Israel's retaliation against the Islamic Republic is now imminent after 200 ballistic missiles were fired Tuesday evening at military bases and populated areas across the country. "An impressive defense effort," the army and politicians said today, but the IDF did not provide any percentage of the bombs shot down. And the damage, at least to homes and civilian structures, can be seen in photos published by the national media. The damage to the bases, however, is a military secret. Enough to wipe out decades of Israeli deterrence policy with a stroke of the sponge and move on to a new phase against the creators of the ring of fire surrounding the Jewish state.
"We are in the midst of a tough war against the axis of evil of Iran, which seeks to destroy us. This will not happen, because we will be united and, with God's help, we will win together," assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an evening video message. Despite his terrible relations with the president of his country's major ally, the United States, he knows that this time his army's objectives will have to be decided and shared with Joe Biden. The US president remotely warned the prime minister, declaring that "he would not support an attack on Iranian nuclear sites."
Whether Netanyahu actually discussed this possibility in his afternoon meeting in Tel Aviv with the intelligence directors, the defense minister and the chief of staff is unknown. But it is not difficult to imagine, as local media have reported, that the Tsahal could strike sites vital to Tehran's economy, which are already not in good condition. Israeli officials have said that the air force could bomb strategic Iranian infrastructure, namely oil and gas platforms, bringing the country to its knees.
The nuclear sites option is not excluded, they whispered. Tehran has no difficulty imagining the disaster that a massive Israeli attack could cause to the life of the country and the Pasdaran are working hard to spread the position of the ayatollahs on Telegram sites and channels: if Israel were to attack the oil plants, it is the threat, the crude oil extraction sites in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, Kuwait and Bahrain would be hit in retaliation, Channel 12 reported. That is, that network of Arab countries 'friendly' to Israel that, in Tehran's hopes, could put pressure on Bibi so that he does not overdo it.
Tehran is well aware that it has taken a step that could change its own history. As demonstrated by the multiple warnings, this time in clear, both to Netanyahu and to his allies, which began immediately after the raids and continued throughout today.
Ali Khamenei made a comeback in the morning, in his first public speech since the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, blaming the problems in the Middle East on "the United States and some European countries that falsely claim to defend peace and tranquility." The supreme leader carefully avoided mentioning the bombs thrown at Israel.
In Israel, meanwhile, the beginning of New Year's Day was divided between a carefree morning - after the danger had been averted - and an afternoon dejected by mourning for the eight commando soldiers, all in their twenties, killed by Hezbollah militants in the first hand-to-hand clashes in southern Lebanon . "A catastrophe," the media accused, alluding to Netanyahu's guilt.
(Online Union)
