The US has been calling for restraint, by Iran. Ignoring incitement after incitement by the provocateur Israel.
Two weeks after Iran vowed to retaliate for the killing of a senior Hamas leader, the biggest surprise has been that the attack still hasn’t happened yet.
As they’ve been saying for days, officials believe an attack could come at any time, and take one of many forms, all with the goal of sending a clear message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while avoiding a destructive regional war or scuttling negotiations that could bring an end to the war in the Gaza Strip.
As time ticks on, officials are prepared to counter an attack by positioning forces in the region and tracking the movements of Iran’s proxy forces in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.
One western official, who asked not to be identified discussing private assessments, said an attack could target civilian infrastructure around the Israeli city of Haifa while avoiding civilian casualties that would trigger a devastating Israeli response. That person said the attack might come from Iranian proxies and not Iran itself.
So this is a western narrative regarding what might happen?
Another option would be a more intensive attack than the one Iran launched in April and which was largely deflected by Israel and its allies. In that case, proxies including Hezbollah held off striking Israel at the same time that Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones, almost all of which were shot down.
A broader hit could include Israel’s desalination plants or the country’s nuclear reactor or military sites. Or Iran could launch a devastating cyber-attack that could cripple Israel without firing a single missile.
In the meantime, Israeli forces are on hair-trigger alert. The country activated a command bunker beneath the Jerusalem hills and Netanyahu has said his country is ready for “any scenario.” At least one top lawmaker has called for pre-empting an Iranian attack.
“For the Iranians, it’s partly about threading the needle, so you don’t start World War III,” said Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “But it’s also about threading the needle so people come away thinking that you’re dangerous and competent and you’ve got more where that comes from, and not a third-rate regional power.”
Israel has not taken responsibility for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on July 31. But Iran has said the killing — Haniyeh was slain in a bomb blast at a Tehran guest house — was Israel’s handiwork, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has vowed to “harshly punish” Israel.
Israel killed Ismail Heniyeh. Obviously they’re not going to take responsibility for it, because that would be an admission they are guilty and they should be held to account- So this claim that they haven’t taken responsibility is of little consequence