US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday that he believes Iran wants to “avoid a major armed conflict with Israel,” but that continued Israeli attacks on targets in Syria may ultimately spark an Iranian retaliation.
“Israeli strikes that result in Iranian casualties increase the likelihood of Iranian conventional retaliation against Israel.” Coats added that Israeli strikes are raising growing concerns that the “conflict will escalate.”
Coats’ comments actually reflect an assessment from Israeli President Reuven Rivlin made just a day before, that he believes Iran will “retaliate with greater force” against northern Israel, and that Israel can no longer trust in “understandings” with Russia to avoid Iran retaliating against attacks.
Israeli officials used to be secretive about attacking Iranian targets, but with an election looming are increasingly bragging up the strikes as proof that they are being tough with Iran. Despite this, Coats says there is no sign the Israeli strikes are deterring Iranian plans to stay inside Syria.
Israeli officials have emphasized their intention to keep acting against Iran in Syria, despite it having not accomplished anything so far, and despite concerns from both US and Israeli officials that all it is doing is risking an escalation.
If Israel does not manage to get Iran out of Syria that also increases the risks of attacks coming against Israel .
By whom? Unlike Yisrael, Iran has not attacked anyone in more than 200 years.
But keep up the hasbara.
Iran sent terrorist forces to attack Serbs in Bosnia and Kosovo . These terrorists were hauled into Yugoslavia by U.S. planes . But I don’t know if these were official forces sent by the Iranian government or just voluntary Jihadist Muslims that travel to every conflict Muslims always have . Iran has always supported and backed Hizballah and has been trying to get better weapons in their hands while Iran is in Syria .
One can dream
Israel has always been the provocateur…period. Iran has not attacked anyone since Iraq unjustly attacked it with US backing in the 80’s. Israel does does deserve massive violent blowback for all of its false flag attacks including those attacks on 9/11.
Israel is trying to have an escalation which sucks in the USA —so they have to act quickly before USA leaves
War is exactly what Israel wants- as long as they don’t have to fight it. Israel has been such a staunch ally in the region, but I’m pretty sure there are no IDF troops in Iraq or Afghanistan fighting alongside our guys.
Of course there aren’t any IDF troops in Iraq or in Afghanistan, John, I don’t believe they have troops on the ground in Syria, either. They’re cowards.
The Zionist Entity really wants a war with Iran – so long as they don’t have to fight it. Well, guess what, we’re not going to fight Iran, either. I suppose that means there won’t be one against Iran. The only part of Israel’s military that is fighting Iranian positions in Syria is the Air Force, firing missiles from a safe distance, so as not to get shot down by Syria’s missile defenses. Cowardice at its best, eh? Israel has NO allies, only vassals, and the US is the top vassal.
However, when it comes to Syria and Iran, the US has made it clear it has no intentions of engaging in a war with them. Why? Syria and Iran are also allied with China and Russia (and Russia has Air Force, Army, and Special Forces personnel in Syria). The Trotskyists, including Bonkers Bolton and Pompous Pompass, can threaten all they want, but it’s all bloviating bluster.
“despite concerns from both US and Israeli officials that all it is doing is risking an escalation”
Because of hopes among both US and Israeli officials that they can achieve an escalation into the attack on Iran which they seek.
How refreshing for a US official to acknowledge that the ally who we massively arm is engaging in dangerous aggression.
Russia needs to instill a sense of fear into the Zionist regime. This would be by deploying a nuclear deterrent inside of Iran manned by Russia. Should a conventional war break out, Israel would not be allowed to use nukes and if it did a counter strike would happen. Israel is a sociopathic state, and needs to be deterred on all fronts.
Israel is trying to get the US to attack Hizballah in Lebanon – a necessary precondition to starting the war with Iran. So Israel is using the excuse that Iran is in Syria to help Hizballah by building missiles in Syria for transport to Hizballah in Lebanon. The attacks on “Iranian forces” in Syria are not solely because Israel views them as a “threat” to Israel – because they aren’t a threat to anyone except jihadists in Syria – but to justify a US attack on Hizballah. Then and only then will Israel start a war with Iran.
Trump is likely to fall for this – and in any event he appears to have limited control over Bolton and the other neocons. Plus he wants a war with Iran and Israel won’t start that until Hizballah is degraded enough so Israel doesn’t have to fear 6,500 missiles a day landing in Israel, which would devastate the Israeli economy by forcing the population into bomb shelters 24×7.
Iran won’t strike back against Israel from Syria. Iran knows Israel is baiting them and won’t fall for it. And Israel knows this as well, even as they hope they can lure Iran into doing so. Which is why the primary goal – getting the US to attack Hizballah – is hidden behind their public rhetoric. What matters is what pressure Israel is putting on Trump and the neocons to attack Hizballah.
Even if Iran did conduct some small-scale attacks on Israel from inside Syria, Israel would use that as an excuse to primarily get the US to attack Hizballah – and Syria. Because that was the original plan – get the US to attack Syria, which would allow Israel to cross Syrian territory to attack Hizballah, also with US help. But Russia’s entry into Syria put paid to that original plan.
So now we have the new plan – use Iran’s entry into Syria to get the US to attack Hizballah and extend that war into Syria. Same plan, just a different approach.
The question remains: will Russia see through this ploy and take steps against Israel if Israel escalates the conflict with Syria?. Russia does not want a conflict with Israel and is between a rock and a hard place as a result. Russia also does not want Israel attacking Lebanon again and has offered “military cooperation” with Lebanon – but not direct military support. Russia also does not want to see another Mid-East war over Iran.
If Russia does not want to see its gains in Syria evaporate as a result of an Israeli-US attack on Lebanon and Syria, Russia will have to step up and force Israel to back down. Otherwise sooner or later Israel and the US will attack Lebanon, Syria – and then Iran. This has been in the cards for at least the last 15 years and the neocons and Israel will not stop until they get this result. Only Russia can stop them.