Israel was behind attacks on natural gas pipelines that occurred inside Iran last week, The New York Times has reported, marking an escalation of Israel’s covert operations.
The Times report cited two unnamed Western officials and a military strategist affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). They said the attack, which hit two pipelines in the provinces of Fars and Chahar Mahal Bakhtiari, required deep knowledge of Iran’s energy infrastructure.
The Western officials said the attack was meant as a symbolic move and didn’t cause much damage, but Iranian officials said the attack caused disruptions in at least five provinces across Iran. According to the Times, energy experts estimate the sabotage knocked out about 15 percent of Iran’s daily natural gas production.
Iran has called the attack a “sabotage and terrorist” attack but has not yet blamed Israel. The military strategist affiliated with the IRGC said the Iranian government was aware that it was carried out by Israel. After previous Israeli covert attacks inside Iran, Iranian officials have usually waited a few days to assess the situation before formally blaming Israel.
The Western officials said Israel was also behind an explosion at a chemical plant outside of Tehran, but local officials said it was the result of an accident.
Israel has a long history of conducting covert operations inside Iran, including assassinations, sabotage at nuclear facilities, and small drone attacks. The latest Israeli attack comes as tensions are soaring in the region due to Israel’s onslaught in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has an interest in provoking a conflict with Iran since the US would likely directly intervene. Israel has also killed several members of the IRGC in its airstrikes in Syria since October 7 and continues launching major airstrikes in Lebanon.
US officials have previously told the media they fear Netanyahu might view a full-blown war in Lebanon as key to his political survival. Polling has shown the majority of Israelis want him to resign or want new elections once the Israeli slaughter in Gaza comes to an end, but a major regional war could stave off his political reckoning.
It beginning to look more and more like there are internal problems in Iran.
Looks more and more like a rogue state (Israel) is out of control.
The arrogance astounds:
~ Bloomberg
Lula was mistaken in one thing: this particular genocide resembles very closely the method of the Armenian Genocide, which btw was the model which Hitler cited when he sold his buddies on doing it to the Jews of Europe.
Genocide is genocide whether be US , Israeli or Nazi German model…!
True. But it drives at the heart of “defense” tied to the holocaust, that establishes the necessity of a Jewish state to begin with. When here they are committing the same atrocities, with the same unhinged speeches and the open prison, etc etc.
The Western officials said the attack was meant as a symbolic move and didn’t cause much damage, but Iranian officials said the attack caused disruptions in at least five provinces across Iran. According to the Times, energy experts estimate the sabotage knocked out about 15 percent of Iran’s daily natural gas production.
But never mind that the “West” would retaliate with a barrage of strikes/sanctions for anything similar.
It would be h*ll on earth.
Iran is trying hard not to give a reason for expanding the war, even sending a general to Iraq to tell the forces there to cool it on attacking American forces. Israel’s response? Blow up a natural gas line. Israel really, really wants Iran to react so it can bomb Iran, even use one of its tactical nukes.
Isn’t it lovely when our lovely “friend” Israel disturbs peace with ALL of its neighbors? How many Middle East wars can we get swept into?
Blowback. What will Iran hit back? And how?
It is not really a question of if, just when and how.
Doubt it.
I bet it was Nulland and Sullivan 🤷🏽♂️
It’s OK. President Bison will let us be propelled into yet another war in the ME, this time against Lebanon and Iran (hey, let’s go whole hog and do Syria too).
Hey Joe, here’s your chance to ramp up that body count and one-up your boyfriend in Tel Aviv.
This president and his affair with AIPAC is really beginning to grate.
The resistance “must” take covert revenge against the terrorist state of Israel. Israel will never be safe with its current mindset and embrace of mass murder, apartheid, and fiendish arrogance.
Regarding the nature of the conflict and the fate of Israel: