Israel and Iran exchange threats while the rest of the world holds its breath at the risk of an extension of the Gaza war. The nearly 34,000 fatalities already recorded between both sides in the conflict in the Strip still do not seem enough for the leaders of Tel Aviv and Tehran to reflect on the danger of globalizing in the Middle East a historical conflict that has worsened since the rise of theocratic republicanism of the Ayatollah Khomeini.
Both Israelis and Iranians still have plenty of fuel left to fuel the fire of discord. With the recent bombing of a Persian consular building in Damascus and the seven dead members of the Revolutionary Guard in the background, dialectical darts fly from one country to another. So far they are just words, but the general fear is that in the not too distant future they may be replaced by destructive devices.
Both sides are interested in maintaining tension and extending the feeling of strength against the enemy. Ayatollah Khamenei, current Supreme Leader of the theocratic regime in Tehran, did not want to let the threat of a forceful response to the attack suffered in Syrian territory die this Wednesday. “When the Zionists attack one of our consulates it is as if they attacked our land.” Therefore, he announced during a televised speech after the Aid al-Fitr prayers, the holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, that “the evil regime made a mistake, it must be punished and will be punished.” He once again avoided clarifying the terms of the planned punishment against Israel.
Possible answer
Western intelligence speculates about the possible Persian response, which could involve an attack of its own or through affiliated armed groups in the region. Whichever option is chosen, Benjamin Netanyahu's government promises biblical wrath, but, perhaps on the advice of the United States, it could look the other way in the face of subsidiary aggression. Although never with direct action.
This was also made clear this Wednesday by the Hebrew Ministers of Defense, Yoav Gallant, and Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz. If Iran carries out an offensive, whatever it may be, from its own soil, there will be “a very effective, very powerful response” in the enemy's own fiefdom, they warned through increasingly belligerent rhetoric towards the secular adversary. «We will know how to react very quickly with a decisive offensive action against the territory of whoever attacks ours, no matter where it is, throughout the Middle East. “We have this capability,” Gallant said.
The White House is already envisioning the worst-case scenario in an election year. A large part of Joe Biden's chances of resisting Donald Trump's sure onslaught at the November polls in November depends on the end of the Gaza war. Netanyahu also thinks about his future and seems to care little about that of his American colleague. What's more, he believes his fortunes will improve if Republicans govern again.
The disparity between Washington and Tel Aviv is increasingly evident. Biden censures Netanyahu every time he makes a public intervention. On Tuesday night – early morning on Wednesday in Spain – he once again described the management of the war as a “mistake”. “It is intolerable” that the Hebrew leader refuses to establish a ceasefire that allows the entry of humanitarian assistance. «What I ask of the Israelis is to allow, for the next six or eight weeks, full access to all food and medicine. I have spoken to everyone, the Saudis, the Jordanians and the Egyptians. They are ready to enter. They are prepared to move this food. And I believe that there is no excuse for not addressing the medical and food needs of these people. “It should be done now,” he added.
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