[News] Middle East conflict

[fly high]

Netanyahu, by baiting Iran, is dragging the US and UK further and further toward a direct conflict in the ME - I would argue that has always been his agenda (and said as much right at the beginning of this thread, although was lampooned for being a conspiracy theorist ) - it is not surprising to me that the attack on the Damascus complex happened against the backdrop of Western governments beginning to debate the wisdom of selling arms to Israel . Of course we would not leave Israel unprotected in the face of Iran aggression - if anything, Iran’s promise to retaliate for these repeated attacks has refocussed the debate on needing to ‘defend’ Israel. Well played Netanyahu - changed the debate, got a very public ‘vow of iron clad support’ from a President who was beginning to be a thorn in your side just by bombing the Iran embassy in Damascus. It is solely because of Iran’s reluctance to get dragged into a direct conflict, that Netanyahu has not yet managed to spread this into a wider conflict.

No wonder Israelis political commentators are beginning to regard Netanyahu as the most immediate existential threat to Israel.

Risks of bigger war rising as Iran intends to hit back over suspected Israeli embassy strike - but Biden knows he can't blink

After an airstrike killed Iranian generals in Syria's capital earlier this month, the risk of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza escalating across the Middle East has been rising - with the Israeli military preparing for Tehran's retaliation. The US knows weakness will only embolden both sides.

news.sky.com

Greatest existential threat to Israel is Benjamin Netanyahu

The Israeli war in Gaza has brought devastation to the strip, accompanied by the massacre of civilians, mostly women and children; however, it may have another casualty, the state of Israel itself.

www.presstv.ir

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/26/middleeast/netanyahu-letter-israel-national-security-intl/index.html

I have thought for some time Netanyahu is the biggest danger to Israel along with his extremist partners in power.

 

[Bozza]

Reports Iran has launched a load of kamikaze drones at Israel.

 

[Zeberdi]

Reports Iran has launched a load of kamikaze drones at Israel.

The signs have been for the last 24 hrs this was imminent - US and EU pulling out non essential embassy staff and restricting travel etc Israel had all their combat fighters in the air it was reported earlier, presumably to ‘protect them’ from being targeted at the air bases - so sad for everyone involved that it’s all come to this -

Iran launches dozens of drones at Israel, one injured in attack: Recap

Iran has threatened to retaliate for an April 1 attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed seven of its military commanders.

eu.usatoday.com

Israel has their ‘iron dome’ and amazing defence capabilities so hopefully the drones will be intercepted - CNN reporting White House committing US to Israel’s defence but expecting this will unfold over hours which gives Israel and US time to prepare.

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

All over shite fake religious beliefs and land. f***ing hate it.

 

[Zeberdi]

All over shite fake religious beliefs and land. f***ing hate it.

Please don’t attack Judaism or Islam - This is the results of Extremist ideology on both sides which as you say is about land and expansionist policies by a government supported by fascists to run Palestinians off their land...

The real concern is that Israel could ratch this up even further with a retaliatory attack on Iran‘s retaliation to the Embassy bombing

CNN - CRUISE missiles reportedly fired at Israel from Iran according to Israeli media - US now directly involved Middle Eastern airspace being shut down as drones head for Israel. Military targets most likely.

 

[pb21]

expecting this will unfold over hours which gives Israel and US time to prepare.

Yeah, apparently these drones will take hours to arrive, surely a suitable defence can be sorted?

 

[Exilegull]

Iran Israel war would be world war like event 10 drones tho sound like state of intent more than declaration of war hope it stays at that

 

[Zeberdi]

Iran Israel war would be world war like event 10 drones tho sound like state of intent more than declaration of war hope it stays at that

Actually about 100 now reportedly - plus Cruise missiles. It’s a significant attack but depending the on targets/ warnings, still measured. Israel needs not to respond with a direct attack on Iran - otherwise with Netanyahu in charge, it will be difficult to keep a lid on it.

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

Please don’t attack Judaism or Islam - This is the results of Extremist ideology on both sides which as you say is about land and expansionist policies by a government supported by fascists to run Palestinians off their land...

The real concern is that Israel could ratch this up even further with a retaliatory attack on Iran‘s retaliation to the Embassy bombing

CNN - CRUISE missiles reportedly fired at Israel from Iran according to Israeli media - US now directly involved Middle Eastern airspace being shut down as drones head for Israel. Military targets most likely.

Religion is the cause if most major wars. It is bought into every conflict. Religion causes extremism based on harsh ideologies. It is a load of bollocks that in this day and age, people suffer because of one’s beliefs when it’s quite obvious it is all based on stories rather than fact. I hate it. Why can’t we live in peace ffs.

 

[A1X]

Obviously, and it shouldn’t need saying, Iran are ****s and this is just pointless savagery. But did the west really think Israel blowing up the Iranian embassy in Damascus was something Iran was just going to accept and move on from? It’s like poking an angry dog in the eye and saying “don’t you dare bite him”, it’s clearly not going to work.

Israel has been trying to provoke Iran for months, through targeting Hezbollah bigwigs and now Iranian ones, this was only going to be a matter of time. If Israel had it’s embassy blown up by the Iranians I doubt they’d just sit back and let it lie either.

 

[Bozza]

Yeah, apparently these drones will take hours to arrive, surely a suitable defence can be sorted?

Those were just to keep the air defences busy.

They've launched the ballistic missiles now.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Mod edit title to include Iran? A small chance this is the start of WW3, let's have it clear for people visiting the site can quickly find it.

 

[Triggaaar]

A small chance this is the start of WW3

How so? I'd have thought the Russia/Ukraine war is more likely to start WW3.

 

[Zeberdi]

it’s quite obvious it is all based on stories rather than fact.

I guess it’s all about one’s own world view - IMO When you deconstruct the reasons why humans have gone to war since time immemorial- it’s nearly always over territory and resources:

I don’t think it is religion ‘causing wars‘ per se IMO as much as religion being appropriated as an excuse to justify wars against different/neighbouring community over finite resources. But of course on an online forum where it’s popular to be morally outraged at the moralists that argument is probably too nuanced for most people. Billions of religious people do good in the world by charitable works and humanitarian aid, and campaigning for peace - people forget that when condemning religion.

As for Israel interests in the occupied territories , Gaza is rich in sea gas, the West Bank sitting on oil reserves and East Jerusalem having access to the most important water source in the region, the River Jordan, a region that is desperately short of water.

When you start unpacking it, it is too ‘simple’ to blame Netanyahu’s war on Gaza on religion. He is all about staying in power and relying on far right extremists to keep him there. This is a tragically self-fufilling prophecy of his own making because he has for years refused to recognise the rights of Palestinians to self-determination, pursued settlement policies and cruelly oppressed a nation of people enforcing extreme humanitarian suffering. Because Israel and the West are allies, his overreaction in Gaza and continual baiting of Iran has led us all to the edge of the Abyss

I hate it. Why can’t we live in peace ffs.

No one could argue with that

But it could be extremely difficult to stop Israel responding to this with an even stronger direct attack on Iran.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

How so? I'd have thought the Russia/Ukraine war is more likely to start WW3.

Both equally likely

 

[beorhthelm]

i dont know why the world and dog desires "WW3" so much. i've read both Jordan and Syria are intending to intercept drones, reports RAF has already done so on patrolling Iraq boarder. decades ago there were conflicts between Israel and every one of it's neighbours, that didnt bring about a new world war - why would it now when its only Iran that is hard against them?

 

[Zeberdi]

i dont know why the world and dog desires "WW3" so much. i've read both Jordan and Syria are intending to intercept drones, reports RAF has already done so on patrolling Iraq boarder. decades ago there were conflicts between Israel and every one of it's neighbours, that didnt bring about a new world war - why would it now when its only Iran that is hard against them?

I agree - it does seem hawkish and alarmist to talk of WW3 but what does a WW3 look like? All out nuclear war or does it start with conventional weapons with each attack escalating further?

- a direct war with Iran would be a far more existential situation for Israel than a war with Lebanon or Syria. Iran is a massive presence in the ME , incredibly well armed with highly sophisticated military technology and proxy groups all over the ME that could do a lot off damage to Israel but also to American bases all over the ME. .

That and what is going on in Ukraine ..,

It is all a very different world than it was decades ago and it’s on a tinderbox.

 

[Cotton Socks]

Mod edit title to include Iran? A small chance this is the start of WW3, let's have it clear for people visiting the site can quickly find it.

First time visitor to the thread as I didn't know enough at the start, still don't know much about it, as I've had my fingers in my ears. Ukraine thread has been bad enough. It's even more disturbing that there are going to be more countries added to this thread. I am now wondering how long is it going to be until a WW3 thread has to be started. WTF is going on in this world.

 

[beorhthelm]

Iran has declared via UN they've made their point, they've completed the retaliation for the attack on the Damascus embassy. like the nation state version of slapping Israel with a glove.

 

[Zeberdi]

First time visitor to the thread as I didn't know enough at the start, still don't know much about it, as I've had my fingers in my ears. Ukraine thread has been bad enough. It's even more disturbing that there are going to be more countries added to this thread. I am now wondering how long is it going to be until a WW3 thread has to be started. WTF is going on in this world.

There’s a lot of background on this thread explaining how we got here tonight if you do want to catch up - Please though, not another War thread - especially one called ‘WW3’ ffs!!