Will Israel stop playing and breaking its teeth in the “Axis of the Resistance” playground?

[Dariush the Great]

By Elijah J. Magnier
Magnier is a veteran war correspondent and a Senior Political Risk Analyst with decades of experience covering the West Asian region.

A Romanian Captain and a British security officer were killed by a suicide drone attack on the M/T Mercer Street oil tanker – a Liberian-flagged, Japanese-owned ship that is part of the Zodiac Group of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer- sailing from Tanzania towards the United Arab Emirates. The first attack on the tanker caused only material damage but was followed by a second attack where the command and control tower was hit to cause human casualties. Al-Alam TV said the attack responded to an Israeli attack on al-Dab’aa airport in Syria where Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah were killed and wounded. Therefore, the Israeli attack represents a change of the Rule of Engagement (ROE), violating the limit of acceptance in the ongoing conflict and pushing Iran to start a “campaign between wars,” expected to increase in intensity in the future. What is shocking to Israel is that, for the first time, Iran showed how linked all theaters are and how an Israeli hit is met with an unexpected response in the Oman Sea.
Israel had carried out over a thousand strikes against targets in Syria during the decade of war against the Syrian army and targets belonging to the “Axis of the Resistance.” However, Israel's only objective result was to enlarge the influence of the “Axis of the Resistance” in the Levant – that won the destructive war and defeated the Takfiri groups (ISIS and al-Qaeda) and the different Syrian groups supported by [Persian] Gulf and western countries. The “Axis of the Resistance” enlarged and consolidated its influence on Iraq and Yemen, forming a robust front against Israel and its allies.
Israel tried to operate in the Iraqi theater, sending suicide drones that destroyed seven warehouses belonging to the Iraqi security forces al-Hashd al-Sha’abi. Also, an Israeli drone operating from US military bases in Syria and Iraq attacked and killed an Iraqi commander while he was travelling towards the Iraqi-Syrian borders.
Two years ago, Israel sent two suicide drones onto the Lebanese capital Beirut. One exploded close to Hezbollah’s office and another crashed and was found intact, containing explosives. That raised the alarm among the “Axis of the Resistance” that Israel was now using this kind of kamikaze drones to reach its targets yet avoid accountability. The “Axis of the Resistance” then adopted this Israeli use of suicide drones for many theaters.
In the last two and a half years, Israel claims to have carried out several dozen attacks against Iranian targets. The ‘war of sabotage’ between Iran and Israel is no longer a secret, both sides admit their respective responsibility for the attacks inflicted on one another in the traditional manner, through media leaks. The former Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu explicitly broke the Israeli practice of deniability and revealed the responsibility of Israel in many sabotage attacks and unlawful assassinations against Iranian scientists and institutions.
However, it is safe to acknowledge that Israel is playing with fire since it is operating outside its comfort zone and competing in Iran’s playground. Furthermore, Israel is clearly facing a severe challenge to its authority and reputation in the Middle East. The question is, how long it can sustain this tit-for-tat game that it has itself initiated?
Iran officially denied its involvement in the attack. However, analysts in the region believe that Israel is under shock because it is possible that Iran has responded in the Sea of Oman against an Israeli attack in Syria, introducing a new ROE and choosing the theater directly and not through its allies or in the same operational theater in the Levant. This Iranian choice – claim analysts – indicates that Tehran has deliberately avoided any further implication of the Syrian government, clearly unwilling to start an open war against Israel. It is also saying that Iran will no longer be contained by the Syrian frame for retaliation or containment, and will choose where to hit back at Israel for its continuous attacks on Iranian targets in the Levant.
According to a high-ranking official in the “Axis of the Resistance,” Iran is aware that “90% of Israel’s goods pass through the sea, which falls into Iran’s operational theater and within a comfortable range of its military reach. Israel is indisputably an intelligent enemy. However, the idea to expand its operational theater within Iran’s controlled area is arrogant, provocative and counterproductive. Israel is offering Iran unlimited targets in the sea to select from when it initiates this game, which will undoubtedly break its teeth. Israel has much more to lose if it decides to respond to the attack because the retaliation from the Iranian side will not take very long. The last response was significant and balanced, imposing deterrence and a new Rule of Engagement that still causes confusion and pain to Israel.”
This is not the first time that Israel has bombed the al-Dab’aa airport situated in the al-Quseir area. Israel considers the zone as a base for the “Axis of the Resistance,” a storage zone for its precision and strategic missiles and an area implicated in the next war against Israel. However, this is the first time that Israel targets a dormitory at the airport with the apparent intention of causing human casualties, killing and wounding three people. Israel was, therefore, aware that retaliation could be on its way. However, it ignored how, when and where. The Mercer Street oil tanker was initially attacked by a drone that damaged only the tanker. The second attack with a suicide drone against this Israeli-operated tanker appears to intentionally aim to cause human casualties (two people were killed), seemingly bringing the account with al-Dab’aa losses to evens.
“If Israel raises the tension and the attacks, it will be met with similar acts unless the traditional ROE is re-established where Israel bombs insignificant targets, destroying replaceable warehouses or a kitchen or a runway. Otherwise, Israel should expect retaliation against its interests anywhere, with or without a US naval escort. Iran’s bank of objectives is abundant, and Israel is clearly much more vulnerable than it is able to imagine. This time, the attack took place against an empty tanker, but enough to increase the price of insurance and cause financial repercussions on Israel,” revealed the source.
Israel has opened Pandora’s box, and hiding under the US’s skirt will not protect Israeli-owned ships if the attacks in Syria continue. Iran is carrying out a campaign “between wars” on Israel which contains limited choices. Any escalation will endanger Israeli navigation, and a lack of response means Israel has decided to bite on its wounds, under the world’s watchful eyes. The Iranian deterrence has been imposed either way. The most worrying and crucial part for Israel to consider is whether Iran invokes a Rule Of Engagement every time Israel bombs targets in Syria or only when targeting an objective belonging to the “Axis of the Resistance?” The next moves will answer this question. Neither answer is good news for Israel, which has set in motion a new chain of events, which itself will suffer from.

(The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Press TV.)

Will Israel stop playing and breaking its teeth in the “Axis of the Resistance” playground?

Israel has opened Pandora’s box, and hiding under the US’s skirt will not protect Israeli-owned ships if the attacks in Syria continue.

www.presstv.ir

 

[Zathura]

Source: Why Israel’s transfer to US Central Command could help deter Iran (defensenews.com)

Why Israel’s transfer to US Central Command could help deter Iran

U.S. Central Command announced Sept. 1 that it has assumed responsibility for U.S. forces in Israel. This positive development reflects changes in Arab-Israeli relations and offers an opportunity to build a more unified and militarily capable American-Israeli-Arab coalition to deter aggression from Iran and its terrorist proxies — one of CENTCOM’s top priorities.

Despite Israel’s location in the Middle East, when CENTCOM was created in 1983, responsibility for the Jewish state was assigned to U.S. European Command. That decision reflected Israel’s political isolation from its Arab neighbors. As a Pentagon news report noted in January with a bit of understatement, Israel’s regional isolation would have “complicated” efforts by CENTCOM to coordinate multilateral exercises and operations that included Israel.

Warming Arab-Israeli ties offer a major opportunity to align key partners against common regional threats. The catalyst for improved Arab-Israeli relations is the Islamic Republic of Iran’s longstanding effort to develop a nuclear weapons capability, as well as Tehran’s determined campaign to create, cultivate and co-opt terrorist proxies across the Middle East to attack both Arab and Israeli targets.

Tehran’s aggression helps explain the conclusion last year of the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, enabling significant and mutually beneficial opportunities for political, economic and cultural cooperation.

Enhanced military cooperation, however, will likely carry the most direct benefits for regional stability.


In May, another round of fighting erupted between Israel and Iran-backed terror groups in the Gaza Strip. The groups fired over 4,300 rockets at Israel, also employing drones, unmanned underwater vehicles and anti-tank weapons.

These attacks are not a threat simply for Israel. Weapons employed against Israel by Iran and its army of proxies are also used against Americans and our Arab partners.

From May 2019 to the present, Iran-backed militias are believed to have been behind over 100 rocket, mortar or drone attacks against positions in Iraq associated with the U.S. force presence, with at least 27 indirect fire incidents taking place during this year alone. The U.S. and others blamed Tehran for orchestrating a 2019 attack against Saudi Arabia’s Khurais oil field and Abqaiq oil processing facility, using drones and cruise missiles — briefly knocking offline a significant portion of the world’s total production capacity.

The Islamic republic routinely harasses and targets American, Arab and Israeli interests in the maritime domain. Tehran has used drones and fast-attack craft to challenge American military vessels in the Persian Gulf and signal defiance to decision-makers in Washington. Tehran has also seized tankers and stepped up mining operations that impede the free flow of commerce, directly impacting Iran’s Arab neighbors, and is engaged in a shadow war using drones against Israeli-linked tankers.


While Iran has proliferated whole weapons systems to terrorist groups in the past, the Islamic Republic has also been enabling local weapons production in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen. That creates new challenges and puts a premium on cooperation between the United States, Israel and key Arab partners.

By itself, transferring Israel from EUCOM to CENTCOM won’t address these challenges or strengthen regional security. CENTCOM already works closely with Israel. However, as CENTCOM’s commander, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, said earlier this year, the transfer can bring a more “operational perspective” to the Abraham Accords.

One major way to do that would be to assertively seek opportunities for combined military exercises and training involving the United States, Israel and as many Arab partners as possible. CENTCOM should encourage Israel to add Egypt and the United Arab Emirates to the next Noble Dina exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean, for example. CENTCOM should also encourage Abu Dhabi to invite the Israel Defense Forces to the next Iron Union exercise. And CENTCOM should work with EUCOM to encourage Greece to invite Egypt and Jordan to join Israel, the United Arab Emirates and others as full participants in the next Greek-hosted Iniochos exercise.

These and other steps would increase the individual readiness of the respective militaries, strengthen their ability to work together, and send a powerful message to Tehran and its terror proxies.


The announcement this month was an encouraging and positive development. Now the real work begins to better secure and defend mutual American, Israeli and Arab interests.

Bradly Bowman is the director of the Center for Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where Behnam Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow.

 

[Bahram Esfandiari]

Source: Why Israel’s transfer to US Central Command could help deter Iran (defensenews.com)

Why Israel’s transfer to US Central Command could help deter Iran

U.S. Central Command announced Sept. 1 that it has assumed responsibility for U.S. forces in Israel. This positive development reflects changes in Arab-Israeli relations and offers an opportunity to build a more unified and militarily capable American-Israeli-Arab coalition to deter aggression from Iran and its terrorist proxies — one of CENTCOM’s top priorities.

Despite Israel’s location in the Middle East, when CENTCOM was created in 1983, responsibility for the Jewish state was assigned to U.S. European Command. That decision reflected Israel’s political isolation from its Arab neighbors. As a Pentagon news report noted in January with a bit of understatement, Israel’s regional isolation would have “complicated” efforts by CENTCOM to coordinate multilateral exercises and operations that included Israel.

Warming Arab-Israeli ties offer a major opportunity to align key partners against common regional threats. The catalyst for improved Arab-Israeli relations is the Islamic Republic of Iran’s longstanding effort to develop a nuclear weapons capability, as well as Tehran’s determined campaign to create, cultivate and co-opt terrorist proxies across the Middle East to attack both Arab and Israeli targets.

Tehran’s aggression helps explain the conclusion last year of the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, enabling significant and mutually beneficial opportunities for political, economic and cultural cooperation.

Enhanced military cooperation, however, will likely carry the most direct benefits for regional stability.


In May, another round of fighting erupted between Israel and Iran-backed terror groups in the Gaza Strip. The groups fired over 4,300 rockets at Israel, also employing drones, unmanned underwater vehicles and anti-tank weapons.

These attacks are not a threat simply for Israel. Weapons employed against Israel by Iran and its army of proxies are also used against Americans and our Arab partners.

From May 2019 to the present, Iran-backed militias are believed to have been behind over 100 rocket, mortar or drone attacks against positions in Iraq associated with the U.S. force presence, with at least 27 indirect fire incidents taking place during this year alone. The U.S. and others blamed Tehran for orchestrating a 2019 attack against Saudi Arabia’s Khurais oil field and Abqaiq oil processing facility, using drones and cruise missiles — briefly knocking offline a significant portion of the world’s total production capacity.

The Islamic republic routinely harasses and targets American, Arab and Israeli interests in the maritime domain. Tehran has used drones and fast-attack craft to challenge American military vessels in the Persian Gulf and signal defiance to decision-makers in Washington. Tehran has also seized tankers and stepped up mining operations that impede the free flow of commerce, directly impacting Iran’s Arab neighbors, and is engaged in a shadow war using drones against Israeli-linked tankers.


While Iran has proliferated whole weapons systems to terrorist groups in the past, the Islamic Republic has also been enabling local weapons production in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen. That creates new challenges and puts a premium on cooperation between the United States, Israel and key Arab partners.

By itself, transferring Israel from EUCOM to CENTCOM won’t address these challenges or strengthen regional security. CENTCOM already works closely with Israel. However, as CENTCOM’s commander, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, said earlier this year, the transfer can bring a more “operational perspective” to the Abraham Accords.

One major way to do that would be to assertively seek opportunities for combined military exercises and training involving the United States, Israel and as many Arab partners as possible. CENTCOM should encourage Israel to add Egypt and the United Arab Emirates to the next Noble Dina exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean, for example. CENTCOM should also encourage Abu Dhabi to invite the Israel Defense Forces to the next Iron Union exercise. And CENTCOM should work with EUCOM to encourage Greece to invite Egypt and Jordan to join Israel, the United Arab Emirates and others as full participants in the next Greek-hosted Iniochos exercise.

These and other steps would increase the individual readiness of the respective militaries, strengthen their ability to work together, and send a powerful message to Tehran and its terror proxies.


The announcement this month was an encouraging and positive development. Now the real work begins to better secure and defend mutual American, Israeli and Arab interests.

Bradly Bowman is the director of the Center for Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where Behnam Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow.

What a world we live in when the Sole remaining Super power, Its Apartheid step child and their Arab underlings have to team up in an attempt to deter a Nation that has been under the strictest of Sanctions regiments for over 42 years! If this is not a testament to Iran's power I don't know what is!

 

[K_Bin_W]

What a world we live in when the Sole remaining Super power, Its Apartheid step child and their Arab underlings have to team up in an attempt to deter a Nation that has been under the strictest of Sanctions regiments for over 42 years! If this is not a testament to Iran's power I don't know what is!

AGREED, My only problem with Iran is that it has not developed nuclear weapons a must in a world of global terrorists. Even NoKo has proven to be much smarter.

 

[Falconless]

My only problem with Iran is that it has not developed nuclear weapons a must in a world of global terrorists.

Who uses Nukes against terrorists?
Anyways Iran should never be allowed develop nuclear weapons because it will lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

And I do not look forward to living in a world where the Saudi Crown Princess has a nuke.

 

[Battlion25]

This article is detached from reality... My gosh?

Where has Iran ever defeated ISIS and AQ? ISIS was defeated by a major coalition (HTS, USA, France, Turkey, Russia, Iraq, Jordan, Iran, FSA, SDF, Permerga) I just love how Iran solely takes the credit of others work.

The second question where has Iran defeated AQ? Do you mean the Syrian rebels or HTS because these are not defeated they hold like 15% of Syria alive and they were fighting Russia after they had defeated Iran 5 years in a conventional war in Syria and Solemani went to Moscow to ask for assistance and admitted defeat which lead to Putin intervening..

It didn't even touch on Israel properly.. Israel has killed dozens of Iranians across Syria and even within Iran without any form of reply and without any form of redline from Iran and it was so bad that this act spread into peoples minds and gave some other elements the wrong idea.

Israel was coming down on Iran with immunity.. Israel can't even do that to Jordan without risk of conflict no redline or backbone showcased by Iran in the least bit against Israel it was not a war but it was one-way bullying. By tiny Israel of all people.


Why Iran absorbs Israeli-inflicted blows on its militant proxies in Syria

LONDON: Israel has launched hundreds of strikes against Iran and its allied proxies inside Syria since the country’s descent into civil war over a decade ago, with officials in Tel Aviv making it clear they will refuse to tolerate any Iranian entrenchment along their northern border.

Israeli warplanes have repeatedly attacked Iran-linked facilities and weapons convoys destined for Tehran’s Hezbollah proxies in Lebanon. On May 5, Israeli strikes in the Syrian provinces of Latakia and Hama claimed the lives of at least eight individuals on the payroll of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Despite the persistent bombardment and loss of personnel, experts say the IRGC is unlikely to strike back directly or relinquish its military presence any time soon.

Why Iran absorbs Israeli-inflicted blows on its militant proxies in Syria

LONDON: Israel has launched hundreds of strikes against Iran and its allied proxies inside Syria since the country’s descent into civil war over a decade ago, with officials in Tel Aviv making it clear they will refuse to tolerate any Iranian entrenchment along their northern border. Israeli...

www.arabnews.com

 

[K_Bin_W]

Who uses Nukes against terrorists?
Anyways Iran should never be allowed develop nuclear weapons because it will lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

And I do not look forward to living in a world where the Saudi Crown Princess has a nuke.

You are parroting western garb, it was foaming at mouth about NoKo too. Fat boy has few pointed at US and US don't make a pigs squeak. It's over in that part of the world forget terrorism you won't even hear a Diwali Patakha

Iran has the technology to enrich just like Pak did and I am sure they may already have one. We'll done Iran for getting the technology by any means possible.

 

[mohsen]

You are parroting western garb, it was foaming at mouth about NoKo too. Fat boy has few pointed at US and US don't make a pigs squeak. It's over in that part of the world forget terrorism you won't even hear a Diwali Patakha

Iran has the technology to enrich just like Pak did and I am sure they may already have one. We'll done Iran for getting the technology by any means possible.

NK with it's nuke has no presence even one meter beyond it's borders, all they wished for with their nukes was to scare the Americans so that maybe they would leave the peninsula, but nothing changed, cause Americans know nuke is a card with sole use, bluffing!

while in this side of the world they are complaining about Iran's presence and influence all over the middle east, and their sole response is constant retreat, today they are talking about moving the CENTCOM further away from Iran's border, while Iranian commanders are talking about increasing the defense depth to 3000 kilo meters.

 

[K_Bin_W]

NK with it's nuke has no presence even one meter beyond it's borders, all they wished for with their nukes was to scare the Americans so that maybe they would leave the peninsula, but nothing changed, cause Americans know nuke is a card with sole use, bluffing!

while in this side of the world they are complaining about Iran's presence and influence all over the middle east, and their sole response is constant retreat, today they are talking about moving the CENTCOM further away from Iran's border, while Iranian commanders are talking about increasing the defense depth to 3000 kilo meters.

LOL!!! Shows how little you know about NoKo, forget its nukes it has the conventional fire power to flatten SoKo to the ground. As for its nukes may be you need to get out more often, Amreeka screams like hell even at a missile test its begging every tom dick and harry to persuade NoKo from conducting any more nuke tests.

Of course Amreek can proof us all wrong by invading NoKo just like it invaded Iraq under the pretext of WMD.. How about that....

 

[mohsen]

LOL!!! Shows how little you know about NoKo, forget its nukes it has the conventional fire power to flatten SoKo to the ground. As for its nukes may be you need to get out more often, Amreeka screams like hell even at a missile test its begging every tom dick and harry to persuade NoKo from conducting any more nuke tests.

Of course Amreek can proof us all wrong by invading NoKo just like it invaded Iraq under the pretext of WMD.. How about that....

My point was the actual benefits of a nuclear bomb for NK. there is none, it's just costs.

Yankees will never invade a powerful state, and they haven't won a single real war since WWII, but they do scream about lots of things, even a drone. their scream is for more benefit, rather than scaring the opponent.

US left Iraq and Afghanistan cause their politicians couldn't justify the costs and body bags for their people, but on the other side, NK is giving that excuse to Yankee politicians.

NK started an already lost nuke show with US.

 

[K_Bin_W]

My point was the actual benefits of a nuclear bomb for NK. there is none, it's just costs.

Yankees will never invade a powerful state, and they haven't won a single real war since WWII, but they do scream about lots of things, even a drone. their scream is for more benefit, rather than scaring the opponent.

US left Iraq and Afghanistan cause their politicians couldn't justify the costs and body bags for their people, but on the other side, NK is giving that excuse to Yankee politicians.

NK started an already lost nuke show with US.

I have tons of research material by different sources all available on the web w.r.t. nokos nuclear deterrence but I don't think I will waste BW.