As reported by my RedState colleague streiff, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran’s top nuclear scientist, was ambushed and killed on Friday. The assassination of Fakhrizadeh, accused of leading the Islamic Republic’s nuclear weapons program, sent shockwaves through Iran and elsewhere around the world, including in the U.S. — which we’ll get to in a bit.
As reported on Sunday by the New York Post, who drew from multiple sources, a highly trained hit squad of 62 people attacked Fakhrizadeh’s 3-car caravan after the local power supply was cut in an effort to slow the spread of information about the ambush.
Iran’s Mohsen Fakhrizadeh killed by 62-person hit squad, report says https://t.co/nn4KQRRCun pic.twitter.com/7uIA65b7Jb
— New York Post (@nypost) November 29, 2020
Sources told leading Iranian journalist Mohamad Ahwaze that the team included 50 people providing “logistical support” for the 12 assassins who carried out the ambush. Iranian officials insisted that Israel was behind the ambush — with good cause. As reported by the New York Times on Friday, an unidentified U.S. official and two unidentified intelligence officials confirmed that Israel was responsible for the attack.
This comes as no surprise, given that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a 2018 news conference said of Fakhrizadeh: “Remember that name.” Here’s unconfirmed footage from the scene of the assassination of the “father of the Iranian bomb.”
BREAKING – Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, an Iranian top nuclear scientist and the man who is described as ‘father of the Iranian bomb’, has been assassinated east of Tehran.
Unconfirmed footage from the scene:pic.twitter.com/pXkF1ruQH1
— Disclose.tv 🚨 (@disclosetv) November 27, 2020
Ahwaze tweeted that “all involved had entered special training courses, as well as security and intelligence services abroad,” as translated by ELINT News — now a dead link.
“The team knew exactly the date and course of the movement of the Fakhrizadeh protection convoy in the smallest details.”
Details, as provided by The Post:
Fakhrizadeh was traveling in the middle of three bulletproof cars, with the killers striking after the first car entered a roundabout, the report said. A booby-trapped Nissan was then detonated to block the car behind Fakhrizadeh — as 12 gunmen pounced on him, arriving in a Hyundai Santa Fe and four motorbikes, Ahwaze tweeted.
Ahwaze said Fakhrizadeh was dragged out of his car and shot, to make sure he was dead.
“After the car bomb was detonated, 12 operatives opened fire towards Fakhrizadeh’s car and the first protection vehicle. According to Iranian leaks, the leader of the assassination team took Fakhrizadeh out of his car and shot him and made sure he was killed.”
Needless to say, the assassination of Fakhrizadeh, whom Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called “the country’s prominent and distinguished nuclear and defensive scientist,” kicked up the tension meter between Iran and Israel a notch or ten.
Khamenei said Iran’s first priority was the “definitive punishment of the perpetrators and those who ordered it.” I wouldn’t be surprised if Bibi Netanyahu, upon hearing Khamenei’s threat, thought to himself: “Bring it, ayatollah; let’s get this thing over with once and for all.”
Meanwhile, back in the U.S., the usual suspects reacted in their usual anti-American way.
John Brennan, the reprehensible former CIA director, led the hang-wringing parade against the assassination of Fakhrizadeh — only to be ripped to shreds by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), as reported by my RedState colleague Nick Arama on Saturday.
Here’s a little bit of how that went.
This was a criminal act & highly reckless. It risks lethal retaliation & a new round of regional conflict.
Iranian leaders would be wise to wait for the return of responsible American leadership on the global stage & to resist the urge to respond against perceived culprits. https://t.co/0uZhyBTM3S— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) November 27, 2020
It’s bizarre to see a former head of the CIA consistently side with Iranian zealots who chant “Death to America.”
And reflexively condemn Israel.
Does Joe Biden agree? https://t.co/H38OB1ejCr
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 27, 2020
It is typical for you to mischaracterize my comment. Your lawless attitude & simple-minded approach to serious national security matters demonstrate that you are unworthy to represent the good people of Texas. https://t.co/93WwclgAtS
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) November 27, 2020
Brennan always seems like such a pleasant fellow, right? The kind of guy with whom you’d like to belly up to a bar, drink a few beers, and spew venom about America, nonstop.
In response to President Trump in January ordering the military strike that killed terrorist mastermind Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Brennan blasted the president:
“This was a criminal act and highly reckless. It risks lethal retaliation and a new round of regional conflict.”
Poor Johnny is 0-2 in “assassinations of evil terrorists who would love nothing more than to strike at the heart of America.” Meanwhile, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh joined Qassem Soleimani in hell wherever he might be. Do Iranian terrorists do that 72-virgins thing? You know, like ISIS terrorists do? Not sure. Then again, 72 virgin “whats“? Very confusing.
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