.

“Putting Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital out of service would be a death sentence for thousands of wounded people and patients in the central area,” the ministry said in a statement.

Israeli police fatally shot Palestinian toddler during attack
Israeli media outlets have reported that a three-year-old Palestinian child was killed during what Israeli authorities said was a car-ramming attack that targeted a military checkpoint near the Givat Ze’ev settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Haaretz cited Israeli police as saying that the child was shot by Israeli border police officers and was not in the vehicle. The Jerusalem Post also reported that the toddler was “accidentally shot and killed”.

We’ll bring you more on this story as soon as we get it.

Happy New Year to each and every National Guard members & to all American Soldiers. I'm deeply grateful for your hard work and proud of all you accomplished last year 2023, because of you, we are always Ready, Always There! Bravos 👏👏👏

Troops Going home for holidays after 9 years of war...

News By Gen Stephen James Townsend

For the first time in 9years, the US military will not be in the middle of a traditional war this holiday season. There will, of course, still be thousands of troops deployed overseas. But for troops who waged combat during the first 9years of the war on terror, being home with their families this Christmas is special.

MSgt. Scott Neil pointed to a spot on the map of Afghanistan on his office wall, showing where he went to war.

"We went into this center mountain area," Neil said, adding that it was the same place he celebrated Christmas in 2001 and 2011.

"Christmas is very serene," he said. "Kandahar is surrounded by mountains, so you are just amazed."

As a member of the Army Special Forces, Neil retired in 2011, after 25 years of service. He spent a total of eight Christmases on the front lines, from Panama to Iraq to Afghanistan.

"You had different foxholes singing hymns in different locations," he said. "I cannot gain back the Christmases that I missed."

Neither can the 2 to 3 million individual troops who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan during America's 20-year response to 9/11.

Many learned how to celebrate remotely, well before the rest of us did.

"You try to capture a phone call or a voice, listen to your children describe a thing that they got," Neil described
And his family, of course, prayed for his safety. One year, Christmas Eve brought the opposite of a present.

"We received some fire. The guys put on their war gear and their Santa hats and went out," he remembered. "I have also seen the most imaginative Christmas trees made out of mortar rounds."

His life in the Special Forces, running tactical operations against suspected terrorists, brought all kinds of memories, though.

"There is also the silence of Christmas Eve under the stars," he said.
He reminded that there are still an untold number of operation happening in Syria, Afghanistan. Iraq

Did you know? 45% of Americans between the ages of 18-44 say their stress levels increase during the holidays. Reduce your stress this holiday season with these tips.

REP. COMER ON HAMSAS ATTACK:
It's "impossible" that Iran did not know that Hamas was planning to Carry out a massive terrorist attack on Israel, Rep. James Comer, R-Kay reported!!!

We are shocked and saddened by the unprovoked terror attack on Israel and our hearts go out to all those affected. For nearly two decades, the National Guard has helped strengthen security cooperation between the US and Israel. We echo Secretary Austins condemnation of this attack and stand firmly with this important ally and it's people against the scourge of terror. We will continue to support them during this difficult time.

New York National Guard Airmen spent August 16 to 27 in Campo Grande, Brazil conducting combat search and rescue exercises with their Brazilian Air force counterparts.

The Airmen, most of whom are assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing, conducted missions aircrew, conducted aerial refueling of search & rescue helicopters, trained Brazilian parachute rescue personnel and conducted on the ground security exercises.

This was the third year the New York Airmen took part in Brazil's annual search and rescue training known as Exercise Tapio as part of the New York National Guard's State Partnership Program relationship with Brazil's military.

U.S. Air National Guard Airmen with the 146th Airlift Wing test the functionality of modular Airborne Firefighting system unit loaded inside the cargo bay of a C-130J aircraft at channel islands Air National Guard station, Port Hueneme, California, Aug 29th. The 146th Aircraft Wing has been called up to help the U.S. Forest service flight wildfirea across the United States.

An F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter assigned to the 162nd Wing, Morris Air National Guard Base, Tucson, Ariz., Soars over the skies during a recent training mission. Morris ANG Base is home to the Air National Guard's premier F-16 Fighter pilot training unit, the 162nd Wing.

Congratulations National guard partnership program on your 30th anniversary celebration 🎉🎉🎉🎉

Isreal Bombed this Gaza House, Turning Antique Collections to Dust

News by: Gen Stephen James Townsend
Gaza City – Since his house was destroyed in an Israeli bombing on May 12, Hazem Mohanna still comes every day searching through the rubble to find his treasured antique collection.

The 62-year-old spent 40 years of his life collecting antique silver coins, precious stones and pieces related to the Palestinian heritage as part of his hobby. His four-storey house in the al-Sahaba neighbourhood east of Gaza City, Mohanna says, has turned into “a unique archaeological museum”.

Najwa, a Palestinian woman paralysed in Israel’s assault on Gaza
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On May 12, the third day of the latest Israeli military assault on Gaza, Mohanna received a call from Israeli intelligence while he was sitting with his family. “They gave me only five minutes to vacate my house,” he told Al Jazeera.

“I was so shocked. My wife and my married children and their children immediately ran out of the four-story building,” the father of four said.

“I was able to save myself and my family, but I could not save my belongings that I spent my life collecting and taking care of,” he said with a visibly sad face.

Israel has bombed hundreds of houses in Gaza in the past several assaults, giving residents anywhere from a few hours to just minutes of notice to vacate – and attracting criticism from human rights organisations.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks host a ceremony celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Women’s Armed Service Integration Act of 1948.