The Wire - October 26, 2023

RR The Wire 2330Z October 26, 2023 PRECEDENCE: ROUTINE RRDTG: 233026Z OCT 23ICOD: 230026Z OCT 23CONTROLS: Public ReleaseQQQQBLUF: ISRAEL CONTINUES LIMITED CLEARANCE OPERATIONS AS ROCKET ATTACKS INTENSIFY.-----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East Front: Rocket attacks by Hamas intensify today as the Israeli bombing/shelling campaign in Gaza continues. Conflicting reports indicate possibly multiple MANPAD attacks on Israeli aircraft, with no success so far. No word on when the official invasion is set to begin, though Netanyahu has stated that the date has been set.Russia: AFRF conduct the first major series of exercises testing nuclear response following the Russian Duma’s vote to de-ratify Russia’s commitment to the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) earlier this month.-HomeFront-USA: Mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine leaves 18 dead and many more wounded. The only details regarding the suspect originate from LE officials. The suspect has been identified as SFC. Robert Card, USAR. According to LE officials, Card has a history of mental issues. He was recently taken for mental treatment following concerns among his reserve unit. The suspect remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous.-Analyst Comments-Israel may be attempting to test Hamas positions, and get a feel for the urban combat before the grand campaign begins. Israeli “probing attacks” into Gaza may also actually be a main assault, rather than recon-by-fire or some other skirmish. If this is plausible, when Israeli forces encounter suborn resistance, they can withdraw, regroup, and claim they never invaded in the first place, and that the real invasion is yet to come. Several attacks, and subsequent withdrawals have been observed in Gaza over the past few days, adding credence to this theory. Israeli politicians continuing to stress the long-term nature of this war may also by default add weight to this theory. On the other side of the wire, Hamas likely is suffering losses from Israeli strikes, but exactly how many losses is impossible for anyone to know.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst: S2AEND REPORTNNNN