Israel: "We're Going To Do It." February 11, 2024

Locator: 46783RAFAH.

Top international non-energy story:

• Israel getting ready to clear out last "Hamas sancturary" -- no signs of letting up
• Rafah
• it appears Israel has all its diplomatic ducks in order to begin operations

Rafah:

Rafah is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip; it is the capital of the Rafah Governorate of the State of Palestine, located 30 kilometers (19 mi) south-west of Gaza City. In 2017, Rafah had a population of 171,889. As a result of massive bombardment and ground assaults in Gaza City and Khan Yunis by Israel during the Israel–Hamas war, about 1.4 million people are believed to be sheltering in Rafah.

When Israel withdrew from the Sinai in 1982, Rafah was split into a Gazan part and an Egyptian part, dividing families, separated by barbed-wire barriers. The core of the city was destroyed by Israel and Egypt to create a large buffer zone.

Rafah is the site of the Rafah Border Crossing, the sole crossing point between Egypt and the State of Palestine. Gaza's only airport, Yasser Arafat International Airport, was located just south of the city. The airport operated from 1998 to 2001, until it was bombed and bulldozed by the Israeli military (IDF).

The map:

It appears Israel has all its diplomatic ducks in order to begin operations.

 
Why would Egypt not object? Israel has told the million+ refugees to head north ... away from Egypt.