BY WALTER ELLIOTT
PHOTO VIA WHITE HOUSE
“It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.” National Urban League leader Whitney M. Young, Jr. (1921-71.)
TRENTON – There is a reason why more police and law enforcement presence may be found around mosques, synagogues and other sensitive areas since “Operation Midnight Hammer” struck three suspected Iranian nuclear weapons sites overnight June 21-22.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, on June 22, said that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have activated counterterrorism protections.” Those protections may include local and state police and/or National Guards patrolling stations, platforms and entrances in full combat gear as in prior times.
President Donald J. Trump authorized the use of seven B2 stealth bombers and a submarine to dispatch a pair of 30,000-lb. “bunker buster” bombs and 14 Tomahawk cruise missiles to damage said sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan at 10:45 p.m. Eastern Time June 21 – or 3:15 a.m. Tehran Time June 22.
The Midnight Hammer blow – involving 125 aircraft and “dozens” of inflight refueling tankers – has started a chain of international events, still fluid as of press time, that may or may not have local repercussions.
Law enforcement and homeland security officials, on one hand, have said that there is no credible threat from Iran or its proxies here in “Local Talk” land or nearby. That has not stopped officials from upgrading physical and cyber security levels on their own, “out of an abundance of caution,” since over the weekend.
“The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness continues to monitor for potential retaliation,” said the agency director Laurie Doran June 22, “including the possibility of cyberattacks and homegrown violent extremists inspired to carry out attacks in support of foreign terrorist organizations that Iran supports. All credible threats and criminal behavior are taken seriously and we actively pursue relevant leads using the full range of our law enforcement tools.”
“As conflict in the Middle East intensifies and American armed forces become directly engaged,” said NJ Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin June 21, “New Jersey’s law enforcement will maintain our already increased police presence around sensitive places, including Jewish and Muslim houses of worship, schools and community centers.”
President Trump said that he will present details of June 23’s Israeli-Iranian ceasefire during this week’s NATO summit at The Hague, Netherlands. He had to tell both parties to stop firing on each other after the ceasefire’s implementation.
There are still more questions than answers as of press time, including:
- Was Operation Midnight Hammer a one-time favor to Israel – or will the U.S. be further involved in the war with Iran?
- Is the U.S. in the conflict for an Iranian regime change?
- Will Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who has diplomatic relations with Israel and Iran intercede in peace talks?
