The Ramapo: The Sixth Seal Fault Line (Revelation 6:12)

The Ramapo fault and other New York City area faults 

 Map depicting the extent of the Ramapo Fault System in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania

The Ramapo Fault, which marks the western boundary of the Newark rift basin, has been argued to be a major seismically active feature of this region, but it is difficult to discern the extent to which the Ramapo fault (or any other specific mapped fault in the area) might be any more of a source of future earthquakes than any other parts of the region. The Ramapo Fault zone spans more than 185 miles (300 kilometers) in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. It is a system of faults between the northern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont areas to the east. This fault is perhaps the best known fault zone in the Mid-Atlantic region, and some small earthquakes have been known to occur in its vicinity. Recently, public knowledge about the fault has increased – especially after the 1970s, when the fault’s proximity to the Indian Point nuclear plant in New York was noticed.

There is insufficient evidence to unequivocally demonstrate any strong correlation of earthquakes in the New York City area with specific faults or other geologic structures in this region. The damaging earthquake affecting New York City in 1884 was probably not associated with the Ramapo fault because the strongest shaking from that earthquake occurred on Long Island (quite far from the trace of the Ramapo fault). The relationship between faults and earthquakes in the New York City area is currently understood to be more complex than any simple association of a specific earthquake with a specific mapped fault.

A 2008 study argued that a magnitude 6 or 7 earthquake might originate from the Ramapo fault zone, which would almost definitely spawn hundreds or even thousands of fatalities and billions of dollars in damage.Studying around 400 earthquakes over the past 300 years, the study also argued that there was an additional fault zone extending from the Ramapo Fault zone into southwestern Connecticut. As can be seen in the above figure of seismicity, earthquakes are scattered throughout this region, with no particular concentration of activity along the Ramapo fault, or along the hypothesized fault zone extending into southwestern Connecticut.

Just off the northern terminus of the Ramapo fault is the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, built between 1956 and 1960 by Consolidated Edison Company. The plant began operating in 1963, and it has been the subject of a controversy over concerns that an earthquake from the Ramapo fault will affect the power plant. Whether or not the Ramapo fault actually does pose a threat to this nuclear power plant remains an open question.

Beware of War With Iran

Beware of war, beware of talks

Ordinarily, dialogue or even diplomatic accords are the best way to avoid armed conflict; but not in this case. It’s obvious that a new nuclear deal between the US and Iran, one that doesn’t fundamentally differ from its predecessor, could actually make war more likely rather than less.

Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, who is normally measured and cautious in his speech, surprised a lot of people by sounding the alarm over the possibility of a war breaking out in the near future, whether on the northern front or southern front. His words highlighted the concern and even anxiety in Israel about the intentions of Iran, which dictates the actions of its proxies, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

The IDF chief emphasized, however, that our enemies are not interested in going to war. After all, Israel is not Saudi Arabia or the Kurds; it doesn’t have a reputation for turning the other cheek, but for responding immediately and doggedly, and sometimes disproportionately, to any provocation. Israel also has first-class operational and intelligence capabilities, which allow it to deter the Iranians and even foil many of their plans. And yet, the ongoing friction between Israel and Iran in Syria and Iraq could spill over into Lebanon and Gaza.

In Israel, there will always be those who blame the government and defense establishment for the rising tensions between Israel and Iran, but the truth is that Tehran and Jerusalem have been on a collision course for a long time now. The friction between the two countries stems from Iran’s fundamental enmity toward Israel, its stated devotion to destroying it, and its persistent efforts to establish a presence in Syria and Iraq, bringing those countries under its sphere of influence that stretches from Tehran to Beirut and Gaza.

Alongside the concern in Israel over Iran’s belligerence and brazenness, which could drag the region toward an all-out war, Israel must also closely monitor and prepare for the possibility of an improved nuclear deal between Tehran and Washington.

Ordinarily, dialogue or even diplomatic accords are the best way to avoid armed conflict; but not in this case. The dilemma facing Israel and the international community isn’t a war with Iran or making a deal with it. In this case, it’s obvious that a new deal, one that doesn’t differ from its predecessor in any fundamental way, could actually make war more likely rather than less.

The signs pointing to a new deal have accumulated in recent months. The Americans aren’t hiding their desire for dialogue with Iran, and have repeatedly opted for restraint to Iranian provocations. It appears the American administration has decided not just to disengage from the region, but also close the “Iran file” so that the US doesn’t find itself dragged back to a region it wants to leave in a few months’ time.

Under these circumstances, it’s hard to assume a new nuclear deal will significantly improve upon the original, the one that Trump angrily withdrew from over a year ago. Indeed, Iran is straining under the weight of painful American sanctions, which are severely hindering its economy. But the assumption that economic steps would be enough to bring the Iranians to their knees or even topple the ayatollah regime has been debunked. Iran, therefore, will return to the negotiating table from a position of strength, because they have been audacious, confrontational, aggressive and successful. If anyone will be brought to their knees, it will be Iran’s adversaries.

The United States is Israel’s greatest and most important friend, and Jerusalem must respect America’s vast array of interests. Along with its concerns over a conflict, however, Israel must also prepare for the possibility of an improved nuclear deal between Washington and Iran, which, although it could delay Iran’s march to an atomic bomb, could also provide a tail wind for Tehran’s efforts to entrench itself in the areas surrounding Israel.

Just One Month for Killing Outside the Temple Walls (Revelation 11)

Palestinians carrying the body of Othman Helles after he was shot during clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian protesters near the Gaza border fence in July 2018.Haitham Imad/EPA, via

Israeli Soldier Gets One-Month Sentence Over Killing of Gaza Teenager

By David M. HalbfingerOct. 30, 2019

It was the first conviction of a soldier in connection with the shootings of Palestinians during mass protests along the border.

JERUSALEM — An Israeli soldier who shot and killed a plainly unarmed Palestinian boy during mass protests along the Gaza border fence last year has been sentenced to a month in military prison and demoted.

It was the first conviction of a soldier to result from a handful of criminal investigations that were opened after hundreds of Palestinians were killed during the protests, which began in March 2018 and continue, albeit in reduced form.

The boy who was killed, Othman Helles, 14, was gunned down on July 13, 2018, just as he began to climb the border fence directly opposite an Israeli sniper position. The scene was captured on video and was the subject of a BBC News Arabic documentary.

The Israeli soldier, who was not identified, agreed on Monday to a plea bargain in which he was convicted of “disobeying an order leading to a threat to life or health.”

The army said he had fired on the boy without receiving permission from commanders, failed to follow the rules of engagement and did not act in accordance with earlier instructions.

On the day Othman was shot, the Israeli military said its soldiers had “identified an attempt to breach the security fence and infiltrate into Israel from the northern Gaza Strip and fired to stop the attempt.”

The soldier who pleaded guilty, an infantryman in the Givati Brigade, was demoted to private in addition to receiving the one-month sentence.

Othman’s father, Rami Helles, said he was deeply disappointed by the sentence.

“I was hoping for financial compensation and jailing him for longer period,” he said. “This is unjust.”

He also said he feared that the soldier’s punishment would “encourage his colleagues to kill in cold blood” rather than working as a deterrent.

The investigation into Othman’s death was announced on Aug. 21, 2018, by the military advocate general, Maj. Gen. Sharon Afek, along with a second inquiry into the killing of a young man shot in the back while he was running with a tire during the first day of the protests.

Starting on March 30, 2018, tens of thousands of Palestinians went to the border fence on Fridays to press for an end to Israel’s draconian blockade of Gaza and for the right to return to ancestral lands in what is now Israel. Hundreds of protesters were killed, and thousands more suffered devastating gunshot wounds.

According to The Times of Israel, the soldier who pleaded guilty was not convicted of a more serious offense, like manslaughter, because military prosecutors were unable to connect enough evidence tying his gunshot to the boy’s death.

Iyad Abuheweila contributed reporting from Gaza City.

David M. Halbfinger is the Jerusalem bureau chief, covering Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories and the Middle East. @halbfinger

Iran to Cross Redline at Iraq’s US Embassy

Hossein Shariatmadari, representative of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Kayhan newspaper,undated. File photo

Khamenei Representative Calls For ‘Capture’ Of US Embassy in Baghdad

October 30, 2019

• Radio Farda

The representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in the main conservative newspaper in Iran has once again demanded the “capture” of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. He had made a similar threat in early October.

Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of hardliner Kayhan newspaper, directly controlled by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has again alleged that protests in Iraq “are being managed by the embassies of America and Saudi Arabia”.

Iranian officials have been making the allegation since the protests in Iraq against corruption and mismanagement began in early October, without presenting any evidence.

Iran has gained extensive influence within Iraq’s parliament and politics, seeing the current political leadership as best suited to its interests.

Shariatmadari in an editorial note has said that even without any direct evidence, “devious slogans” during the protests are enough to prove his allegation.

In addition to demanding the resignation of politicians, Iraqi protesters have also chanted slogans against Iran’s influence in Iraq and its interference in the country’s politics. Iran also finances and controls armed Shiite militias, which have apparently intervened in the protests and are accused of opening fire on protesters.

Shariatmadari whose words are seen to reflect Khamenei’s opinions, has directly called on Iran-backed militias to capture the American and other embassies in Baghdad.

The United States had warned against any attack in Iraq on its interests by “Iran-backed groups” and had warned in case of such attacks Iran would be held responsible and the U.S. would “act decisively” to defend American lives.

Antichrist calls on rival to join him in ousting PM

Iraq’s Sadr calls on rival to join him in ousting PM

FILE PHOTO: Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who’s bloc came first, meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who’s political bloc came third in a May parliamentary election, in Najaf, Iraq June 23, 2018. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani/File Photo

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Populist Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has invited his biggest political rival to work with him on ousting the country’s prime minister as thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets for a fifth day.

In a statement on Tuesday Sadr, who leads parliament’s largest bloc, asked Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the second-largest, to help him introduce a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.

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“To answer brother Abdul Mahdi, I thought asking you to call an early election would preserve your dignity but as you have refused, I invite brother Amiri to work with me on withdrawing confidence from you immediately,” he said.

Sadr had on Monday asked Abdul Mahdi to announce early elections but the premier said on Tuesday he would not do so as it was up to parliament, not him, to do so.

In a statement addressed to Sadr earlier on Tuesday, Abdul Mahdi said that if the solution for Iraq’s ongoing crisis was his ouster, it would be easier and quicker for Sadr and Amiri to withdraw confidence and have a new government take over.

Abdul Mahdi came to power just a year ago after weeks of political deadlock as a compromise candidate between Sadr, who leads a populist alliance made up of his followers, communists, and other parties, and Amiri, the head of an alliance of Iran-backed Shi’ite militia leaders.

Mass protests driven by discontent over economic hardship and corruption have broken nearly two years of relative stability in Iraq. At least 250 people have been killed since the unrest started on Oct. 1.

Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; editing by Jonathan Oatis

Terrorists Call for Killing Jews from Outside the Temple Walls (Revelation 11)

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas addresses the United Nations General Assembly in 2017

{Originally posted to the Gatestone Institute website}

Terrorists Call for Killing Jews — from UN HQ in Gaza

Bassam Tawil

30 Tishri 5780 – October 29, 2019

Leaders of several Palestinian factions are again calling for stepping up terrorist attacks against Jews. The difference is that this time, the calls were made during a sit-down strike held by Palestinians outside the offices of the United Nations in the Gaza Strip.

The leaders of the Palestinian factions chose to issue their calls for killing Jews in front of the UN offices in the Gaza Strip. It is as if they are asking the UN to approve their continual terrorist attacks against Israel.

What is clear — and disturbing — is that the UN officials in the Gaza Strip choose to remain silent when the Palestinian leaders came to their offices to incite their people to step up their terrorist attacks.

The sit-down strike was organized by the “Jerusalem Department” of Hamas, the terrorist group that has been ruling the Gaza Strip since the summer of 2007. The purpose of the sit-down strike was, according to Hamas, to protest visits by Jews to the Temple Mount, or Haram Al-Sharif — a site in Jerusalem sacred to both Muslims and Jews.

Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip near Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs the West Bank near Jordan, as well as other Palestinian factions have long been waging a vicious campaign of incitement against the decision by Israeli authorities to allow Jews to tour the Temple Mount compound.

The Palestinians are opposed to the presence of Jews on the Temple Mount — whether as visitors or worshippers. Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount is completely forbidden by the Israeli police, and Jewish visitors are forbidden from singing, whispering, praying or making any kind of religious displays. Still, the Palestinians continue to incite against the Jewish tours, ignoring the fact that the Israeli authorities do not allow Jews to pray on the Temple Mount.

The PA and Hamas officials and media outlets regularly describe the peaceful visits by Jews as “violent invasions by extremist Jewish settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

Needless to say, the Jewish visitors never set foot inside the mosque that is located in part of the Temple Mount compound. That, however, has not stopped Palestinian leaders from lying to their people and the rest of the world by claiming that “Jews are desecrating our mosque.”

Again, the UN officials in the Gaza Strip who heard these lies during the sit-down strike did not bother to respond to the false claims. The silence of the UN officials speaks volumes about their attitude toward anti-Israel incitement and blood libels against Jews, all of which have become an integral part of both the UN’s and the Palestinians’ culture.

Not that anyone was expecting the UN and its senior officials truly to confront the leaders of the terrorists in the Gaza Strip. Yet, the UN ought at least to have issued a statement condemning the leaders who come to its offices in the Gaza Strip to spread lies and blood libels and call for violence against Jews.

Sadly, that did not happen, thereby paving the way for Palestinian leaders to believe that they have a green light from the international agency to pursue their murderous plans.

The UN’s Human Rights Council, in fact, has a “Special Rapporteur,” whose mandate is to “identify existing and emerging obstacles to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion or belief and present recommendations on ways and means to overcome such obstacles.”

That mandate, however, evidently does not include the right of Jews to ascend the Temple Mount, seen as the holiest site also for Jewish believers. Parts of the four retaining walls surrounding the Temple Mount date back to the time of the Second Jewish Temple, first century BCE. The walls were built around the summit of Mount Moriah where, biblically, Abraham offered his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice.

During the protest in front of the UN offices, Mushir al-Masri, a senior Hamas official, called on Palestinians to carry out stabbing, shooting and car-ramming attacks against Jews for their officially agreed-upon visits to the Temple Mount, this time during Jewish holidays. Al-Masri urged the PA to allow Palestinians living under its rule in the West Bank to “take action by launching attacks with knives, bullets and vehicles against Jews. “Let the Zionist enemy realize that as long as the Al-Aqsa Mosque is not living in safety under the rule of Muslims, the Zionists will not live in security on the land of Palestine,” al-Masri said.

The Hamas official further urged the Arab residents of Jerusalem to “revolt against the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque by herds of settlers.” Increasingly, however, all Israelis are being called “settlers,” whether they are or not. It possibly seems another easy way, for public consumption, to demonize the Jews both locally and internationally. To Palestinians, all of Israel is one big settlement that needs to be displaced.

Al-Masri also lashed out at Arab countries for purportedly engaging in normalization with Israel. “The normalization of some Arab regimes with the Zionist enemy is a poisoned dagger in the back of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he added. “This has allowed the Zionists to continue desecrating Al-Aqsa and Judaizing Jerusalem.”

Al-Masri and the leaders of the Palestinian factions who participated in the protest in front of the UN offices are openly saying that they want Palestinians to resume the “Knife Intifada” that took place between 2015 and 2016. During that year-long “uprising,” Palestinians carried out more than 400 stabbings and shootings, as well as more than 75 vehicular attacks, killing a total of 85 Israelis and wounding more than 1,400.

It is notable that the wave of terrorism erupted shortly after PA President Mahmoud Abbas accused Jews of “desecrating with their filthy feet” the Al-Aqsa Mosque — a lie originated 90 years ago by the then-Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini. Abbas’s September 16, 2015 modern-day lie was code for Palestinians to take to the streets and stab, shoot and ram Jews with cars.

Abbas also promised that any Palestinian killed while carrying out a terrorist attack “will reach Paradise.” His exact words were:

“We will not allow Jews to defile Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem. The Al-Aqsa [Mosque] is ours and they have no right to defile it with their filthy feet. We bless every drop of blood that has been spilled for Jerusalem, which is clean and pure blood, blood spilled for Allah, Allah willing. Every martyr will reach paradise, and everyone wounded will be rewarded by Allah.”

Hamas and the Palestinian factions are now calling on Abbas to fulfill his pledge once again and permit Palestinians to resume the “Knife Intifada.” The factions are saying that Abbas’s security forces in the West Bank should not stop terrorists from renewing their killing spree of Jews.

Talal Abu Tharifeh, another Palestinian terrorist leader who participated in the sit-in strike in front of the UN offices, seized the opportunity to call for a “mass uprising” against Israel, also to protest the Jewish visits to the Temple Mount. Abu Tharifeh, one of the leaders of the PLO’s terrorist group, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), made it clear that he was not referring to peaceful protests:

“We want a mass Intifada that would be able to affect the balance of power on the ground in order to confront Israeli measures. It is time to turn the rhetorical engagement into a clash [with Israel] on the ground.”

Both al-Masri and Abu Tharifeh stated that their messages of launching terrorist attacks against Jews were being made on behalf of several “national and Islamic factions” in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip. To be clear: the two men were saying that their call for killing Jews is not a private initiative, but one endorsed by a number of groups that represent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

Abbas’s PA in the West Bank, meanwhile, seems to approve of the new threats made by the Palestinian terrorist groups. The PA-controlled media, specifically the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, continues to incite Palestinians against the Jewish tours of the Temple Mount on an almost daily basis.

In an October 10 dispatch, Wafa used Hamas’s terminology to report incorrectly on the tours:

“189 [Jewish] settlers stormed the compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque under strict protection of the Israeli occupation police. The settlers carried out provocative tours of the site.”

It appears that the UN and the rest of the international community have no problem with the continued incitement and lies by the Palestinians against the Jews.

By allowing Hamas and other terrorist leaders to urge Palestinians to stab and shoot Jews, the UN is again exposing its true colors — bias in favor of the terrorists and a violation of its human rights convention regarding freedom of worship and access to holy sites. One can only imagine the uproar had Jews stood in front of the UN offices and called for launching a wave of terrorist attacks against Arabs or Muslims.

If the UN was really interested in contributing to peace in the Middle East, it would be castigating Palestinian leaders for using its premises to call for killing Jews. Providing jobs and food to Palestinians is a nice thing the UN is doing in the Gaza Strip. However, turning a blind eye to incitement and blood libels, especially when they are issued from your own premises, only emboldens the terrorists and inspires more bloodshed — that of Jews.

Perhaps it is time to call out the UN for the racism it not only embodies but also perpetuates. Perhaps it is time for all nations, especially the United States which shoulders so much of the UN’s bill, finally to pay only for what they want and to get what they pay for.

Yes – A Shake Before the Sixth Seal (Revelation 6:12)

Yes — There Really Was An Earthquake in New York!

Published Oct 29, 2019 at 9:17 AM | Updated at 12:54 PM EDT on Oct 29, 2019

If you were in Westchester County, felt the ground slightly move Monday night and thought “earthquake” – you were right!

In less than one week, the Lower Hudson Valley area experienced its second tremor this year.

At 8:09 p.m. Monday, a 1.27-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Mamaroneck, New York, according to the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. The epicenter appears to have been on Rockland Avenue between Hickory Grove Drive East and Jason Lane.

The Mamaroneck Police Department says it received multiple call around 8 p.m. Monday for a “loud explosion” and after being dispatched they couldn’t locate a source for the noise reported.

After canvasing the area, no injuries or damages were reported, police say.

The Mamaroneck tremor follows the 1.1-magnitude earthquake reported in West Nyack, in Rockland County, Thursday — the first earthquake Lamont-Doherty registered for the region this year, according to the observatory’s data.

Kevin Krajick, of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, tells News 4 that the magnitude at which one might feel a quake can vary depending numerous factors, including the depth at which the quake occurred (deeper means you are less likely to feel it) and the type of rocks in the area (harder, more rigid rocks will transmit seismic waves more efficiently than softer, crumbly ones).

“That said, a general rule of thumb is that it has to reach about 2 or 2.5 magnitude to be felt by people on the surface. This one probably did not generate too much tangible movement, but it is possible a few people near the epicenter felt something,” he said in a statement.

So, did you feel it?

The History Of New York Earthquakes: Before The Sixth Seal (Rev 6:12)

Historic Earthquakes

Near New York City, New York

1884 08 10 19:07 UTC

Magnitude 5.5

Intensity VII

USGS.gov

This severe earthquake affected an area roughly extending along the Atlantic Coast from southern Maine to central Virginia and westward to Cleveland, Ohio. Chimneys were knocked down and walls were cracked in several States, including Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Many towns from Hartford, Connecticut, to West Chester,Pennsylvania.

Property damage was severe at Amityville and Jamaica, New York, where several chimneys were “overturned” and large cracks formed in walls. Two chimneys were thrown down and bricks were shaken from other chimneys at Stratford (Fairfield County), Conn.; water in the Housatonic River was agitated violently. At Bloomfield, N.J., and Chester, Pa., several chimneys were downed and crockery was broken. Chimneys also were damaged at Mount Vernon, N.Y., and Allentown, Easton, and Philadelphia, Pa. Three shocks occurred, the second of which was most violent. This earthquake also was reported felt in Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Several slight aftershocks were reported on August 11.

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Antichrist’s Men Go Into Opposition

Iraq: Al-Sadr-Aligned Parliamentary Bloc Goes Into Opposition

What Happened: Saeroon, a parliamentary bloc allied with populist Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, will move into the opposition until the government meets the demands of ongoing anti-government protests, Reuters reported Oct. 26. At least 69 protesters died in violent clashes with security forces across Iraq over the weekend after the government deployed counterterrorism forces in Baghdad to crack down on anti-government unrest.

Why It Matters: Saeroon’s and al-Sadr’s decision to go into opposition further raises pressure on the government of Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi to find a way to quiet ongoing unrest. Saeroon is Iraq’s largest parliamentary bloc, and it holds significant sway over the government’s decisions. However, Abdul-Mahdi’s decision to deploy counterterrorism forces suggests that he is increasingly willing to violently crack down on the protests instead of resigning.

Background: Al-Sadr has gained much of his political power by demanding and championing reforms, but now faces criticism from protesters due to greater involvement in the Iraqi government through the Saeroon bloc.

Babylon the Great Wastes Her Time on Sanctions

US Treasury Secretary vows more economic sanctions on Iran

JERUSALEM — U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin pledged Monday to increase sanctions against Iran, saying the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure campaign” is halting alleged Iranian aggression in the Middle East.

Mnuchin met Monday in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called on Washington to impose additional sanctions to halt what he called Iran’s “plunge for everything” in the region.

Israel considers Iran its greatest threat, citing Iran’s support for hostile proxy groups, its development of long-range missiles and its military presence in neighboring Syria. It also accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons — a charge Iran denies. Israel frequently attacks Iranian targets in Syria and is believed to have expanded its strikes into Lebanon and Iraq in recent months.

At a joint press conference, Netanyahu said Iran’s ability to project power in the region “is diminished to the extent that you can tighten your sanctions and make the availability of cash more difficult for them.”

Later Monday, Netanyahu also claimed that Iran is trying to place precision-guided missiles throughout the region, including Yemen, with the aim of harming Israel.

“Iran wants to use Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen as bases to attack Israel,” he told a gathering of Jewish leaders from abroad.

Mnuchin said American sanctions seek to counter the threats Iran poses in the region, and that the administration “will continue to ramp up more, more, more.” He gave no indication of what form those new sanctions might take or when they could materialize.

“We are not doing this to hurt the people of Iran, we are doing this so that Iran stops their bad activities and exporting terrorism, looking to create nuclear capabilities, and missiles,” Mnuchin said.

The U.S. withdrew last year from the international nuclear deal with Iran and has already imposed a series of sanctions on Iran’s vital oil industry.

The sanctions limit Iran’s ability to sell oil abroad and have crippled the country’s economy. In response, Iran announced earlier this year that it would no longer comply with the nuclear deal’s restrictions.

Mnuchin’s visit to Israel is the first stop on a tour of the Middle East and India to discuss economic ties and counterterrorism initiatives.

He was joined by U.S. President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who met with Netanyahu and his key rival, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz.

Kushner is the chief architect of the Trump administration’s still-unreleased Mideast peace plan. Kushner has not said when the plan will be unveiled.