The President's Daily Brief - October 2nd, 2024: Missile Barrage on Israel, Jaffa Terror Attack, & Strikes on US Ports

Episode Date: October 2, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Iran launches a major missile barrage against Israel in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. We’ll break down the details of the attack and explore Israel’s possible responses. A deadly terror attack strikes the city of Jaffa, where gunmen killed six and injured nine. We’ll provide updates and discuss the broader implications. A shocking revelation from Iran’s former president: the head of an Iranian secret service unit, tasked with targeting Mossad agents, was actually an Israeli spy. We’ll explore the fallout from this stunning admission. In today’s Back of the Brief, tens of thousands of dockworkers from Maine to Texas have gone on strike, freezing shipping along the east coast. We’ll discuss what this could mean for America’s supply chain and the upcoming November election. 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]  Blackout Coffee: https://www.blackoutcoffee.com/PDB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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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 Wednesday, 2 October. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. We're starting, of course, with the latest out of Israel, where Iran has launched a major missile barrage in retaliation for the killing of Hassan Nisrallah, and of course, Eshmilhanya earlier in Tehran, will break down how the attack unfolded and what Israel's response could look like. Later in the program, a terror attack in the Israeli city of Jaffa as assailants shot and killed at least seven people and injured nine others.

Plus, we'll dive into a stunning admission from Iran's former president. Now, he revealed that the head of an Iranian Secret Service unit tasked with targeting Mossad agents in the country was, in fact, actually an Israeli agent. And in today's back of the brief, tens of thousands of dock workers from Maine to Texas in the U.S. have gone on strike, freezing shipping along the entire East Coast. We'll discuss what this means for America's supply chain and the broader economy as we head towards the November election. But first, today's PDB spotlight. I want to begin with Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel on Tuesday, which raised fears, of course, of a wider regional escalation

between the two adversaries. As we discussed on yesterday's B.D.B. Iran unleashed a barrage of roughly 180 ballistic missiles against Israel late Tuesday evening, targeting Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, parts of the coast, and central Israel. It came just hours after a warning from the U.S. that Iran was preparing for an imminent attack. Now, that's according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Leaders of the Islamic regime said the attack served as a legal and legitimate retaliation for the recent assassination of several Iranian-linked terror leaders by Israel, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed, of course, in an Israeli air strike just last Friday. While the dust is still settling and Israel continues to assess the damage, it would appear

that the Iranian attack was largely unsuccessful. An IDF spokesperson said that the majority of the roughly 180 missiles were intercepted, though he noted that. He noted that, There were several direct impacts in central and southern Israel, including one that damaged a school and another that struck part of a military base. Shrapnel from one impact reportedly lightly injured two Israeli civilians in Tel Aviv, while Shrapnel from a separate impact killed a Palestinian man near Jericho. The IDF spokesperson said Israel would retaliate at a time of their choosing and in a way that would demonstrate their, quote, surprising attack capabilities to the Iranian regime. Iran claims that they targeted three Israeli military bases with the attack, though Israeli military officials

said the intent of the bombardment was to kill thousands of civilians. Two U.S.-guided missile destroyers in the region, coordinated with the Israeli military, to shoot down the incoming missiles firing roughly a dozen interceptors. President Biden, who called the attack, quote, defeated and ineffective, said that the U.S. had once again demonstrated its commitment to Israel's defense and was in active discussions with leaders in Jerusalem regarding a response. A spokesman for the U.S. State Department added that the attack was a brazen escalation by Iran and called on every nation of the world to condemn it. Leaders in the European Union also issued a statement denouncing Iran's attack in the strongest possible terms,

while calling for an immediate ceasefire throughout the Middle East. U.S. officials said Iran's missile barrage involved nearly twice the number of ballistic missiles that Iran fired during their last direct attack on Israel, and that was back in April, though Iran's president warned that Tuesday's operation represented, quote, only a portion of our power. Rather ironically, the Iranian leader claimed that the nature of the strikes prove that, quote, Iran is not belligerent, really. Let me just point that out again. They just launched over 180 ballistic missiles and then claimed that Iran is not belligerent. And also, of course, despite the fact that they have created, funded, trained, and resourced all the various proxy groups that are in the business of attacking Israel.

No, not belligerent in the least. And they also pointed out that Israel should not seek a direct conflict with the regime. Iranian officials added that any response to the bombardment by Israel would trigger much more powerful attacks from the regime. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, in his first remarks following the attack, warned, quote, Iran made a big mistake tonight, and it will pay for it, end quote. Netanyahu held the technological superiority of Israel's air defense system and thanked the U.S. for their support in intercepting the missiles. He called on the, quote, forces of light in the world to unite against Iran, noting that their, quote, axis of evil is retreating.

That's a reference to the damage that Israel has dealt to Tehran's many proxies, particularly Hamas and Hezbollah. Netanyahu continued, quote, the regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies. They will understand, he said. Whoever attacks us, we will attack him, end quote. Now, it's still too early to speculate what Israel's response will look like.

Having said that, according to the Wall Street Journal, Iran telegraphed their plans to Arab officials in the region Monday evening, and Israel responded through intermediaries that it would directly hit Iran's nuclear or oil facilities if attacked. Regional analysts say Iran took a big gamble with their latest bombardment, giving Israel justification to target the regime with a far more forceful response. The attack came just a day after Netanyahu said in the speech that the Iranian regime's downfall would come, quote, a lot sooner than people think, end quote. All right, coming up after the break,

a terror attack in the Israeli city of Jaffa leaves at least, least seven people dead. Plus, we'll dive into a stunning admission from Iran's former president. He revealed that the head of an Iranian Secret Service unit that was tasked with targeting Mossad agents in the country was actually an Israeli agent. Oh, well, there's a twist. I'll have those stories when we come back. This is Euphoria Calvin Klein, the new elixir collection, featuring three perfume intense scents, inspired by a unique orchid accord, paired with vanilla. Each with its own distinct attitude, each with its own universe. Bold elixir.

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Hatterday. Eye drops and work all day to prevent the release of histamines that cause itchy allergy eyes. And the winner by knockout is Hatterday. Paterday, bring it on. Welcome back to the PDB. Sticking with Israel, prior to the Iranian missile attack on Tuesday, suspected terrorists carried out a mass shooting in the city of Tel Aviv. Authorities in Israel confirmed that

at least seven people had been killed and nine injured in the shooting and knife attack, which unfolded at a railway station in the Jaffa neighborhood of Tel Aviv. Officials called it one of the deadliest terrorist attacks inside Israel in recent years, and that's according to a report from the BBC. The killing spree began in a rail carriage before spilling out onto the platform. CCTV footage shows two gunmen wielding assault rifles exiting a train where bodies can be seen on the ground inside, before indiscriminately firing at bystanders on the platform. Authorities said the terrorists were killed on site by both armed civilians and a local municipal security officer. They stressed that a number of the injured were in critical condition and that

fatalities could rise. There's been no claim of responsibility for the attack, which police are treating as a suspected terrorist incident, but the gunmen were identified as Palestinian residents of the West Bank City of Hebron. The shooting occurred, just a half hour before Iran unleashed their missile attack across Israel, sending civilians fleeing for bomb shelters. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the shooting following Iran's attack, sending condolences to the families of the victims. Netanyahu said, quote, as with the missile attack, there is also a deliberate and murderous hand behind this attack. It comes from Tehran. And quote. Earlier on Tuesday, leaders in Jerusalem ordered schools and workplaces to be shut

down in a number of regions and imposed new restrictions on Israeli citizens, limiting public and private gatherings due to the heightened security threats from both Hezbollah and Iran. All right. I want to turn now to a recent admission from a former Iranian president, Mahmoud Amidid, which demonstrates the extent to which Israeli intelligence has managed to penetrate and compromise its enemies, including Iran. Now, for those of you who aren't old enough to remember, Ahmedin Najad served as the sixth president of the Islamic Republic from 2005 to 2013. Now, he was a hardline conservative, still is, probably best known for his denial of the Holocaust and antagonism toward Israel and the West. During an interview on Monday with CNN,

Turk. Ahmadinejad revealed that a senior Iranian counterintelligence official, tasked with combating Mossad's spies, was in fact an Israeli agent. Akhmanid Ajad told CNN, quote, Israel organized complex operations inside Iran. They could quickly obtain information. In Iran, they are still silent about this. The man who was in charge of the unit in Iran against Israel was an Israeli agent, end quote. Now, he wasn't acting alone. Twenty other Iranian intelligence officers reportedly flipped as well, working covertly for Israel. These double agents were key to several major Mossad successes, including the 2018 operation that exposed Iran's nuclear secrets.

In an extraordinary raid, Israeli operatives smuggled out a trove of nuclear documents from Tehran, which was later presented by Prime Minister Netanyahu. This event is thought to have played a role in convincing then-President Donald Trump to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran. Ahmadinejad also claimed that these agents who managed to steal the Iranian nuclear documents were also responsible for killing Iranian nuclear scientists. Akhmedin-ijad's comments underscore just how deeply Israel has penetrated the Iranian intelligence apparatus. In fact, he claimed that these Mossad double agents fled Iran in 2021. and are now living safely in Israel. This revelation is a stark reminder of the ongoing high-stakes intelligence battle between Israel and Iran,

and it suggests that even the most sensitive aspects of Iran's defense and nuclear programs are vulnerable to foreign influence. Iran's security establishment already under pressure from Mossad's ability to carry out high-profile assassinations, like the one, for instance, that took out Hamas leader Ishmael Hanyi back in July, now faces a deeper credibility crisis from within. This admission from Ahmadinejad is significant because it confirms what many have suspected that Israeli intelligence has been remarkably successful at infiltrating and compromising Iran's security. All right, coming up in today's back of the brief, dockworkers at 36 ports along the East Coast and Gulf region in the U.S. have gone on strike

after contract negotiations broke down. We'll examine what's happening and how it could impact U.S. and global business. I'll be right back. Kayak gets my flight, hotel, and rental car right, so I can tune out travel advice that's just plain wrong. Bro, Skycoin, way better than points. Never fly during a Scorpio full moon.

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Kris, saucy, and $4? Very. only at 7-11. Valley through 62326 participating stores only well supplies last the app for full terms. Welcome back to the BDB. For the first time since 1977, Longshoremen at 36 ports along the East Coast and Gulf region in the U.S. began walking picket lines early Tuesday in a strike over wages and the issue of automation. Now, just in case you're not familiar with the work of America's Longshoremen,

They're the dock workers who load and unload cargo from ships at ports. They're the ones who handle the containers and freight using cranes and forklifts and other heavy equipment. They are considered extremely essential workers. Longshoremen are absolutely essential to the shipping and logistics industries, ensuring the smooth movement of goods between ships and land transportation. The contract between the ports, which are represented by the U.S. Maritime Alliance, and about 45,000, members of the International Longshoremen's Association expired at midnight on Tuesday, and even though progress had been reported in talks on Monday, the workers went on strike. The union's opening offer in the talks was for a 77% pay rise over the six-year life of the contract

and a complete ban on automation. Yeah, who needs automation? On Monday, the Maritime Alliance said it had offered 50% raises over six years, and it pledged to keep it. keep limits on automation. In a statement early Tuesday, the union said it rejected the alliance's latest proposal because it fell far short of what rank and file members are demanding. The union added, quote, we are prepared to fight as long as necessary to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes to get the wages and protections against automation that our ILA members deserve, end quote. All right. So, what will the impact of this strike? look like? Well, just looking at the raw numbers, the East Coast accounts for 40% of total U.S. shipping

container traffic and about 5% of global volume. So the impact could be quite significant, frankly, and especially if it drags on for an extended period of time. One of the first effects will likely be in the supply of perishable imports such as vegetables and fruits. For example, the ports affected by the strike handle 3.8 million metric tons of bananas annually, which accounts for 75% of the nation's supply, and that's according to the American Farm Bureau. So expect your local produce aisle to take a hit in the coming days. If it goes on for more than a few weeks, well, the strike would significantly hamper the nation's supply chain, potentially leading to higher prices and delays in goods reaching households and businesses. It would force

businesses to pay shippers for delays and potentially impact the delivery of anything and everything. That's not a great prospect with the holiday season rapidly approaching. And the strike, of course, could even reignite inflation. President Biden, who regularly touts himself as the most pro-union president ever, has signaled that he has no intention of intervening in the work stoppage. While that may change, if the strike starts to negatively impact the economy, economy, particularly if negative effects are felt leading up to the November election. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Wednesday to October. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com.

And to listen to the show ad-free, well, you may have heard this, become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief, simply by visiting PDB Premium.com. And it is simple. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe. Stay cool. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money. Because behind every headline is a bottom line. Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings, there's a money side to every story. And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss.

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