Israel seems ready to respond in a much more forceful and public way with Iran after Tehran launched its second massive missile attack on Israel this year, analysts and officials say.
After Israel invaded Lebanon to confront Iran’s strongest ally, Hezbollah, and Iran’s second massive missile attack on Israel in less than six months, Israel seems ready to strike Iran directly, in a much more forceful and public way than it ever has, and Iran has warned of massive retaliation if it does.
“We are in a different story right now,” said Yoel Guzansky, a former senior security official who oversaw Iran strategy on Israel’s National Security Council. “We have a consensus in Israel — among the military, the defense experts, analysts and politicians — that Israel should respond in force to Iran’s attack.”
To many Israelis, there is now little to lose: Iran’s efforts to strike the urban sprawl around Tel Aviv crossed a threshold that Tehran has never previously breached, even during its earlier missile attack in April, which targeted air bases but not civilian areas.
I think the lens of a localized, regional war in the Middle East is becoming too narrow. If we’re escalating things to the point of America’s direct and significant involvement (beyond shooting missiles out of the sky, but rather conducting its own attacks on Iran), then I think Iran’s potential allies extend beyond the region as well.
Most likely Russia first, as it’s already in a proxy war with the US/West.
Potentially China, but not likely until it’s most advantageous for them to do so. Or perhaps they’ll enter opportunistically, such as attacking Taiwan if America’s Naval might is sent to the Gulf, opening a potential three front war.
The economic connection between these three has continued to grow in recent years, and may be reason enough.