Working Class Solidarity

🇮🇱 🚨

ISRAELI RESERVISTS REFUSE TO FIGHT IN REPORTED "BURNOUT"

The Israeli Channel 12 media outlet is reporting the refusal of a reserve company of 30 soldiers to continue fighting in the Gaza Strip due to reported "burnout".

According to Channel 12, the soldiers belonging to a reserve company of some 30 soldiers, attached to the regular paratrooper brigades, received orders this morning to prepare for further deployment in ground operations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah.

Following receiving their orders, the company of soldiers informed their commanders they would not be participating in the actions because they were "no longer capable."

The commander of the brigade responded by saying he would not force the reservists to appear and that no operational gap will be caused by their refusal to participate, however, the commander agreed that issue reflects a high attrition rate among reserve forces after several months of fighting.

The company's commander added that he was "not doing this because I like guns. Not because I'm looking for peace from my wife. Not because I find personal satisfaction [in Gaza]. I'm doing it because I have to, because my brothers and sisters are kidnapped And that we are in the second state of the State of Israel and it will continue to be painful and difficult."

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇷🇺⚔️🇺🇦 🚨

INTENSE BATTLES AS RUSSIAN FORCES BREAK THROUGH UKRAINIAN DEFENSES NEAR ROBOTINO IN ZAPOROZHYE

📹 Ukrainian footage showing the breakthrough of Russian Forces of Ukraine's defensive belt near the village of Robotino in the Zaporozhye sector.

Russian Forces from the Southern Military District and Airborne Forces launch a powerful attack on the Ukrainian defensive belt, pushing more than 2km into Ukrainian-held territory, won through great sacrifice during last year's Ukrainian offensive in the Zaporozhye direction.

In the footage, Ukrainian forces destroy several pieces of Russian equipment and systems, though it does little to slow the Russian advance, with one tank being hit directly, only to storm forward mostly undamaged.

Russian landing forces then disembark from armored vehicles under BMP suppressive fire and secure several enemy positions.

Russian Forces manage to breakthrough into the village of Robotino, capturing positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and capturing or killing many Ukrainian militants.

In another operation, Russian Forces also announced the capture of the village of Pobeda, south of the recently captured city of Marinka in the South Donetsk direction.

“In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Group of Forces liberated the village of Pobeda,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

According to the Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian forces in the South Donetsk direction lost over 410 servicemembers, one tank, three armored vehicles, five military vehicles, one Polish-made Krab and one Bogdan self-propelled artillery systems, one D-20 howitzer, and a self-propelled Gvozdika artillery system.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇭🇺🇸🇪🇺🇸 🚨

HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SLAMS U.S. ORDERS TO RATIFY SWEDEN'S ADMISSION INTO NATO

Hungary's Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, slammed the United States Thursday for giving orders to Hungary demanding the Hungarian parliament quickly ratify Sweden's admission into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Speaking on Wednesday, U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, warned the Hungarian authorities that American patience has its limits and that Washington is waiting for Hungary to ratify Sweden's ascension into NATO.

In response to Sullivan's comments, Szijjarto dismissed U.S. concerns and slammed Washington for interfering in Hungarian affairs, telling reporters with Russian news agency Ria Novosti, "First of all, I want to be clear: everyone must understand that Hungary is a sovereign country. And it is not only that everyone must understand this, but that everyone must respect it. Regardless of whether it's a superpower of the East, a superpower of the West or any other country, they must respect that Hungary is a state and the Hungarian parliament is a sovereign body," adding that Hungary will never act on instructions coming from another nation.

"These kinds of statements are completely unnecessary, they show disrespect for Hungary. We never criticize US decisions. We never criticize congressional decisions. We never interfere with what they put on the agenda or what they don't included in it. And we expect the same from others,” Szijjarto warned.

“So, to be honest, we are not concerned about such instructions. Because we are not the 51st state, but a very sovereign country,” the Hungarian Foreign Minister added.

Previously, the Hungarian parliament failed to pass Sweden's admission into NATO due to a "lack of quorum" resulting from a boycott by opposition parties in Hungary's main governing body.

Turkiye's Grand National Assembly previously ratified Sweden's bid to enter NATO in mid-January, meaning Hungary remains the last holdout for Sweden's ascension into the alliance.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇺🇸⚔️🇾🇪 🚨

💥U.S. FORCES LAUNCH FRESH STRIKES TARGETING ANSAR ALLAH MISSILE SITES IN YEMEN💥

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced the launch of a series of strikes targeting Ansar Allah-controlled military sites inside Yemen.

The U.S. said the strikes were conducted "to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on U.S. and partner maritime traffic" on the Red Sea.

In a statement posted by U.S. CENTCOM on the social media platform X , U.S. authorities said, "On Jan. 17 at approximately 11:59pm (Sana'a time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi controlled areas in Yemen."

The U.S said the Yemeni missiles, "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region," claiming the United States has an "inherent right and obligation to defend themselves."

"These strikes, along with other actions we have taken, will degrade the Houthi’s capabilities to continue their reckless attacks on international and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden," U.S. authorities added.

“The actions by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists continue to endanger international mariners and disrupt the commercial shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea and adjacent waterways,” said General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander. "We will continue to take actions to protect the lives of innocent mariners and we will always protect our people.”

Ansar Allah News confirmed the strikes, and added that Yemeni Armed Forces Commander, Abdul Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi will speak about the strikes at 4pm today.

In addition, yesterday, the United States authorities have designated the Ansar Allah movement, which controls a majority of Yemeni territory, including the Capital Sana'a, a terrorist group, likely halting aid deliveries into the war-torn country.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇮🇶⚔️🇺🇸 🚀💥 🚨

💥ISLAMIC RESISTANCE IN IRAQ LAUNCHES STRIKES AGAINST ILLEGAL U.S. MILITARY BASES IN IRAQ AND SYRIA💥

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has announced a series of drone and missile strikes targeting illegal U.S. military bases located in Iraq and Syria, according to statement released by the Resistance.

As per the statement, "in continuation of our approach to resisting the American occupation forces in Iraq and the region, and in response to the Zionist entity's massacres against our people in Gaza, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, using missiles and drones, attacked three occupation bases in Iraq and Syria, and they are Kharab al-Jir base, Erbil airport base, and Koneko."

"The Islamic Resistance confirms its continued destruction of enemy strongholds," the Resistance added.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇺🇸⚔️🇾🇪 🚀💥 🚨

💥UNITED STATES LAUNCHES COMBINED DRONE AND MISSILE STRIKES ON YEMENI TARGETS💥

The United States Department of Defense announced a series of combined drone and missile strikes on what it called "Iranian-backed Houthi" military targets in Yemen.

The U.S. announced the strikes in a press release Thursday evening, stating that, "in light of the illegal, dangerous and destabilizing Iranian-backed Houthi attacks against U.S. and international vessels and commercial vessels from many countries lawfully transiting the Red Sea, today the militaries of the United States and the United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, conducted strikes against military targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen."

The U.S. Defense Department said the strikes were intended to "disrupt and degrade" the Yemeni Armed Forces' capabilities to "endanger mariners and threaten global trade" in one of the world's most critical waterways.

The strikes are also intended to "send a message" to the Ansarallah movement-led Yemeni Armed Forces; that the U.S. intends to exact a price for Yemen's solidarity with Palestinians under bombardment and siege in the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. added that the Yemeni Armed Forces would incur further attacks if they do not "end their illegal attacks" in the Red Sea.

"Today's strikes targeted sites associated with the Houthis' unmanned aeril vehicle, ballistic and cruise missile, and coastal radar and air surveillance capabilities," the Defense Department statement says.

"The United States maintains its right to self-defense and, if necessary, as will take follow-on actions to protect U.S. Forces."

Since November 19th, the Yemeni Armed Forces have launched upwards of two dozen drone and missile strikes targeting Israeli vessels and commercial vessels headed to or from the ports of occupied Palestine.

In response, on December 19th, the United States announced a coation taskforce with several Western countries, as well as Bahrain, to counter the Yemeni attacks on Israeli and other commercial vessels heading to occupied territory through the Red Sea.

"Today, a coalition of countries committed to upholding the rules-based international order demonstrated our shared commitment to defending U.S. and international vessels and commercial vessels exercising navigational rights and freedoms from illegal and unjustifiable attacks," the DoD said in the press release.

It should be noted that the "rules-based International order" that the United States endlessly uses to justify military actions against State and non-State actors alike, is in direct contravention of International Law, the only framework agreed to by the entirety of the "International community" the United States references.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇷🇺 🚨 RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SIGNS DECREE ON PROVIDING CITIZENSHIP TO FOREIGN CONTRACT SOLDIERS

The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, signed a decree today on providing citizenship to foreign contract soldiers fighting in Russia's Special Military Operation in Ukraine.

The decree provides for the right of contract soldiers operating in Ukraine under contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense to apply for citizenship in the Federation.

Foreign soldiers dismissed from the military during the period of the SMO for reasons of health, age, or end of their contract will also be able to apply for citizenship under the new rules.

The decree takes effect immediately, stipulating that soldiers applying for citizenship present their contract to authorities showing they have served for a period of at least one year to qualify.

Two previous decrees on the matter from Sept. 2022 and May 2023 are null and void upon adoption of the latest decree.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇮🇷⚔️🇺🇲 ⛴️ 🚨

IRAN SENDS FLOTILLA OF WARSHIPS INTO THE RED SEA IN DIRECT CHALLENGE OF U.S. NAVAL POWER IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The Islamic Republic of Iran has sent the Iranian Navy's 94th Flotilla of warships, including the Iranian destroyer Alborz, into the Red Sea Monday, passing through the Bab el-Mandeb straight in a direct challenge to U.S. naval power in the Middle East.

Since 2009, Iranian warships have been performing regular naval duties in the Red Sea, securing shipping lines and fighting piracy, among other routine operations.

The warship Alborz was recently upgraded with state-of-the-art systems, having joined the Iranian naval fleet in 2019.

The move comes just days after U.S. helicopters sank three Yemeni Armed Forces vessels attempting to board a vessel headed to ports in occupied Palestine. This after the Yemeni Armed Forces warned it would stop all Israeli vessels or other vessels headed to or from ports in the occupied territories.

In response, the United States formed a coalition naval taskforce to patrol the Red Sea and prevent the Yemeni Armed Forces from interfering with Israeli trade, and managing rope-in several Western countries into the taskforce.

No public statement has yet been forthcoming from U.S. authorities in response to the Iranian moves in the Red Sea.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🚨 🇾🇪⚔️🇺🇸 🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚨

YEMEN'S ANSARALLAH MOVEMENT-LED YEMENI ARMED FORCES WARN WASHINGTON AGAINST PROTECTING ISRAELI SHIPS

In a statement released late on Friday, Dec. 29th, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Sarea warned Washington against taking action to protect Israeli ships.

Sarea warned, “The American enemy will avoid any escalation against our country and our people."

“We warn all countries that the American seeks to involve or involve with him in protecting the ships of the Zionist enemy.”

Sarea stressed that Yemen remained "steadfast and principled, and will not change, no matter the developments, and no matter the challenges," speaking about the Palestine issue.

Sarea emphasized that the Yemeni Armed Forces remained fully prepared and militarily ready to "confront any aggression against our country and our people."

“You must take the warnings of the leader of the Ansar Allah movement into account."

Confirming the steadfast position of the Yemeni Armed Forces, Ansarallah leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said that “the United States will be a direct target if it attacks Yemen."

Earlier this week, the United States formed a coalition task force including several Western countries with the aim of preventing Yemen's Armed Forces from targeting Israeli ships.

The United States claims the Yemeni Armed Forces are responsible for more than 100 attacks on Israeli ships or foreign ships heading to port in occupied Palestinian territory.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇺🇸⚔️🇾🇪 🚀 🚨

💥U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND SHOOTS DOWN YEMENI DRONE AND MISSILE OVER THE RED SEA💥

United States Central Command (CENTCOM) is reporting the USS Mason shot down one drone and one anti-ship ballistic missile in the southern Red Sea that were fired by "the Houthis" between 5:45-6:10pm (Sana'a time) on Dec. 28th.

U.S. CENTCOM says there was no damage to any of the 18 ships in the area, nor were there any injuries as a result of the attempted strikes.

According to CENTCOM, this was the 22nd attempted attack by the Ansarallah movement-led Yemeni Armed Forces targeting "international shipping" since October 19th.

However, it should be noted that the Yemeni Armed Forces have not actually targeted international shipping. Rather, as they have repeatedly stated in their public statements, the Yemeni Armed Forces are only targeting Israeli ships and ships attempting to dock or leave the ports of occupied Palestine.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇯🇵🇺🇲 🚨 OKINAWA REJECTS HIGH COURT ORDER TO FACILITATE U.S. MILITARY BASE RELOCATION PLAN

The Japanese Okinawa Prefectural government rejected a High Court order Monday to approve and facilitate a revised plan for the relocation of a key United States Military Base located on the island district.

Okinawa Prefecture will file an appeal to the Supreme Court of Japan, according to Kyodo News, citing a government official.

Okinawa's Prefectural Governor, Denny Tamaki issued a statement declaring the ruling had "various problems," making it "difficult" for him to approve the modified plan, when, he says, many residents of Okinawa are strongly against the planned relocation of the Futenma U.S. Military Base.

Japan's central government is expected to approve the changes via proxy as early as Thursday, while Japan's Ministry of Defense said it will begin ground improvement work in mid-January.

The current situation began on Wednesday when the Naha-branch of the Fakuoka High Court ordered Tamaki to approve the central government's revised design changes as part of the relocation plan for the Futenma Air Force Base.

The controversial project aims to relocate the U.S. Air Force Base in Ginowan to the Henoko coastal area in Nago, also on the island of Okinawa.

Previously, Tamaki had told the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva that the heavy concentration of U.S. Military Bases in Okinawa threatens peace in the region, noting that the Japanese government is forcibly filling in previous coastline to build the infrastructure for the Military base, and that they do so over the negative opinions of local residents.

The Governor has also expressed concerns over the excessive levels of toxic substances detected in the waters around U.S. Military Bases in the area.

The island of Okinawa hosts 70 percent of all the U.S. military bases in Japan while accounting for only 0.6 percent of the country's total land area. More than 70 percent of local residents opposed the U.S. military base construction on the Henoko landfill, showed a 2019 Okinawa Prefecture voting results.

Via@XinhuaNewsAgency

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇺🇦 🚨 UKRAINIAN ADVISOR TO A MAYOR ANNOUNCES ROADBLOCKS ACROSS UKRAINIAN CITIES AS PART OF GENERAL MOBILIZATION

An advisor to the mayor of Ivano-Frankovsk, Nazary Kishak, announced on the social media platform Facebook the installation of roadblocks and checkpoints across every Ukrainian city at the end of December in order to call up citizens for general mobilization.

"From within the framework of general mobilization events in every city and region will set up control checkpoints, we take care of mobilization!" Kishak wrote on Facebook.

"The guys on the front need to be replaced. Majors, silver spooners, children of posh figures, bloggers, everyone who gets caught will go on foot. There is war in our country..."

General Mobilization in Ukraine was announced in February, 2022 after the launch of Russia's Special Military Operation in Eastern Ukraine and has been extended repeatedly since.

The Ukrainian government has since done everything in its power to prevent men of draft age from dodging military service as Ukraine's military operations have faltered under the weight of Russian defenses in the east and south of Ukraine.

Ukrainian citizens are banned from traveling abroad, and draft notifications are being distributed at state institutions, in the streets, and in public gathering places.

Each week, a number of videos appear online of Ukrainian authorities rounding up men (and now women as well) in the streets, at restaurants, and other public areas.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇸🇾⚔️🇺🇲 🚨 "PRO-IRANIAN" RESISTANCE HAS LAUNCHED 60 ATTACKS ON ILLEGAL U.S. MILITARY BASES SYRIA SINCE OCTOBER 19TH

The Islamic Resistance in Syria, referred to as being "Pro-Iranian" militias in the media, has launched a total of 60 attacks on illegal U.S. Military bases located on Syrian territory.

The attacks, which have included both rocket and drone strikes, have been targeting illegal U.S. Military bases rather than the energy fields some of the bases have been built on, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The International Watchdog group, based in the U.K., says the attacks have been escalating as Israel's genocide in Gaza continues without international intervention.

However, due to American secrecy, the Humanitarian observatory notes, casualty counts among American soldiers and contractors remains unknown.

A previous report by the observatory noted that the attacks were staged from Iraqi territory and targeted U.S. military bases in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour near the Iraqi border.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇯🇵 🚨 JAPANESE HIGH COURT ORDERS OKINAWA GOVERNOR TO APPROVE U.S. MILITARY BASE DESIGN CHANGES

BREAKING: OKINAWA| A Japanese High Court has ordered the Governor of Okinawa, Denny Tamaki, to approve design changes to a U.S. Military Base being relocated on the island on Wednesday.

According to reports, the Naha branch of the Fukuoka High Court ruled in favor of the central government in a lawsuit filed in October to force the Governor to approve design changes to the relocation effort of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air base, which is being moved from Ginowan to the Henoko coastal area in Nago, which is also in Okinawa.

Tamaki will have three business days to approve the project changes before the land, infrastructure, transport, and tourism minister will be authorized to approve the changes itself.

Tamaki still has the right to appeal the decision to Japan's Supreme Court, however the project will not be blocked while the decision is being appealed.

Earlier in September, Tamaki told United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva that the concentration of U.S. Military bases in Okinawa threatens peace, and noted that the central government is forcibly filling in previous coastline sea areas to build the new base, regardless of the opinions of local residents.

The Governor has also expressed concern about the excessive levels of toxic chemicals detected in the waters around U.S. Military bases in Japan.

The island of Okinawa hosts 70 percent of all the U.S. military bases in Japan while accounting for only 0.6 percent of the country's total land area. More than 70 percent of local residents opposed the U.S. military base construction on the Henoko landfill, showed a 2019 Okinawa Prefecture voting results.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇺🇲🇰🇷 🚨 ✈️💥AMERICAN F-16 FIGHTER JET CRASHES IN SOUTH KOREA DURING TRAINING EXERCISE 💥

A U.S. F-16 Fighter is alleged to have crashed during a training exercise in the west of South Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported Monday.

According to the report, a fighter jet belonging to the U.S. Forces, Korea (USFK) crashed Monday morning somewhere near the Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, about 180km (112mi) south of the South Korean capital, Seoul during a training exercise.

No casualties were reported.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇮🇱🇱🇧 🚨

⚠️ ISRAELI NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR HANEGBI CLAIMS HEZBOLLAH IS THE NEXT TARGET OF OCCUPATION AGGRESSION ONCE HAMAS IS DESTROYED ⚠️

Israeli National Security Advisor, Tzachi Hanegbi, speaking on Saturday night, suggested that once Zionist military operations in the Gaza Strip are completed, the Israeli Occupation Forces may have to go to war with Hezbollah in the north.

Israel, Hanegbi said, had decided to destroy Hamas "17 years too late" and can no longer dare to tolerate the danger of the situation in the north, with Hezbollah on its border.

Approximately 60'000 settlers have been evacuated from occupied territories in the north of Israel due to continued clashes and rocket attacks back and forth across the border, beginning with the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7th.

"Residents will not return if we don’t do the same thing” in the north against Hezbollah as is being done in the south against Hamas, Hanegbi told Channel 12 news in a lengthy interview on Saturday night.

"We can no longer accept [Hezbollah’s elite] Radwan force sitting on the border. We can no longer accept Resolution 1701 not being implemented,” referring to a United Nations Security Council resolution from 2006 barring Hezbollah from having a presence within 30km (18.6mi) of the border with Israel.

When asked if there would be a war in the north of Israel, Hanegbi responded by saying, “The situation in the north must be changed. And it will change. If Hezbollah agrees to change things via diplomacy, very good. But I don’t believe it will.”

“When the day comes,” Israel will have to act to ensure that residents of the north are no longer 'displaced in their land', and to guarantee for them that the situation in the north has changed.”

Hanegbi added that while many countries have missiles and rockets pointed towards Israel, "Israel doesn't invade them".

Many Occupation authorities fear that having Hezbollah's elite Radwan forces posted on the border with Israel could lead to an October 7th-style attack targeting Israeli military infrastructure in the north along its border with Lebanon, or an attack on its illegal settlements in the north of the occupied territories.

Hanegbi said that Israel does not wish to fight a dual-front war, and has indicated it would confront Hezbollah only after Hamas is defeated, a result many observers are deeply skeptical of.

He said Israel has been “making clear to the Americans that we are not interested in war [in the north], but that we will have no alternative but to impose a new reality”

Hanegbi went on to claim it was impossible to say how much longer the war against Hamas would last, but that it may be more than months.

"The Americans have not set any deadline," he said, noting that on Friday the Biden administration denied imposing a time limit — although US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reportedly told Israel’s leaders they have weeks to wrap up the current intensive phase of the fighting.

"They understand that they can’t tell the IDF how long it needs to achieve the goals,” said Hanegbi. “They share the goals of returning the hostages — a campaign that a date cannot be set for — and of destroying Hamas,” he said. “Therefore, the assessment [that achieving the goals of the war in Gaza] cannot be measured in weeks is correct, and I’m not sure it can be measured in months.”

Hanegbi added his belief that Yahya Sinwar, Hamas's leader in Gaza, will not want to fight to the last man against Zionist Forces, but "if we kill him, and that’s the plan, it is possible that the leadership that succeeds him may understand that to avoid his fate, it will need to leave Gaza, defeated.”

Hanegbi went on to make wild and unsubstantiated claims that the Zionist military has killed some 7'000 Hamas militants in its operations in Gaza, however one has to wonder if his reference to Hamas militants actually refers to small children, since women and children make up more than 70% of those killed in Occupation bombing raids.

Hanegbi also made unsubstantiated statements to the effect that Occupation Forces were very close now to Hamas's "centers of command", which the occupation claims are located in Jabalia and Shejaiya, in the north of Gaza.

He also noted that IOF efforts to free Hamas's hostages were incredibly high risk, “because their captors are waiting with their fingers on the trigger.”

However, “military pressure could produce another halt in the fighting” and lead to the release of further hostages.

@WorkerSolidarityNews

🇷🇺🇺🇦 ☠️ 💥RUSSIAN DRONE USING THERMAL IMAGING TO DISCOVER AND TARGET UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS AND VEHICLES IN THE SVO ZONE💥

📹 North of Priyutnoye, in the SVO Zone, drone pilots of the 218th tank regiment of the 127th motorized rifle division successfully disrupt the rotation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Gulyai-Polye direction.

@WorkerSolidarityNews