The President's Daily Brief - August 1st, 2024: Iran Vows Direct Attack On Israel, Putin Embarrassed In Syria, & Biden's Border Setback

Episode Date: August 1, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:     Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered that Iran retaliate with a direct attack on Israel in the wake of the death of Hamas’s chief political leader in a suspected Israeli strike inside Tehran on Wednesday. Kyiv comes under one of the largest Russian drone assaults in the war to date, while their forces deal an embarrassing blow to Putin’s interests in Syria. Myanmar's embattled military junta has extended a state of emergency for another six months as leaders desperately cling to power in the face of a widening armed rebellion. In our 'Back of the Brief' segment, Texas Governor Greg Abbott scored a major victory against the Biden administration in their ongoing spat over the border crisis. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.     Email: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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It involves a coffee cup or a mug, depending on your preference, and Blackout Coffee. Simple. Blackout coffee is family-owned, it's premium coffee, fresh-roasted, and shipped out within 48 hours of roasting. Go to blackout coffee.com, promo code PDB, for 20% off your first-time purchase. It's Thursday, 1 August. How about that? We made it through July to a brand-new month, and wasn't July interesting? Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage.

Let's get briefed. First, we'll bring you the latest fallout from the death of Hamas' chief political leader in a suspected Israeli strike inside Tehran on Wednesday, as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini orders Iran to retaliate with a direct attack on Israel. Later in the show, we'll have the latest on Ukraine, as Kiev faces one of the largest Russian drone strikes in the war to date, while at the same time, their forces deal an embarrassing blow to Putin's interests in Syria. Plus, Myanmar's embattled military junta has extended a state of emergency, as leaders desperately cling to power in the face of a widening armed rebellion. Now, not for nothing, but I was in Myanmar back in the late 80s, back when the country was still referred to as Burma.

And the people of Burma, well, they've been dealing with military hunters ever since Ne Win's days generations ago. They really, really deserve a very long break from military hunters and political chaos. And in today's back of the brief, Texas Governor Greg Abbott scored a major victory against the Biden administration in their ongoing dispute over the border crisis. But first, today's PDB spotlight. Beginning in the Middle East, the fallout from the death of Hamas, his chief political leader has been swift, with Hamas carrying out retaliatory attacks in the West Bank and Iran promising to directly attack Israel. As we discussed on yesterday's PDB,

Ismail Hanyi, who had led Hamas's political operations from exile in Qatar, while, of course, amassing a fortune of $4 billion, was killed in a suspected Israeli strike inside the Iranian capital of Tehran in the early hours of Wednesday morning. In case you missed that reference to his fancy cash-soaked life, Hanyi, and to be fair, his cohorts in the Hamas leadership, became fabulously wealthy over the years by stealing money intended for the Palestinian people and using it for their own personal gain. Now, his death has thrown ongoing ceasefire talks into question and fueled regional fears that a wider war could soon break out between Israel and Iran, or at least their proxies in the so-called axis of resistance. Iran appears ready for

for such an escalation, angered by the fact that the strike occurred inside their territory, where Hanyi was attending the inauguration of Iran's new president, alongside leaders from other Iranian financed and supported terrorist proxies. The New York Times reported Wednesday evening that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali-Karmeni has ordered that Iran strike Israel directly in retaliation, a move that could obviously have profound ramifications for the current conflict. The directive reportedly came during an emergency meeting of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Separately, the Al-Qasan Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, quickly lashed out at Israel following

Hanye's death, saying Israel had, quote, miscalculated and created, quote, incentive for everyone to back and support the resistance. The statement continued, quote, the criminal assassination of leader Hanye in the heart of the Iranian capital is a watershed and dangerous event that takes the war to new levels, end quote. Nah, no, you know what? What took the war to new levels was Chania and his colleagues, including still alive Yaya Sinwar, along with their IRGC puppet masters from Iran,

deciding to orchestrate the massacre and hostage-taking of 7 October. Yeah, that was the actual watershed. Officials with the Al-Kasamb brigades said they had already carried out two shooting operations near the city of Hebron and the West Bank, as in early retaliation. Israeli officials confirmed, one man was hospitalized after being shot at and stabbed in Hebron and that a suspect was in custody.

Hamas members called it, quote, the beginning of a swift response to the cowardly assassination of our great national leader. Now, the statement added rather ominously that, quote, Hebron will lead the way in carrying out qualitative operations in the coming days by the will of Allah, end quote. Adding to the chaos of the moment, Hanye's death came less than 24 hours, after Israel killed Hezbollah's most senior military commander in a deadly strike inside Lebanon's capital of Beirut. While Israel acknowledged the strike in Lebanon, they have been, well, tight-lipped about the strike that took out Hanyi,

although that is to be expected, as Israel rarely comments about covert actions in places like Syria or Iran. In a fiery video statement released on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that Israel had delivered, quote, crushing blows to its enemies in recent weeks, noting the death of Hamas military chief Mohammed Dief three weeks ago, strikes on the Houthis in Yemen two weeks ago, and the death of Hizbullah's commander in Beirut on

Tuesday. He did not mention Hanyi, but said Israel had challenging days ahead, and they were, quote, ready for any scenario. Internationally, anxieties are, of course, running high. Officials in Qatar, which is mediating ceasefire talks with Israel and Qabas, condemned the deadly strike, saying it jeopardized chances for a truce. Okay, to be fair, a truce wouldn't be needed if Iran's stated objective wasn't the destruction of Israel, but maybe, maybe I'm just pointing out the obvious. Other Arab nations expressed similar sentiments, saying such actions will only lead to escalation. Now, never one to miss out on the chance to chastise Israel. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez also called the strikes a dangerous escalation while adding, quote,

what we are seeing are efforts to undermine a ceasefire deal. Hmm. If only Gutierrez felt that strongly about Iran's support for terrorism to pursue their genocidal objectives, but it's the UN, so, well, that's not happening. In the U.S., the Biden administration, walked a very fine line. White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby

said at a press briefing Wednesday that he could neither confirm nor deny Hinez death, but stressed the U.S. played no part and was not made aware of the action ahead of. of time. Kirby appeared frustrated and said that the strikes in both Beirut and Tehran, quote, certainly don't help with the temperature going down. He said the White House is extremely concerned about escalation, adding, quote, all of this adds to the complicated nature of what we're trying to get done, which he should have added is to win the election in November.

The U.S. State Department sent an advisory out Wednesday warning Americans not to travel to Lebanon due to the current risks. So who's traveling to Lebanon right now anyway? They also said they will do everything in their power to increase protection for American personnel stationed in the region. But it's not just the U.S. government that is taking precautions. United Airlines confirmed to USA Today on Wednesday that they would be suspending daily flights to Israel beginning Wednesday over security concerns. All right. Coming up next, we'll have the latest on Ukraine, as Kiev faces one of the largest Russian drone

assaults in the war to date, while their forces deal an embarrassing blow to Putin's interest. in Syria. Plus, facing a growing rebellion, Myanmar's embattled military junta has extended a state of emergency for another six months as leaders desperately cling to power. Well, I mean, that's what Hunta's do. They cling to power. It's their signature move. I'll be right back. How many discounts does USA auto insurance offer? Too many to say here. Multi-vehicle discount, safe driver discount, new vehicle discount, storage discount. How many discounts will you Back up. Tap the banner or visit usaa.com slash auto discounts. Restrictions apply.

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Eastern Europe, where the Ukrainian Air Force just successfully repelled one of the largest drone assaults launched by Russia since the war began in 2022. The Ukrainian Air Force said it had, quote, withstood and repelled a massive attack on Wednesday, downing 89 Iranian-designed Shahed drones and a missile, primarily targeting the capital city of Kyiv. Despite the intense assault, there are no casualties reported, and additionally, no civilian or critical infrastructure took a direct hit, though debris reportedly damaged residences in Kyiv. Despite the successful defense against the drones, the attack did take a psychological toll, of course, on the residents of Kiev. Approximately 11,500 residents sought shelter in metro stations during the bombardment. Russia claims it strikes,

target military and energy sites, yet residential areas frequently bear the brunt of these drone and missile attacks. In response, Ukraine's military reported a strike on a weapons depot in Russia's Kursk region, causing a fire at the facility. Despite almost daily bombardments, Ukraine's air defenses have been resilient. Keeves' military administration chief noted that this was the seventh drone attack against Kiv in July. The Kremlin has utilized Iranian-crafted drones. in thousands of strikes on Ukraine over the 29 months since his full-scale invasion began. That's 29, but think about that, 29 months since they first invaded Ukraine. Recently, Russia has been using new, cheaply produced drones to film the location of Ukraine's

air defenses, assess damage, and act as decoys. On telegram, President Zelensky emphasized, quote, Ukrainians can fully protect their skies from Russian strikes when they have sufficient supplies. Zelensky reiterated the need for more air defense systems, urging his country's allies, mainly the U.S., to expedite the delivery of critical patriot missile systems. Meanwhile, Russia's gradual territorial advances continue with Russian forces capturing eight villages across northeastern, eastern, and southern Ukraine in July. These events come as Ukrainian special forces continue ongoing operations against Russian assets

in Syria, which are creating significant problems for the Putin regime's overseas forces. Now reports emerged this week that Ukraine's Special Forces Kimmik Group, which operates under the main intelligence directorate known as H-U-R, launched an attack on a Russian airbase in Syria on the 24th of July. The operation occurred just one day after a meeting between Russian President Putin and Syrian President Assad in Moscow. Video and photos exclusively obtained by the Keev Post revealed the devastating

strikes on the air base, which is a key Russian military site in Syria, located east of Aleppo, which destroyed a Russian mobile electronic warfare complex. Video footage also shows Ukrainian drones attacking objects at the airbase, which Keev says is used as a recruitment center for Syrian mercenaries, who were then, of course, incorporated into the Russian armed forces and deployed to Ukraine. According to HUR sources, these strikes are part of a broader campaign. Since the beginning of the year, insurgents supported by Ukrainian fighters have conducted numerous attacks on Russian military facilities in Syria. H.U.R. Chief, Lieutenant General Karello Boudanov,

has vowed to, quote, destroy Russian war criminals anywhere in the world. To that end, the Ukrainian military continues to carry out operations against pro-Kremlin mercenaries operating in Syria, as well as Sudan and other parts of Africa. Okay, shifting focus to the situation in Myanmar. That's what formerly was known as Burma, a country you don't often hear much about in the press, where the ruling military junta is desperately clinging to power in the face of an intensifying armed rebellion. Now, the military regime extended a national state of emergency by six months on Wednesday as fighting escalated, pushing off the date for a promised national election into 2025.

The junta blamed terrorist acts by its opponents for the extension, saying they need more time to put together population data for voter lists. Most, however, saw it as a brazen attempt to delay a national reckoning over their leadership, and most would be right, particularly as the country faces a growing economic crisis, according to reports from Reuters and France's AFP. In a statement from the state-run media, De Huonta said the extension was, quote, necessary to restore peace and and stability. Ah, yes, those military junta's always thinking about peace and stability. For some context, Myanmar's military ceased power in the early morning hours of February 1st, 2021, imprisoning the democratically elected leaders and effectively ending more than a decade of

democratic rule marked by economic and social reforms. The coup plunge the nation into chaos, as you might imagine, as the junta orchestrated a brutal crackdown on any dissent. Now, it's estimated that more than 1,700 civilians, including children, have been killed by junta forces, nearly 10,000 have been swept up in arrests, and roughly 2.3 million displaced by the violence. Shortly after the coup, the junta instituted the, quote, state of emergency, which has now stayed in place for more than three years, despite promises of national elections. Seriously, we're going to get to those national elections. You all just hang on. While the junta have maintained a delicate hold on power, the regime is facing increasing pressure.

after a series of embarrassing military defeats against anti-coup forces that have seen the junta lose control of at least 35 towns. Now, the rebellion is a mixture of ethnic minority armies and militias, who have reportedly formed a shadow government. They began their coordinated campaign against the junta in earnest in October of last year. The latest extension of the state of emergency came just a week after the junta further consolidated its power, transferring all responsibilities of Myanmar's figurehead president to junta chief Minong Klan, who led the initial coup. But the military leader is himself in the weakest position yet since the coup. There have been growing calls in recent months for him to step down, even among hardline pro-military leaders due to the gains made by the rebellion.

All right, coming up in the back of the brief, in a blow to the Biden administration, a court has ruled that Texas's floating barrier in the re-operative, grand. Remember that? Metta Curb Illegal and Migration can remain in place. I'll be right back. You always want the best for your family, and that means only Egglands Best Eggs in your kitchen. Compared to ordinary eggs, Egglands Best Eggs contain six times more vitamin D, 25% less saturated fat, more than double the omega-3s, 10 times more vitamin E, and more than double the vitamin B-12. So why give your family less when they can have the best? Add Egglands Best, superior nutrition to your next grocery list. Better taste, better nutrition, better eggs.

Thanks, yours too. What does RAV stand for anyway? To me, it's the remarkably advanced vehicle. Really? To me, it's the runway approved vehicle for its amazing style. What about remarkably adaptable vehicle because of its versatile cargo space? Or really admired vehicle? Oh, or really awesome vehicle. It really is the recreational activity vehicle. The stylish 2026 Toyota Rap 4 limited. What's your rap for. In today's back of the brief, Texas Governor Greg Abbott scored a major victory over the Biden administration in their ongoing standoff over the border crisis. In a turn of events, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that a floating barrier in the Rio Grande River meant to curb the flow of illegal migrants from Mexico into Texas can remain in place, at least for now.

The ruling from the Fifth Court of Appeals overturned a 2023 decision from a lower court that had ordered Texas to remove the buoys by December, citing violations of the Rivers and Harbors Act, as well as humanitarian concerns from the Biden administration. In their ruling on Tuesday, the Fifth Circuit Court said the previous decision was an abuse of the court's discretion in granting a preliminary injunction. Now, the barrier, a 1,000-foot-long string of buoys anchored in the riverbed near Eagle Pass, Texas, has been a focal point of conflict between Texas and the Biden administration. Texas Governor Greg Abbott celebrated the court's decision, posting on X, quote,

Biden tried to remove them. I fought to keep them in the water. That is exactly where they will stay, end quote. A critical aspect of the case is whether the section of the Rio Grande River where the buoys are placed is considered navigable waters, something the Fifth Circuit Court said the federal government ultimately failed to prove. The legal battle will continue with a trial and distrable. court that is set to begin on the 6th of August. The Biden administration maintains that Texas has

violated federal law and that the barrier poses risks to U.S. foreign policy. The floating barrier is part of Texas's broader strategy to manage its extensive 1,200-mile border with Mexico, which saw nearly 1.4 million migrant crossings in 2022 alone, and that doesn't count the known godaways, those who didn't encounter law enforcement. And that, my friends, is the president. Daily Brief for Thursday, 1 August. If you have any questions, comments, or even humorous stories, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And as you may well know, to listen to the show ad-free, well, become a premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com. It's that simple. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then,

stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool. Thank you.