Iran’s Caution With Israel Angers Allies
After indicating a major assault on Israel was imminent, Iran is preaching caution to its allies, angering Hezbollah and Hamas in particular. Hezbollah, which is also expected to attack Israel at any moment, recently saw one of its commanders, Fuad Shukr, killed in Beirut; and Hamas lost 100 terrorist members in a recent IDF operation as well as its political leader Ismail Haniyeh two weeks ago.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard leadership and Iran’s regional allies engaged in a heated argument in Tehran on Sunday that revealed the depth of the tension between the two sides. Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Iraqi factions, and the Houthis were represented at the meeting. Iran directed them to wait at least until after hostage negotiations in Gaza conclude by Thursday before striking Israel. But Iran’s allies seek to begin their assault immediately and are willing to confront the American troops in the region to do so, though Iran believes this approach would benefit Israel and instead suggests killing Israeli leaders in retaliation for the deaths of resistance leaders.
The Middle East pot is bubbling over and likely will erupt any day now. Israel must prepare for such an attack as a certainty, using Iran’s delay to map out a defense plan and fortify its forces. It appears any major developments largely hinge on the next 24 hours of hostage negotiations. Israel continues to grapple with the horrific, torturous plight of hostages who have spent 10 months in Hamas captivity and the completion of the nation’s ultimate goal of dismantling Hamas and eliminating its capabilities for large-scale terrorism. Perhaps these negotiations will provide the type of resolution Israel has long been seeking.
