ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Take cover in a sturdy building or get underground. That’s the emergency advice given to people in Japan in the event of a North Korean missile strike. But there are two big problems: most Japanese homes are made of wood and lack a basement. In the countryside, there is often no building made of concrete. And with only a matter of minutes from launch to impact, there’s simply no time to take cover. As North Korea this week fired its second missile over Japan in less than a month and threatened to “sink” the country into the sea with nuclear weapons, many Japanese feel a sense of helplessness in the face of the threat from Pyongyang. Sushi chef Isamu Oya, 67, who runs a restaurant in the small fishing town of Erimo, right under the flight path of Friday’s missile, summed up the feelings of many. “The government told us to take cover in a stable building or underground, but there isn’t one here. We have no choice but just do nothing. “Scary? Yes, but we can’t hel...

On September 15, Jaysh Usud al-Islam militant group announced its defection from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). In an official statement, Jaysh Usud al-Islam accused HTS of “disrespecting the blood of Muslims and the Mujahedeen”. Moreover, Jaysh Usud al-Islam accused HTS of conspiring to attack other Islamic armed group, in a clear hint to the Ahrar al-Sham Movement. Click to see the full-size image Jaysh Usud al-Islam also said that HTS disrespected religious scholars, and this proves that the HTS leaks was behind the Jaysh Usud al-Islam decision to leave HTS. Jaysh Usud al-Islam was one of the armed groups that formed HTS back in January 28 along with  the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement  and  Jaysh al-Ahrar  which defected earlier for the same reasons. Meanwhile, another Saudi religious scholar of HTS was assassinated in Idlib governorate. Suraqah al-Maki was targeted by unknown gunmen inside Idlib city on September 15. Click to see...

Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), announced that the IRGC had successfully penetrated the US Army command centers in Syria and Iraq, according to a report of  the Russian state-run media outlet RT Arabic . Brig. Gen. Hajizadeh allegedly said that the IRGC is now seeing everything that’s going on inside the US Army command centers. Moreover, Brig. Gen. Hajizadeh said that the whole world will witness a great scandal if the IRGC reveales the info it collected. Brig. Gen. Hajizadeh didn’t clarify if the IRGC penetrated the US Army centers by recruiting human assets in the centers. Or if the IRGC technically hacked some systems. According to the report, Brig. Gen. Hajizadeh also revealed that the Aerospace Force of the IRGC developed a heavy bomb with a warhead that weights 10ton. Brig. Gen. Hajizadeh said that the heavy bomb is called “the father of all bombs”. Brig. G...

On September 14, Sayyid Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi leader of Ansar Allah Movement – Known as the Houthis –  threatened to target the UAE capital Abu Dubai  in a live speech on the Yemeni al-Masirah news TV channel. Sayyid al-Houthi said that the UAE is now within the range of Houthis missiles. “All companies (working) in the UAE should no longer see it as safe,” Sayyid al-Houthi said. Sayyid al-Houthi revealed that his forces conducted a “successful” test of a new missile that could reach the Abu Dhabi city 600km away.  On August 30,  Yemeni sources speculated that Houthis launched a ballistic missile on the UAE capital Abu Dhabi . Only now it is confirmed that the Houthis could have these capabilities. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash responded to Sayyid al-Houthi threats on Twitter and said that his country is not intimidated by Houthi threats. “ The Houthis’ comments threatening the UAE and its capital are tangible proof ...