🇱🇧 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 Netanyahu said to ask Trump to back longer IDF deployment in Lebanon

🔶️ Under the original terms of the ceasefire deal signed in November, all Israeli troops were slated to pull out of southern Lebanon by January 26, in coordination with the deployment of Lebanese troops.

🔶️ Two days before that deadline, Netanyahu announced that Israel would not be withdrawing by that date, accusing Lebanon of not meeting its obligations under the agreement.

🔶️ Several days later, the White House announced that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend the deadline for Israeli troops to depart southern Lebanon until February 18.

🔶️ According to a report on Channel 12 news on Monday, Israel is seeking to keep an IDF presence at five key border points to enable the maintenance of a buffer zone.

🔶️ The report said that Israel has reiterated to the US its claim that the Lebanese Army is not effectively deployed in south Lebanon, as the terms of the ceasefire said it would, and is not preventing Hezbollah from reorganizing. Israel has warned that Hezbollah aims to return to the border area as soon as IDF troops depart.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-said-to-ask-trump-to-back-longer-idf-deployment-in-lebanon/

📢 🇮🇱 🇵🇸 Itamar Ben-Gvir:
"The time has come to destroy Hamas."

🔗 Netanel Worthy

📢 🇮🇱 🇵🇸 Israeli minister: Trump backs Israel annexing 5% of Gaza for every hostage harmed

🔶️ Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proposed that for every hostage harmed in captivity, Israel would annex 5% of the Gaza Strip – a position he claimed has the backing of President Donald Trump.

🔶️ “Cut off their electricity and water and stop the humanitarian aid,” Smotrich said. “We must open the gates of hell.”

🔶️ “We need to set an ultimatum for Hamas,” Smotrich said, a day after Trump issued his own ultimatum, demanding the terror group release all Israeli hostages still in captivity by Saturday at noon.

🔶️ “In Gaza, there will be no Hamas, there will be no enemies, and there will be no threat to Israel. It will again be part of the State of Israel, since it is our land and that is the only way to ensure the security of the State of Israel.”

https://worldisraelnews.com/israeli-minister-trump-backs-israel-annexing-5-of-gaza-for-every-hostage-harmed

🇮🇱 ❌️ 🇵🇸 Hebrew Channel 13 quotes directly from the Israeli cabinet meeting:

⚠️ Defense official: "Don't blow up the deal now"

📢 Smotrich: "Take over Rafah immediately"

🔗 War Monitor

🇺🇸 🇬🇱 🇩🇰 GOP lawmaker proposes renaming Greenland ‘Red, White, and Blueland’

📄 H.R.1161 - To authorize the President to enter into negotiations to acquire Greenland and to rename Greenland as "Red, White, and Blueland".

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1161

💰 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 London companies have sent an estimated 134 billion dollars worth of gold recently to the United States.

🔶️ Specifically, the threat of major global tariffs on the horizon has foreign businessmen seeking to get their goods into America before the price of doing so becomes much more steep. This trend has been intensified by President Trump’s recent imposition of tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China.

🔶️ The tariffs have created significant market uncertainty and heightened inflationary concerns, further boosting gold’s appeal as a hedge against economic instability.

🔶️ As this golden tide shifts, it serves to demonstrate the world’s economic anxieties and aspirations. The movement of gold from London to the U.S. is more than a simple relocation of assets; it’s a testament to the global forces which are currently shaping our financial landscape. In particular, investors and nations alike are seeking stability in an increasingly unpredictable world.

🔶️ Looking ahead, the repercussions of this gold shift will likely extend far beyond the immediate market impacts. It may prompt a reevaluation of gold’s role in the global financial system, influence international monetary policies, and even affect geopolitical relationships.

https://www.zerohedge.com/precious-metals/londons-gold-shortage-symptom-global-economic-anxiety

💰 📈 🌐 Gold inventories in the 3 largest COMEX gold vaults just surged by 15 MILLION ounces in 2 months.

⬛️ That's a +115% increase, putting physical gold holdings ABOVE 2020 pandemic levels.

🔶️ These are secure gold storage facilities approved by the Commodity Exchange (COMEX). They are literally located under and around Manhattan, NY. January ALONE saw 19+ THOUSAND contracts delivered. Never in HISTORY have we seen buying like this.

🇬🇧 As COMEX inventories surge, London vault inventories are being depleted. Withdrawal times in London are rising toward 8 WEEKS. Meanwhile, the US has switched from being a net gold exporter to a net gold importer in November 2024.

🔶️ Clearly, US gold markets and physical gold demand is signaling a major pivot from the norm. Gold prices are now up +40% in 12 months as the US Dollar and interest rates are up sharply. Not even a 10% pullback seems to be attainable. This has never happened in history.

🇨🇳 China has also joined the gold buying party. China’s central bank bought 5 tonnes of gold in January, its 3rd consecutive monthly purchase. Assets in Chinese Gold ETFs have TRIPLED in just 18 months. There are now $9.5 BILLION of assets in Chinese gold ETFs alone.

🔶️ What's even more unusual is gold has DOUBLED the S&P 500's +22% return over the last 12 months. Usually gold prices are a hedge against equity market volatility. As stocks have posted a historic rally, gold has posted an even more historic rally. Truly unusual.

🔶️ The beginning of President Trump's trade war has only accelerated this trend. While precious metals are not currently a part of these tariffs, they are serving as the GLOBAL hedge. We expect gold to continue to serve as the global hedge against inflation AND uncertainty.

🔶️ And this is particularly the case as US Deficit spending is out of control. The US has borrowed $838 BILLION in the first 4 months of FY 2025. This is crushing bond prices as treasury yields are driven higher. Gold's position as the global hedge has only grown as a result.

🔗 Kobeissi Letter