Iron dome’s 'inefficiency' revealed by Israeli-Palestinian conflict escalation

Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. That said, it apparently failed to completely negate the Palestinian rocket barrage on Saturday.

Commenting on this failure, Russian military historian and Museum of Air Defense Forces’ Director Yuri Knutov pointed out that while Iron Dome is a very advanced and sophisticated air defense system, it has drawbacks that can be exploited by any enemy.

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❗️ The military wing of Hamas says it fired rockets in the direction of Israel's Ben Gurion Airport.

At the same time, the IDF reported that a siren went off in the central part of the country. Later, Hamas forces also said they fired 100 rockets toward Ashkelon city in southern Israel.

Ukrainian MANPADS vs US destroyers: how Israel-Hamas war may spiral into broader conflict

International observers believe Hamas militants were provided weapons by external forces. Ian Gagin, advisor to the head of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), previously suggested that weapons transferred to Ukraine could be used against Israel.

"Yes, this is quite possible, since the weapons received by the Kiev regime come from different sources," Boris Dolgov, doctoral candidate and senior researcher at the Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), told Sputnik. "Even if it comes from the United States and the European Union, it can be forwarded to those forces that are now fighting against Israel: according to various sources, there are foreign mercenaries from Arab countries in the territory controlled by the Kiev regime."

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🇵🇱🇮🇱 Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Sunday that he offered Israeli President Isaac Herzog humanitarian assistance and urged not to "overestimate the seriousness" of the situation in Israel.

At the same time, the Polish leader urged not to "overestimate the seriousness" of the situation in Israel, saying that it is not the first military conflict in the Middle East over recent decades.

"I would not exaggerate [the seriousness]. This is not the first military situation in the Middle East. We remember that in recent decades such situations have already taken place. The wars that had been waged there did not result in any world wars, so I would not go that far," Duda added.

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What's behind new Gaza war and how could It affect the Mideast region?

Israel has officially entered a state of war on Sunday, as Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip launched a sudden offensive against the state.

The assault by Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist entity by Israel, caught the Israeli military off guard and manifested the failure of the nation's intelligence services to proactively thwart the massive and seemingly preplanned operation. In response, Tel Aviv started Operation Swords of Iron. According to some estimates, the hostilities have already claimed the lives of 300 Israelis and 232 Palestinians.

So what's behind the latest escalation?

Find out here

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🇨🇳 China has increased its gold reserves for an 11th month in a row, according to official data released by the country’s central bank.

The report shows that the volume of the precious metal held by the People’s Bank of China soared by 840,000 troy ounces in September, an equivalent of 26 tons of bullion.

The country’s total reserves currently stand at 2,191 tons, with about 217 tons added in a run of purchases that started in November 2022.

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🛢 Russia resumed oil exports to Brazil in September after a two-year halt, having supplied a record of 84,000 tonnes in 13 years, Sputnik's analysis of Brazil's customs data has shown.

In September, Russia supplied a total of 84,000 tonnes of crude oil to Brazil worth $48 million — the first delivery since August 2021, when Russia delivered 42,100 tonnes of crude oil worth $16.6 million.

The September oil delivery became the record high since June 2010, when Russia delivered 117,800 tonnes of crude to Brazil in one shipment.

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The death toll from the Afghan earthquake has risen to 2,445, with scenes of devastation emerging from the country. Volunteers are racing against time to rescue survivors, and there's an urgent appeal for international assistance. The Taliban* government has requested food, medicine, and tents for survivors. Aftershocks continue to add to the challenges in the relief efforts.

Taliban* officials reported the growing death toll, emphasizing the urgent need for aid. Rescuers on the ground lack professional training, and international organizations are being called upon to send trained teams to assist in the rescue operations.

*The Taliban is an organization under UN sanctions for terrorism.

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❗️ The Russian army stopped attempts by Ukrainian infantry to attack in the southern Donetsk direction, and a reconnaissance group was also destroyed, the Russian Ministry of Defense told Sputnik.

The ministry added that artillery fire destroyed ammunition depots, as well as automobile equipment. In addition, during the counter-battery fight, the enemy lost a D-20 artillery gun and four mortar crews.

Work to restore the operation of the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia will take months, Janne Gronlund, the Senior Vice President of Finnish gas transmission system operator Gasgrid Finland, said on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, Gasgrid Finland said that the pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down on Sunday night after an unusual drop in pressure, which could be caused by a leak.

He also noted that at the moment, there is no information about the exact location of the leak, as well as the causes of the incident.
In addition, work on the gas pipeline will begin only in a few days, since the company has to obtain the appropriate permits and prepare equipment, Gronlund added.

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🇳🇴 Warm temperatures in Norway uncovered the artifacts, including a horseshoe and bridle, under snow and ice.

“We just made an incredible discovery on the south side of the Lendbreen pass,” read a post on social media from Secrets Of The Ice, an archeology program based in Norway. “An iron horse bit, with parts of the leather bridle preserved!”

Researchers still need to conduct radiocarbon dating to be sure, but they believe the artifacts date to the Viking Age which lasted from 793 to 1066 AD. They say it’s uncommon to discover leather items because the material typically deteriorates over long periods of time.

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🇺🇸 Biden is believed to have hosted a party at the White House against the backdrop of aggravation in Israel, the press pool of the American leader reports.

“The President and First Lady are hosting a BBQ for White House Executive Residence Staff and their families,” the press pool quoted an administration representative as saying.

The reporter noted that he heard live music on the White House grounds, so he asked officials about what was happening.

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📹 Russian artillerymen are effectively destroying enemy armored vehicles and personnel within the special military operation zone

UAV operators identify and transmit precise coordinates of enemy hardware concentration areas and the movement of assault groups. Subsequently, Russian artillery launches their attacks.

The artillerymen have successfully destroyed armored and motor vehicle equipment, along with enemy personnel, through precise strikes.

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📹 The Israeli military reported airstrikes hit over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip overnight

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🇵🇸 436 Palestinians dead, including 91 children, after Israeli strikes - health officials

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Latest data on casualties in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict:

🇮🇱 Israel:
▪️ the death toll exceeds 700;
▪️ at at least 260 dead music festival attendees found in southern Israel;
▪️ the number of injured Israelis is 2382 people;
▪️ the number of dead IDF soldiers is 73 people;
▪️ more more than 100 Israelis were captured, including senior officers, Hamas said;

🇵🇸 Palestine:
▪️ 436 Palestinians killed, including 91 children and 61 women;
▪️ 2271 injured, including 244 children and 151 women.

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📹 Russian forces thwarted the enemy's counterattack in the Donetsk direction, destroying a building that served as a temporary staging area for the Ukrainian military

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