The next few days, even the next few hours, may decide whether or not the US leadership will authorize Israel to attack Iran and launch a large-scale military operation in retaliation for Iran's attacks on Israeli military targets last night. It is also a question of whether the United States itself will participate in attacks directly against Iran, and to what extent.
Iran's news agency reported that its country's armed forces struck Israeli military targets with both drones and ballistic missiles. Iran stated that the attacks were based on Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows military action in self-defense. It is a countermeasure to the attack by Israel, which its fighter jets carried out at the beginning of April on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Israel killed two high-ranking Iranian generals and several others in the attack.
The UN Security Council is expected to meet on Sunday to deal with the situation. Already in the morning, Israel demanded that an emergency meeting be convened immediately. The United States and its key allies have condemned Iran's attacks. They did not condemn Israel's attack on Iran's Syrian consulate, even though the attack on the diplomatic representation is against international agreements.
Both the United States and Israel have said they have intercepted a "significant number" of drones and missiles launched by Iran at night.
In the early hours of the morning, the Israeli army announced that, in cooperation with its allies, it had shot down nearly two hundred drones and missiles before they reached Israeli territory. However, some of Iran's attacks have hit their targets in Israel. According to the announcement of the Israeli army, the damage has so far remained "minor".
President of the United States Joe Biden cut short his visit to Delaware for the night and returned to the White House, where he met with his key security advisers. He also repeated the statements he made earlier about the "ironclad" support for Israel. Biden had already previously given the order to be involved in preventing Iran's attacks alongside Israel.
In recent days, the United States has also strengthened its military presence in several countries in the Middle East and also in the sea near Israel.
Iran would have been ready to abandon the counter strike if the UN had condemned the Israeli strike
Last Thursday, Iran called on the UN Security Council to condemn Israel's attack on the country's consulate on April 1. Iran later criticized the Security Council for not being ready for this.
Iran already announced earlier that it would be ready to abandon the retaliatory attack if the UN Security Council condemns the Israeli attack and holds the perpetrators responsible for the attack.
Russia's ambassador to the UN Wassily Nebenzia said that Moscow had tried to get a proposal for a position on condemning Israel's attack approved in the UN Security Council, but the United States, Britain and France were not ready for this.
Among the permanent members of the Security Council, Russia and China have condemned Israel's attack on Damascus, but the United States and Britain have not officially criticized Israel.
An April 1 Israeli strike on Damascus killed key Iranian generals
On April 1, 2024, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the annex of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, the capital of Syria.
16 people were killed in the attack, the most famous and most likely Israeli target was the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and seven other Revolutionary Guard officers. One of them was the deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guard, a brigadier general Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahini.
Revolutionary Guard commander Zahedi is the highest-ranking Iranian officer killed since January 2020. That's when the United States killed a major general in an attack at Iraq's Baghdad airport Qasem Soleimani.
The order for the deadly attack was given by the then President of the United States Donald Trump. Soleiman was known above all for his achievements in defeating ISIS. He led Iran's fight to defeat the Islamic terrorist organization ISIS throughout the Middle East.
Five members of the Iranian-backed militia were also killed in the Israeli attack on Damascus. One of those killed in the attack was a Hezbollah fighter and an Iranian adviser. Two of those killed in the attack were civilians.
According to the British newspaper Guardian, Colonel Mohammad Reza Zahed, who was killed by Israel, has played a key role in the cooperation between Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah organization. The Guardian's information has not been confirmed by either Iran or Hezbollah.
Ambassador of Iran Hossein Akbari stated after the strike that it was missiles fired from Israeli F-35 fighter jets. The fighters had fired six missiles at the consulate annex and it was completely destroyed.
According to the New York Times' anonymous source, there was a meeting between representatives of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Palestinians in the destroyed building, and the discussion discussed the events in Gaza. The New York Times claim has also not been confirmed.
The Iranian ambassador and his family, who were in the main building of the consulate next door, survived the missile strike unharmed. The Canadian embassy, which was next to the consulate, was somewhat damaged in a missile strike, but the building has been empty due to the Syrian civil war for more than ten years.
Immediately after the attack in Damascus, Biden announced that the United States would "ironically" support Israel
President of the United States announced immediately after the attack on Damascus that it would support Israel "ironically" in its possible new actions against Iran and its backers. Biden did not condemn the Israeli attack, but promised cooperation with Israel against Iran. "We will do everything we can to protect Israel's security."
The US has claimed that it had nothing to do with the Israeli attacks and was not aware of them in advance. In the Middle East, the assurances of the United States are hardly believed, because the country has been caught in its lies dozens, if not hundreds of times over the decades.
The US made its statement apparently primarily because it fears attacks by Iran and its allies on its own military bases or embassies in the Middle East.
On Thursday, the commander of US forces in the Middle East Michael Kurilla arrived in Israel. The purpose was, together with the Israeli military leadership, to prepare joint countermeasures against possible Iranian retaliatory attacks.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that it would strike back directly at targets in Iran if Iran strikes Israel from its own territory. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that whoever strikes Israel will strike back.
US Secretary of State Antony blinken was in contact with the foreign ministers of China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well as some European countries, demanding that the countries demand that Iran not escalate the situation.
And the French president Emmanuel Macron and the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock were connected to Iran. Macron said France had warned Iran against attacking Israel.
Israel's attack on Damascus was widely condemned - Finland remained silent about the attack
The Syrian government called the Israeli attack on the center of its capital a terrorist attack.
The spokesman for the UN Secretary General said that attacks on foreign countries are always a violation of the sovereignty of the country that has been attacked. "We have condemned such attacks and will do so in the future as well."
The European Union did not condemn Israel's attack on Damascus. The EU was content to express only its concern and called for restraint after the attack. Most EU member states have also been silent about the attack.
President of Iran Ebrahim raisi immediately announced that the blow would not go unrequited. The same point was also echoed by Iran's spiritual leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In numerous cities, including Tehran - the capital of Iran - immediately after the attacks in Damascus, large-scale demonstrations were organized, remembering the victims killed by Israel and vowing to strike back. Along with the national flag of Iran, the demonstrators have also conspicuously displayed the flags of Palestine.
Israel, on the other hand, evacuated several of its country's embassies, fearing a symmetrical counterattack on its own embassies.
Stubb condemned the "reckless" attack
President Alexander Stubb writes in the message service X that Finland condemns Iran's "reckless" attack. Now it is extremely important to calm the situation, and Finland appeals to all parties to show self-control, Stubb writes.
12 comments on the post “The threat of a great war in the Middle East"
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Finland is only ever deeper in the arms of the USA. The EU is a complete puppet. Israel is allowed to break all the laws and no one stands up against it. Yes, eyes should be opened. The Jews are meant to become masters of the world by enslaving the fools who now support them.
FINLAND IS NO LONGER AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY
Finland's political leadership operates in accordance with US and EU regulations. Finland did not condemn Israel's attack on the Iranian consulate, but condemned Iran's counterattack. Finnish leading politicians are p-lickers of the USA and the EU, who are a kind of herd animals. Israel's decades-long oppression and murders of Palestinians in Gaza are not in the memory of our decision-makers, but the interests of Israel and the USA determine the pace. The shockingly stupid military and financial aid to Ukraine is proof that our herd-minded decision-makers do not care about our national interests, but serve the EU and the USA. When the USA completes its base in Finland, it attacks Russia (false flag) and Finland acts like Ukraine in the USA's proxy war. You can see. The USA's military industrial complex and the Zionists determine the USA's policy of world conquest. How much does joining NATO cost Finland? Wouldn't it be better to take care of the poor of our own people than to waste absurd sums on NATO and Ukraine.
This is a prelude to war between Iran and Israel (USA). If Israel (USA) attacks Iran, then the actual attack will come from Iran. After that, we will see if Israel (USA) will use nuclear weapons.
THE IRANIAN ATTACK
The purpose of Israel's attack on the Iranian consulate was to provoke Iran into retaliating, which would cause a war between Israel and Iran. The Zionists are trying to cover up the genocide in Gaza and create a major war in the Middle East. Netanyahu's government is a bunch of criminals who want a big war. Israel is militarily superior in the Middle East. The Zionists also want the Palestinians out of Greater Israel's way. USA and EU support Israel no matter what.
The USA is completely under the power of the Zionists and the Christians of the USA also support Israel, "God's own nation". “Every time we do something, we are warned that America will punish us for it. Remember: There is no need to fear that the United States will put pressure on Israel. We, the Jewish people, rule America and the Americans know it too.” Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon October 3, 2001. Kol Yisrael radio. The world is on the brink of World War III. The Zionists seek world power with the help of a great war.
I sincerely hope that I am right when I guess that even if a war against Iran would suit the United States in itself, now is not the optimal time for such a war because of the poorly run war campaign in Ukraine and the war of destruction that has heavily consumed the bombs in Gaza. One can also ask whether it chooses between China and Iran by accepting Israel's military actions against Iran or participating in them itself. My guess is that the United States does not want a large-scale war with Iran right now.
It still suits the United States that during his run amok, Benjamin Netanyahu also hurries in the direction of Iran. Iran knows that Israel has a nuclear arsenal and Iran also knows that Israel knows that it knows. Still, Iran is not Lebanon or Syria, where you can strike whenever you like. Israel also attacked Iranian representatives in Syria, not in Tehran. If Israel starts sending F-35 bombers to Tehran, we are in a serious place.
Over the years, Iran has shown great composure, even though provocations have been made one after another by accomplices Israel and the United States. Iran may have regional superpower aspirations, but they seem to be secondary to the development goal of its own country. Iran's rebuttal to Israel was so careful and politely limited that it can be considered mainly as a communication intended for its own people. Let's hope it was here this time.
The "reckless attack" condemned by Stubb would have been suitable to describe Israel's attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria. Apparently, at least for the time being, Iran has tried to limit its attacks on Israeli military targets in its counterattack.
There is actually something very reckless in the way Israel constantly places itself above all the most important international laws and agreements and undermines their credibility - and while the USA and its vassal states defend this right of their horrors to "defend themselves" in flagrant violation of international human rights and now also diplomatic immunity contracts.
It is also deeply worrying that the UN Security Council was unable to condemn this attack on the embassy, even though it was so clearly against international law. The entire international legal system established after the Second World War is a fragile structure, based only on the voluntary commitment of states to respect it. If it is constantly blatantly violated, the whole system loses its credibility and the consequences are incredibly unpleasant for everyone. How the so-called "the west" can accept such a practice that embassies are henceforth free game that can be attacked without it being an act of war that justifies - or even obliges - defense?
How could the UN condemn the attacks made by Israel, when in 60 years the UN has not done anything to end the illegal trade embargo of the USA against Cuba.
Voted 30 times in the United Nations with the results 187-2. And every time the illegal embargo ends, two opponents, surprise surprise:
Israel and the USA.
Why doesn't Stubb threaten sanctions, blocks, demand an entire blockade, travel bans, trade embargo etc. against the USA, if he preaches and howls about "democracy" and a converging EU spirit?
The entire UN and the statements and condemnations are a joke. Just comical entertainment with expensive theatrical costs.
Put the USA and Israel under a complete political and commercial boycott. The whole UN and EU and NATO are complete jokes, although they are not laughing.
The USA has not been boycotted, even though they have rioted in dozens of places as far as Vietnam!!!
I think so too! If I remember correctly, Putin has been criticizing this "use of double standards" in international politics for a long time...
Simplicus has long followed the development of missile warfare. In his latest article, he analyzes the revolutionary significance of the Iranian missile strike. In the first phase, Iran launched a large number of drones and slow cruise missiles, most of which were successfully countered by the armed forces of the USA, Britain and Israel. But in addition to these weapons, Iran has developed a large number of inexpensive ballistic missiles, the warheads of which are able to change their trajectory in the final stage and even accelerate some of them. It makes it very difficult to combat them. Although only a few of these ballistic missiles were launched by Iran, a significant number of them seem to have penetrated Israel's missile defense, which is considered the best in the world. According to several videos, Iran's ballistic missiles hit e.g. to two Israeli air bases.
Since Iran has a possibly four-digit number of these ballistic missiles in its inventory, now Iran can destroy Israel's entire infrastructure in an instant.
Although Israel has a nuclear weapon, it is now known in Israel that if it were to use it against Iran, Iran would have the ability to retaliate, where it could detonate numerous missiles containing "dirty", radioactive nuclear material in major Israeli cities, and in addition destroy Israel's nuclear reactor, after which the surface Israel, which is smaller in area, would be practically destroyed. Thus, Israel's biggest trump card, i.e. nuclear weapons, is no longer a viable threat against Iran.
Iran has already announced that if Israel launches a major counterattack, Iran will respond violently and from now on, every smaller attack against Iran will be responded to in the same measure.
According to the author of the article, this is a huge turn in the power relations in the Middle East.
According to my own understanding, Israel's best chance is to very quickly calm the situation, establish a ceasefire in Gaza and agree to a two-state solution. The occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip after the Iranian missile attack no longer increases its security, but weakens it.
Source: https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/iran-breaches-anglo-zionist-defenses
Thanks for the link!