Israel’s strike on Iran: A dangerous escalation in the Middle East power struggle

The unilateral manner in which Israel is currently fashioning events in the volatile Middle East is added evidence that the extreme far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu considers it a law unto itself. As though the disruption caused by what is currently going on in Gaza and Lebanon was not enough, Tel Aviv had all of a sudden decided to pour additional oil in troubled waters by striking Iran with devastating blows.

The Israeli threat to attack Iran is, of course, not new. Both countries have been at daggers drawn for decades, given that each is striving to emerge as an unquestioned regional superpower, and cannot allow a second entity to pose as a rival. Iran's ambition to develop nuclear weapons has been a red flag for Israel and it has repeatedly reiterated its determination to use military force to put a stop to Iran's nuclear programme.

Clearly, Netanyahu sees this moment as opportune to carry out his design-for one thing, confronted with ostracization by much of the international community because of his criminal acts against civilians in Gaza, he desperately needs a distraction which will pull back estranged allies to his side.

Neutralizing a common enemy like Tehran, particularly seeing that it is at the moment at its weakest due to internal troubles, appears to Tel Aviv to be what the doctor prescribed!

Ever since its formation, Israel's secret agenda had been to radically reshape the Middle East for its own purpose, and the decision to carry out the assault on Iran has been welded into that design, no matter that it is a dangerous move, the ultimate implications of which no one can foretell!

However, the Israeli assault does point to a widening of the Middle East imbroglio-given Israel's missile-tight defence which includes the Iron Dome, Iran might find it difficult to hit it directly, but thorough proxies and allies, which is sure to widen the theatre of conflict by drawing other Arab nations into it. Iran might also be tempted to attack American bases in the region, even risking a full-scale conflict with the US.

Israel has been careful to project the danger posed by Iran's nuclear capabilities to be the reason behind its assault, a rationale which would be more acceptable to its estranged allies. It is announcing to the world that eliminating a nuclear threat is essential to its survival.

But the problem is that the Iranian regime too may now feel that this is a fight for its own survival, and it has to show its strength to other Arab nations hostile to Tel Aviv. There can be little doubt that the conflict in the Middle East is about to escalate, with the entire globe paying for it!