IRAN LOOKING FOR TROUBLE

BLOG 528

August 2, 2021

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

Each week Robert L. Wise, Ph.D., explores the Middle Eastern situation, ranging from Egypt through Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the surrounding area. Wise first traveled to Israel and the neighboring countries in 1968. Two of his sons taught in Jordan and Lebanon universities. Wise presents an objective view of the behind the scenes situation in these countries.

IRAN LOOKING FOR TROUBLE   

There’s always something … and often it’s not good. Here’s the latest in the shadow war between Israel and Iran.

Iran appears to have made a deadly attack on an Israeli-operated ship using a suicide drone. Two foreign crewmen were killed. Iranian media claims this is a response to strikes in Syria. Israel’s defense leadership convened Friday night to discuss what it believes to be an Iranian attack on a ship with Israeli ties.  A senior government source accused Tehran of “sowing destruction” and said it was proving itself to be “a global problem.”

An unnamed US official told The Associated Press it appeared that a so-called “suicide drone” was used in the attack. A senior Israeli government source said on condition of anonymity Friday evening that “Iran is sowing violence and destruction in every corner of the region. They were so eager to attack an Israeli target that they’ve embroiled themselves and incriminated themselves in the killing of foreign citizens.”

In a statement Friday night, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said he was in continuous contact with his British counterpart Dominic Raab and had “noted to him the need to respond severely to the attack.” “Iran is not just an Israeli problem, but an exporter of terror, destruction and instability that hurt us all,” he said. “The world must not be silent in the face of Iranian terror.”

An Israeli official cited by the Ynet news site hinted at possible retaliation, saying it would be difficult for Israel to ignore the latest attack. An Israeli official said, “The only question is how and when we’ll respond.” Analysts said the attack bore all the hallmarks of tit-for-tat exchanges in the undercover war between Israel and Iran, in which vessels linked to each nation have been targeted in waters around the Gulf.

The assault represented the worst-known maritime violence so far in regional attacks on shipping since 2019. The US, Israel and others have blamed the attacks on Iran amid the unraveling of Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. With a new hardline Iranian president set to be sworn in, the masks are coming off and no one can pretend they don’t know the character of the Iranian regime.

An Israeli office concluded, “Iran isn’t just Israel’s problem, it is a global problem, and its behavior endangers free global shipping and trade. Our campaign against them will continue.”

My latest books:

I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II

Alongside One of the U.S. Army’s Greatest Generals!

by Frank Sisson (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

You can find I MARCHED WITH PATTON on Amazon.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)