Iran war: what role is Israel playing?
The US is working hand in hand with Israel in the war against Iran. Most recently, the Israeli Air Force has claimed credit for killing Iranian Security Council chief Ali Larijani. Israel, which has been repeatedly attacked by Iranian missiles, is currently also launching attacks on southern Lebanon, from where the Shiite Hezbollah militia has fired missiles at Israel. The media assess Israel's role and tactics on both fronts.
Destroying the power structure at any cost
Polityka questions Israel's motives:
“Israel is acting as if it wants to seize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is attacking all targets that have any connection to the Iranian regime, as well as those whose destruction could trigger social unrest. Israel's goal, it seems, is to destroy Iran's power structure, even if that means chaos, civil war, or even the collapse of Iran. It's the same strategy Israel pursues towards the Palestinians and, currently, also towards Lebanon.”
Netanyahu calling the shots
For political scientist Aleksey Kopytko, Israel is the big winner in this conflict. He writes on Facebook:
“Israel has brought a strong ally on board for this campaign and is systematically destroying Iran's military capabilities. Once it has restored order along its borders, it can take stock of the gains made in this phase. Collateral damage in the form of attacks on Jewish institutions in countries like the Netherlands and Belgium only plays into Netanyahu's hands. In other words, Israel has already won. Every day it reaps additional benefits. The term 'Israel's war against Iran' fully captures what is going on.”
Political solution needed to defeat Hezbollah
NRC says Israel's attacks in Lebanon are the wrong strategy:
“After decades of conflict, it should be clear that a show of military force will not destroy Hezbollah. Killed leaders are replaced, weapons depots relocated, and fighters lie low until the next round of fighting begins. Israel has the right to protect its population militarily in the event of an attack, but only a political solution in which all parties respect the rights of the Lebanese people can truly lead to Hezbollah's defeat. Now the civilian population is suffering disproportionately under Israeli air strikes.”
No democratic community can tolerate this
Der Tagesspiegel also sees Israel's campaign against Hezbollah as a mistake:
“Bombs alone will not defeat Hezbollah. They only devastate the country, killing or displacing women, children and men who have nothing to do with this conflict. This breeds an anger upon which no stability can be built, let alone anything resembling peace. Without a comprehensive ground offensive, the threat posed by the militia cannot be eliminated. ... This would mean that Israel would remain a country in war mode for the foreseeable future. This state of emergency places an excessive burden not only on the armed forces and the economy, but also on society. Always carrying a weapon in one's hand - no democratic community can tolerate that.”
Putting strain on a long-standing friendship
Kathimerini looks ahead to future relations between the US and Israel:
“As the costs of the operation begin to weigh on American voters, the focus of criticism will sharpen into a simple question: 'Why - and for whose sake - did we actually go to war?' US-Israel relations have weathered serious crises in the past. Yet the extent to which Trump - and, by extension, the United States - has aligned itself with developments in Iran and with Netanyahu is likely to carry significant political consequences. In the short term, these may be felt in the November congressional elections. Beyond that, they may put the resilience of the long-standing doctrine of unconditional US support for Israel to the test.”