Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Founding Chair GSRRA, Sinologist, Diplomat, Editor, Analyst, Consultant, Advisor, and Non-Resident Fellow of CCG. (E-mail: awanzamir@yahoo.com).

Iran launched a retaliatory strike Saturday night on Israel for its deadly attack on Iranian officers in the Islamic Republic’s embassy in Damascus after days of signaling it would do so. The response came in waves throughout Saturday, beginning with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seizing a vessel in the Red Sea connected to Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s company, Zodiac Maritime. By around 11 pm local time, that had graduated to multiple waves of attack drones and missiles headed toward Israeli targets.

“In exercising its inherent right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and in response to the Israeli regime recurring military aggressions, particularly its armed attack on 1st April 2024 against Iranian diplomatic premises, in defiance of Article 2 (4) of the UN Charter and in flagrant violation of Int'l Law, and subsequent to the failure of the UNSC in taking measures necessary to condemn and hold the aggressor accountable, Iran carried out a series of military strikes on Israeli military objectives,” Iranian UN mission said. “As a responsible Member of the UN, Iran is committed to the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter and Int'l law, and reiterates its consistent position that it does not seek escalation or conflict in the region,” it added.

Iran’s response was legitimate and justified. Israeli aggression, and attack on Iranian Diplomatic mission in Syria was clear violation of UN Charter and Israeli action is considered a terrorist act. As a matter of fact, Israeli genocide in Gaza is also condemnable act. Killing 34000 Palestinians, injuring hounded thousands, and making around 2 million people homeless, and creating a famine situation in Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu has emerged a Hitler of 21st Century. It is a simple case of holocaust. 

As the Israeli attack on Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria has angered the entire nation in Iran, and there was huge public pressure in Iranian Government to respond. Furthermore, it election time in Iran, and a political aspect cannot be ignored. If, Iranian Government, has not responded, may not be able to face its public and election results may not be in their favor.

However, Iran has made its symbolic retaliation merely. It used low speed weapons, with less pay-load, or war heads. May be deliberately, Iran observed restrains and was not willing to harm Israel significantly.  No death, no major damage or harm to Israeli assets, indicates clearly that Iran do not want to widen the escalation and the attack was symbolic merely.

While two of the Israeli government’s most hardline ministers on Sunday urged a firm response to the overnight Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urging a response that "resonates throughout the Middle East" and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Israel should "go crazy." Smotrich, the head of the far-right Religious Zionism party, said that if Israel hesitated, "we will put ourselves and our children in existential danger." Ben Gvir, the leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, said Israel’s response must not be “weak,” and that “the concepts of containment and proportionality are concepts that passed away on October 7,” the day of the Hamas attack on Israel.

Israel’s war cabinet has begun its meeting. The war cabinet consists of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Benny Gantz, the leader of the National Union party and a former Defense Minister. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and politicians Gadi Eisenkot and Aryeh Deri sit in the war cabinet as observers. The war cabinet meeting comes as Israel determines its response after Iran launched dozens of missiles from its territory toward Israel late Saturday. 

It is worth mentioning that, Prime Minister Netanyahu has been facing huge criticism within Israel and his popularity dropped sharply. It is well conceived that, he will be charged for war crimes. That is why he dissolved his regular Cabinet and formed a war cabinet to protect him from domestic pressures. The day, he ends war, he have to go for election, and he knows very well the outcomes of elections. He just wanted to widen the war, and never ending war, to avoid elections and protect his future.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has a long history of anti-Iran sentiments. He convinced former President Trump to with draw from nuclear deal with Iran. He has been lobbying to involve US in confrontation with Iran. To some extent, he has been successful in dragging US in the Middle-East war. 

It is election year in the US and both presidential candidates, Biden and Trump, needs Jews support to win elections. US support to Israel is politically motivated too. Historically, no one can rule the US without the support from Jews since the 2nd world war. 

US President Joe Biden made clear the US will not participate in any offensive operations against Iran, according to a senior administration official. However, US engagement is Middle-East war may benefits China and Russia. It might diffuse American pressure on Russia in Ukraine and Taiwan pressure on China.

Geopolitics are rather complicated and big powers might have their own point of view or interests, but, the irony is that People of Palestine are suffering. Many people are starving and it is feared that more people will die by starvation that the Israeli attacks. Even the UN failed to protect the poor Palestinians in Gaza. 

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)