NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT THURSDAY 9/26/2019

(LIMITED SERVICE WHEN ABLE THROUGH LATE THURSDAY)

The United States is again accusing the Syrian government of using "chemical weapons" in its fight against jihadist opposition forces in Syria that include admirers of Osama Bin Laden.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that:

"the Assad regime used chlorine as a chemical weapon"

earlier this year in Idlib province and that this:

"will not go unchallenged"

More from Saudi Arabia's "Al Arabiya".......LINK

In northwestern Syria Al Qaeda affiliated jihadists attacking positions of the Syrian army.   Three jihadists and one Syrian solider reported killed.    More from "Southfront".....LINK

THERE'S A REPORT OF AN ISRAELI RECONNAISSANCE PLANE COMING CLOSE TO THE RUSSIAN NAVAL BASE IN TARTUS, SYRIA.  THE REPORT SUGGESTING ISRAELI MILITARY ACTION IN NORTHERN SYRIA WITHIN THE NEXT 72 HOURS.....LINK

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel  al-Jubeir says there must be a response to the September 14th attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

He says that a military response is one option to the attacks that are blamed on Iran.

"....we will look at all the options that are available to us.  We will made a decision at the right time"

Al-Jubeir told the BBC.

The United States imposing sanctions on Chinese companies that are transporting Iranian oil in line with President Trump's commitment to keep tightening sanctions.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday that the United States is:

"bullying"

and that Chinese business dealings with Iran are legitimate and legal.

IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI SAYS EUROPEAN NATIONS CANNOT BE TRUSTED BECAUSE THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN US SANCTIONS ON IRAN.

"There will be a response"

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says his country is preparing to deal with the denial of visas to 10 Russian delegates to the UN General Assembly this week.

More from Russia's Tass News Agency......LINK

French politicians offering glowing tributes in remembrance of former President and Mayor of Paris, Jacques Chirac.    Chirac died today at the age of 86.

A day of national mourning proclaimed in Chirac's honor for Monday.

Lawyers for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu want the pre-indictment evidence review  hearing for him to be held:

"openly and publicly"

The hearing by Attorney General Avechai Mandelblit is expected in the next two weeks before the indictments of Netanyahu in three separate corruption cases.

Mandelblit responded to Netanyahu's lawyers saying they should focus on their arguments at the hearing rather than demanding a live event designed to spin arguments in favor of Netanyahu's innocence.

The political drama in Washington with the Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire testifying before the House Intelligence Committee.

President Trump proclaiming transparency in matters related to his phone conversations with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky Wednesday but Thursday's Democrat-Mainstream Media narrative one of the notion of cover-up.

President Trump and the Republican Establishment both reaping the rewards of the controversy with millions of dollars pouring in.

And in brief that's the way it really is for Thursday September 26th, 2019.