|
Trending Topics
|
Israel's Expanding "War between Wars" with Iran
(Wall Street Journal) Dion Nissenbaum - The Israeli military says it has carried out more than 400 airstrikes in Syria and other parts of the Middle East since 2017 as part of a wide-ranging campaign targeting Iran and its allies. Israeli leaders refer to the campaign as the "war between wars," aimed at deterring Iran and weakening Tehran's ability to hit Israel in the event of an open war. "It's not 100% success," said Maj.-Gen. Amikam Norkin, who retired last week as head of Israel's air force, where he served as architect of the campaign. "But without our activity, the situation here might be much more negative." Among the targets hit are Russian-supplied air-defense systems, drone bases operated by Iranian military advisers, and precision-guided missiles bound for Hizbullah in Lebanon. The strikes have also killed more than 300 people, including Iranian military commanders, Syrian soldiers, and militants backed by Tehran, according to Stephane Cohen of NorthStar Security Analysis, an Israel-based consulting firm. The campaign has resulted in Iran's forces largely retreating from positions near the Israeli border to safer spots in eastern Syria, said Carmit Valensi, a research fellow at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. Israel has also used small quadcopter drones to carry out strikes inside Iran, according to people familiar with the covert campaign.