Iran and Israel: is all-out war inevitable?
Tehran has vowed revenge for assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, but Gaza ceasefire could offer way out
Since Hamas invaded southern Israel on 7 October last year, the threat of a wider regional war has been "ever-present", said The Daily Telegraph.
Now, it appears, it may be upon us. Israeli, US and European intelligence sources all warned this week that Iran was preparing to launch a strike against Israel in reprisal for the recent assassinations of senior leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas, its allies in Lebanon and Gaza. Such an escalation could spark a conflagration in the region.
'A ceasefire is how Iran avoids the trap'
A ceasefire there, and the return of Israeli hostages, is the key to defusing the situation, said the Financial Times. Talks have been "deadlocked" for months, with Hamas insisting that any hostage deal should guarantee a permanent end to the war in Gaza, which the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently rejects.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In recent weeks, Hamas has softened its preconditions; but Netanyahu has hardened Israel's position, even as his security chiefs have called for a deal. And Israel's assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's main negotiator, was a major setback. Hamas refused to attend this week's planned ceasefire negotiations in either Doha or Cairo.
That may merely be a ploy for leverage, said Esfandyar Batmanghelidj in The Guardian. Many in Hamas, according to negotiators, are now actively seeking a deal. And Iran knows that Netanyahu has laid a trap for them with the recent assassinations. "A ceasefire is how Iran avoids the trap."
Iran could 'call Israel's bluff'
Iran, however, has vowed revenge, said Paul Wood in The Spectator. It may be satisfied with a symbolic strike – or it could "call Israel's bluff" by, say, activating Hezbollah, which has the weaponry to overwhelm Israel's missile defences and cause real damage.
Many Israelis believe that Netanyahu is keeping the war in Gaza going for as long as he can, for his own cynical reasons, said Haaretz's editorial board: without it, his fragile ruling coalition will collapse. The targeted assassinations were a "showy" gamble that has put Israel on the brink of disaster.
President Biden himself has expressed fury and frustration at Netanyahu's position. The prime minister would do well to listen to his allies and seek a lasting ceasefire.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Being more nuanced will not be easy for public health agencies'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Where did Democratic voters go?
Voter turnout dropped sharply for Democrats in 2024
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
4 tips to save as health care costs rise
The Explainer Co-pays, prescription medications and unexpected medical bills can really add up
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
What's happening at the North Korea border?
The Explainer Tensions rise as hermit kingdom blows up 'symbolic' roads after accusing Seoul of flying drones over Pyongyang
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Russia and Iran 'up the ante' after meeting in Turkmenistan
The Explainer Two nations talk up their closer ties but some in Tehran believe Putin 'still owes' them
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel's wars: is an end in sight – or is this just the beginning?
Today's Big Question Lack of wider strategic vision points to 'sustained low-intensity war' on multiple fronts
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
How the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war set the stage for 2024
Both sides have been planning for the possibility of another conflict since the devastating month-long war 18 years ago
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Middle East crisis: is there really a diplomatic path forward?
Today's Big Question Recent escalation between Israel and Hezbollah might have dented US influence in the conflict
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The African asylum seekers fighting for Israel in Gaza
Under the Radar 'Quid pro quo' recruitment offer condemned as unethical as Israel seeks to address shortage of soldiers
By The Week Staff Published
-
Mossad's history with explosive technology
The Explainer Infamous Israeli spy agency has not claimed responsibility for Hezbollah's exploding pagers but has 'decades-long' list of remote assassinations
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Second only to a nuclear bomb' – the controversial arms Russia is using in Ukraine
The Explainer Thermobaric bombs 'capable of vaporising human bodies' have been used against Ukraine
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published