Op True Promise / Iron Shield - 15 April 2024 - Who Won?
Fred Kaplan noted " it is nonsense to argue, as some have, that Iran meant for the attack to inflict little or no damage. Iran intended to cause much death and destruction. This fact changes the calculus—and alters many of the premises in viewing what has been a “shadow war” between Israel and Iran. Iran emerges from this incident looking very bad to all the world’s players. The attack was neither proportionate nor effective. In other words, it set off alarm bells, both for foes (the attack’s moxie and scale make Iran seem more threatening and risk-prone) and for friends (the attack’s failure makes Iran seem like a bit of a paper tiger—an aspiring great power whose protection is less than reliable).... Iran has committed a major miscalculation. It emerged from the attack much weaker than it seemed just a few days earlier; Israel emerged in a much better position than it has been in for months."
In the early hours of Sunday, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force launched tens of missiles and drones in retaliation for the Israeli regime’s April 1 airstrike that killed seven Iranian military commanders and advisers in Syria. IRGC commander Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said authentic reports about the Iranian missiles that have hit the Israeli targets indicate that the retaliatory operation has been considerably more successful than expected.
Reports issued by the Israeli army revealed that Iran launched 38 cruise missiles and 110 surface-to-surface guided ballistic missiles, of the “Sajjil” type, which has a range of up to 2,500 kilometers and takes only about 12 minutes to reach its target, and the “Qadr” missile with its 3 “H” types. , F, and S', which can hit targets 2000 kilometers away, in addition to dozens of drones.
As for the records that Iran recorded in this attack, they are the following:
- The largest drone attack in the world.
- The largest Iranian missile attack
- The first attack on Israel since 1967
- The longest geographical range of the attack using missiles and drones
- The governorates that were targeted in the simultaneous attack
- The use of "fission"[??] warheads for the first time
Finally, Operation True Promise is considered the longest Iranian attack using drones.
In an interview with Mehr reporter, Lebanese writer and analyst Ali Ezzeddin analyzed the importance of this successful operation and its deterrence for the Zionist regime. "This operation was a complex attack that was carried out in a combined manner, unlike the aggression of the Zionists, who always commit their terrorist attacks in a brutal and brutal manner, targeting civilians. In fact, this operation was directly carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran to further humiliate this collapsing regime in front of the eyes of the world. Emphasizing the legitimacy of Iran's response, Operation True Promise created a great challenge against the countries that supported the Zionist regime from the first day of the operation on October 7....
"As usual, the Israeli enemy hides its losses and losses, but this huge amount of video clips that have been released make it clear that the regime has suffered a lot of losses. The effectiveness of Iran's attacks, the success rate of the operation and the failure rate of the defense protection systems of the Iron Dome, Flakhan Dawood (to intercept ballistic missiles) and the anti-missile system of Hits, all these names show that they could not use the combat and military tools that the Islamic Republic of Iran responded to....
"The air defense systems of the Zionist regime, which appeared with this fragility, will from now on open the way for more targeting of the occupied Palestinian territories by the resistance axis, and with the reorganization of the attack escalation management and the new rules of conflict, the Zionist enemy will be shackled in the future when they kill."
Marja Taqlid Shiites said: The victorious operation of the Islamic soldiers in response to the Zionist regime's encroachment on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the defense of the oppressed people of Gaza became a source of pride, honor and satisfaction for Muslims. According to Mehr News Agency , Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi issued a message following the proud operation of Nomeh Sadiq, the text of which is as follows.
"Those who kill them, may God punish them with your hands and prick them and help you against them and hide the faces of the believing people . (Repentance, verse 14) The victorious operation of the soldiers of Islam in response to the Zionist regime's encroachment on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the defense of the oppressed people of Gaza became a source of pride, honor and satisfaction for the Muslims of the world. Undoubtedly, the dear people of Iran are grateful for this decisive and proud operation and will always stand by the Mujahideen and the armies of Islam until the defeat of the arrogant and the destruction of oppression. I, for my part, thank and appreciate all these zealous men and I invite the dear people of Iran to be fully alert against the cultural and economic conspiracies of the enemies and to fully support the military forces, which, God willing , will be the final victory of Islam. ( Unless God's victory is near)"
Two Israeli officials told The New York Times that the Iranian attack included 185 unmanned aerial vehicles, 36 cruise missiles and 110 ballistic missiles, while an IDF spokesman said in his statement that 170 unmanned aerial vehicles, more than 30 cruise missiles and 120 Ballistic missiles were launched. The US intercepted more than 70 drones and 3 ballistic missiles, CNN reported from American officials. The British "Guardian" reported that British fighter jets intercepted Iranian drones over Iraq and Syria. Jordan closed its airspace and intercepted dozens of drones that penetrated its territory on their way to Israel. Despite this, shrapnel and fragments of interceptions were detected in the capital area of Amman, and at least three Jordanian citizens were killed.
Iranian Assistant Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri confirmed that Iran's response to any future Zionist attack will be within seconds. In a television interview, Ali Bagheri said : “If the enemy commits any mistake again, the Zionists must know that we will not give them 12 days, as the speed of the Iranian response will be less than a few seconds.” Bagheri added: “When the Iranian decision was taken to respond to the Zionist entity, its post-response movements were also planned.” Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi also confirmed that any new Israeli adventures will be met with a stronger and more resolute response .
The Chief of Staff for Foreign Communications from the Navatim air force base: "Iran's attack has created new opportunities for cooperation in the Middle East." Translation of the Chief of Staff's full words: "At the end of the week, Iran carried out a large-scale attack against Israel. More than 350 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, armed explosive drones and rockets were fired from the territory of Iran, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon towards the State of Israel. In the skies of the Middle East, a coalition acted to stop this attack, and thus the IDF launched Operation 'Iron Shield'.
"Israel Defense Forces together with the Central Command of the United States, British forces, French forces and other partners, operated together in real time - in the air, on land and at sea. The defense systems were activated, the threats were intercepted and Iran's attack on Israel failed. Operation 'Iron Shield' proved the strength of our cooperation.
"I want to thank all our international partners who stood up to the Iranian attack. Iran's attack created new opportunities for cooperation in the Middle East. We conduct situational assessments and remain at the highest level of readiness. Iran will be required to face the consequences of its actions. We will choose our response accordingly. The IDF is ready to face any threat from Iran and its terrorist affiliates. Our mission is to defend the State of Israel."
IDF spokesperson update : "We saw the damage here at the base from the Iranian attack. This is only minor damage to the infrastructure." "During an operational activity at night near the fence on the Lebanese side, our protection activity on the border fence, four IDF soldiers were injured as a result of an explosion that we are still investigating the source of."
The Chief of Staff, Lt. Col. Hertzi Halevi, visited the Navatim base today (Monday) with the base commander, Brigadier General Yotam Sigler. During the visit, the Chief of Staff toured the Hadir 140 squadron and spoke with the air crews and commanders in the squadron, who took part in thwarting and intercepting the Iranian attack against Israel as part of Operation "Iron Shield".
The US National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator, John Kirby, said on Monday that reports about Iran foiling its attack on Israel are "incorrect." Kirby told reporters: “We have seen reports that the Iranians intended to fail and that this disastrous and embarrassing failure was planned... All of this is categorically untrue.” He pointed out that "Iran's intention was clear, which was to cause great destruction," and pointed out that "Israel is in a much stronger strategic position today." He added, "Iran did not provide early warning to the United States about the time frame for its air attack on Israel, or the potential targets of the attack."
Kirby, confirmed that the United States did not receive any messages from Iran about the timing or purpose of the attack on Israel, which occurred last Saturday. Kirby said in a press briefing: “We received messages from Iran, and they received messages from us. But neither we nor any other party received any warning about the timing, objectives, and nature of the response.” He stressed that the United States does not want to see a war with Iran or an expansion of the regional conflict, but it will do everything in its power to ensure Israel’s security, adding that the Israeli Cabinet, according to his information, has not yet taken a decision to respond to the Iranian attack, and continues to discuss its next steps.”
The Axios website, citing Israeli officials, reported that Israeli ministers and war cabinet members Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot , both former chiefs of the Israeli army, proposed an immediate attack on Iran, albeit at the Israeli level, in response to its actions. Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the idea after a phone call from US President Joe Biden. The site continues: “Shortly after the Israeli Cabinet learned that Iran had launched an attack, Ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot proposed an immediate retaliatory strike.” The officials told the newspaper that Gantz and Eisenkot said that “the longer Israel waits, the more difficult it will be for it to obtain international legitimacy to respond, because immediate Israeli intervention will prevent Iran from launching another attack.” The officials said Netanyahu and other members of the military government rejected the idea because it was not clear at the time whether the Iranian attack had caused any damage or casualties. An official told the website: “There were several options for retaliation, but the call with Biden stopped Netanyahu.”
Israeli Channel 12 reported that the War Cabinet discussed a range of options at its meeting on Monday with the aim of harming Iran after its large-scale attack on Israel, but without causing an all-out war. In a report whose source was not mentioned, the channel said that Israel’s intention is to initiate action in coordination with the United States, which said it would not participate with Israel in any direct attack on Iran.
After the Iranian attack, CNN quoted a senior White House official as saying that President Joe Biden made it clear to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington would not participate in any offensive operations against Iran . These statements coincided with what US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed after the Iranian attack on Israel , that "Washington is not looking for a conflict with Tehran." Biden said that the United States helped Israel shoot down "almost all" Iranian drones, stressing his country's "steadfast" support for Tel Aviv.
The Wall Street Journal indicated on Sunday evening, citing officials from the United States and other Western countries, that Israel may respond to the Iranian attack on Monday. The newspaper wrote: “American and Western officials expect Israel to respond quickly to the Iranian attacks, perhaps on Monday.” Earlier, Kan 11 TV reported that Israel was ready to immediately counterattack Iran, but at least postponed the operation after a call from US President Joe Biden. She noted that Biden urged Netanyahu in a telephone conversation with him not to escalate and consider the repulsion of the large-scale air attack launched by Iran the previous day as a victory for Israel.
In an interview with CNN, Ehud Barak said: “Now what we need is to think before taking action and adopt a certain type of strategic patience,” adding: “We have to look at the whole picture. We are still stuck in Gaza, and we still have Hostages. Barak added, "We still have to calm the north in order to enable Israeli refugees to return to their homes." The former prime minister added: "In an impressive way, and with the power of our air defense, we defeated Iran... and we will have time to respond to this attack later."
With "Hollywood scenes, promotional shots, and military displays," Iran boasted for years of its "ballistic" missiles, before the Iranian attack on Israel revealed "technical problems and errors" with these systems, which Tehran surrounded with a "media halo." During the attack on Israel, Iran used 115 to 130 ballistic missiles, “only half of which were successfully intercepted,” while the rest failed to launch or fell before reaching their targets, according to what American officials told the Wall Street Journal .
Speaking to Al-Hurra website, the Israeli army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, “neither confirms nor denies” what the Wall Street Journal reported. Adraee says: “We intercepted targets and missiles that pose a threat to Israel.” He added: “Are there any Iranian ballistic missiles that fell during flight and failed during launch?” We have no information or confirmation about this matter, according to the Israeli army spokesman.
Military and strategic expert, Brigadier General Naji Malaeb, tells Al-Hurra website that Iranian ballistic missiles “have not been tested in battles” and were only shown in “military parades.” “Iranian ballistic missiles were only tested once,” and when they were used to target the Ain al-Assad base, they “accidentally” killed Iranian citizens inside Tehran, which indicates the presence of “problems and technical errors with these missiles,” according to Malaeb.
In January 2020, Iran targeted the “Ain al-Assad” air base in Iraq, which hosts American forces, in response to the killing of the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani. In this operation, Iranian forces “accidentally shot down a commercial plane as it took off from Tehran Airport,” killing more than 100 passengers and sparking popular anger against the Iranian regime at the time.
In a related context, the military and strategic analyst, retired Colonel Ismail Abu Ayoub, speaks about the possibility of “technical errors” in ballistic missiles in general, especially in those that Iran launched at Israel because they were “unintelligent.” Speaking to the "Al-Hurra" website, Abu Ayoub refers to the incident of Iranian missiles targeting the "Ain al-Assad" air base, to confirm that "there are technical and technical problems and errors with the Iranian missiles." Iranian missiles are “not all accurate and smart,” and some of them have “an error rate or problems with the propellant force,” which may affect them during launch or flight, according to Abu Ayoub.
Speaking to Al-Hurra website, Adraee confirms that Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel, 99 percent of which were intercepted before entering Israeli territory. Among those projectiles were 170 drones, not one of which penetrated Israeli airspace and “landed or were shot down,” and 30 cruise missiles, none of which penetrated Israeli territory, according to Adraee. Israel was also targeted with 120 ballistic missiles, most of which posed a “threat to Israeli sovereignty,” Adraee adds. He points out that "a small number of ballistic missiles" reached Israeli airspace, causing "minor damage to the Nevatim military base, while most of them were intercepted."
For his part, the military and strategic expert, Major General Dr. Samir Faraj, confirms that the Iranian ballistic missiles were “intercepted” before they entered Israeli territory, denying the existence of a “technical or manufacturing defect or error.” The Iranian missiles and drones were shot down due to the “success of the joint air interception systems” between the United States, France, Britain, Israel and other countries in confronting the Iranian attack, according to his talk to the Al-Hurra website. He points out that Iran possesses "the largest number of ballistic missiles in the Middle East, and has tested them successfully in the past." Therefore, talk about “technical or technical problems with Iranian ballistic missiles is incorrect,” according to the military and strategic expert.
The military and strategic expert, Major General Mamoun Abu Nawar, agrees with him, confirming that the air defenses of a number of countries in the region, including Jordan, contributed to “shooting down Iranian missiles before they reached Israeli territory.” Yesterday, Sunday, Turkish, Jordanian and Iraqi officials said that Iran had provided extensive notification days before Saturday’s attack, but American officials denied the matter and said that Tehran did not warn Washington and that it was seeking to cause major damage. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on Sunday that Tehran had notified neighboring countries and the United States, Israel's ally, 72 hours before the strikes were to be carried out, a move that would largely enable them to thwart the attack.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that it had addressed Washington and Tehran before the attack, and added that it had conveyed messages as part of its mediation role to ensure that the reactions were proportionate. A Turkish diplomatic source said, "Iran said that the move would be a response to the Israeli attack on the consulate in Damascus, and that the matter would not go beyond this. We were aware of the possibilities. The developments were not surprising."
However, a senior official in the administration of US President Joe Biden denied Amir Abdollahian's statement, and said that Washington had made contact with Iran through Swiss intermediaries but had not received 72 hours notice. The official added, "This is absolutely not true. They did not provide any notification, nor did they give any indication that... these would be the targets, so evacuate them." The American official said that Tehran did not send a message to the United States until after the attack had begun, and that its goal was to be “extremely destructive.” He speculated that Iran was saying that it had provided notification in order to cover up the embarrassment resulting from the failure of the attack.
A senior spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces warned Israel and its supporters to avoid from taking new measures against Iran, saying the Israeli regime is now helpless and desperate. “We remind leaders of the US, Britain, France and Germany to stop supporting the declining, corrupt, law-breaking, terrorist and child-killing Israeli regime,” Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said. He underlined that the Islamic Republic of Iran has proven that it is not a belligerent state and does not seek to expand the war.
Shekarchi at the same time warned Israeli supporters that if any of them take a hostile measure, Tehran will show a response stronger that its previous reaction to the aggressive regime of Israel. Pointing to Iran’s recent missile and drone attack against Israel and its ability to penetrate into Israeli so called Iron Dome air defense system, the spokesman urged supporters of Israeli to end condemning Iran’s legitimate and legal action and avoid supporting the desperate, foolish and helpless regime. He also asked Israel’s supporters to avoid entering such a burning fire by their support for the illegitimate regime of Israel.
The Iranian foreign minister said the recent retaliatory operation against the Israeli regime has provided a new definition of balance of power in West Asia and enhanced the country’s diplomatic capabilities in the international arena. Hossein Amirabdollahian expressed gratitude to senior military commanders for organizing the punitive mission ‘Operation True Promise’ that the armed forces carried out in retaliation for the Israeli airstrike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus.
He addressed the message to Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Major General Hossein Salami, Iran’s Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, and Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh. The Iranian foreign minister praised the top commanders for planning, designing and carrying out the victorious operation in a careful and influential manner.
He noted that the valuable and complicated military operation that was implemented in accordance with the internationally recognized principle of legitimate defense provided a “new definition of balance of power in West Asia” and proved the strong deterrent power of the Iranian armed forces. The foreign minister also stated that the retaliatory operation has created more capacities for the diplomatic bodies of Iran in the regional and international arenas, strengthened the sense of patriotism, intensified the country’s strategic deterrence, and accelerated the pace of the downfall of the fake Zionist regime.
Hossein Amirabdollahian held telephone conversations with several foreign counterparts and officials on Sunday to expound on the punitive mission “Operation True Promise” that the Iranian military forces carried out in retaliation for the Israeli airstrike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus. The top Iranian diplomat held talks with his counterparts from Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar, Egypt, Malta and Russia, as well as with the EU’s foreign policy chief.
Amirabdollahian made it clear that Iran’s retaliatory operation against the Israeli regime was intentionally confined, describing it as a pre-emptive action aimed at punishing and warning the Zionist regime. The foreign minister renewed a warning that any new Israeli action against Iran would trigger the Islamic Republic’s “much harsher” response. Amirabdollahian made it clear to the foreign diplomats that Iran’s military response to the Israeli regime was totally in compliance with Tehran’s right to legitimate defense and in conformity with international law under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
Describing the Zionist regime as the root cause of insecurity and instability across the region, the Iranian foreign minister reiterated Iran’s opposition to war and tensions, calling for collective efforts to stop the Zionist regime’s genocidal crimes and atrocities in the Gaza Strip. He also noted that Iran favors lasting peace in Gaza and the establishment of calm and security in the region, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
Al-Hurra TV correspondent in Jerusalem reported on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned Israeli opposition leaders for a security briefing, amid reports indicating that the country will respond to Iran's attack. According to Al-Hurra's correspondent, among the invitees are the leader of the Israeli opposition, Yair Lapid, the leader of the Yisrael Beytenu party, Avigdor Lieberman, and the head of the National Right Party, Gideon Sa'ar. The date of the meeting has not been set yet.
This comes after the end of the country's war cabinet meeting, on Monday, which lasted 3 hours and discussed ways to respond to the Iranian attack, and will be held again on Tuesday, according to the correspondent. Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy pledged on Monday to "respond" to Iran's attack, in a speech to his soldiers at a base that was hit during the attack. Halevy said during his visit to the Nevatim base in the south of the country that Israel "will respond to the launching of this very large number of rockets, cruise missiles and drones on the territory of the State of Israel."
The army broadcast a short video clip showing a shallow hole along a wall, resulting from an Iranian projectile as it landed on the military base. Later, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said from the same base: “We are doing everything necessary to protect the State of Israel, and we will do so at the occasion and time we choose.”
Meanwhile, the American website Axios reported on Monday, quoting an American official and another informed source, that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant informed his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on Sunday that Israel had no choice but to respond to the missile and aircraft attack without The unprecedented pilot was launched by Iran over the weekend Gallant told Austin in a phone call on Sunday, “Israel cannot allow ballistic missiles to be launched on its territory without a response,” the American official and the source familiar with the call told Axios.
Three American officials said that a day after the unprecedented Iranian attack on Israel, the Biden administration continues to urge Israel, privately and publicly, not to rush to respond to Tehran, according to the Axios website. Gallant added in the call, "Israel will not accept an equation in which Iran responds with a direct attack every time Israel strikes targets in Syria." The Israeli and US Defense Department (the Pentagon) refused to comment on the Axios report. The two ministries reported that Austin and Gallant discussed efforts to establish an international and regional alliance against Iran.
Since the announcement of the great event, which was the Iranian attack on Israeli targets in “occupied Palestine” on Saturday and throughout the following day, it has been noted that the American media, directed at Western public opinion, began to portray the injustice of the Zionists right on its own street.
While the blessed drones were making their way to their goals, and before they reached occupied Palestine, the astonishing news was tearing apart the entire world and dividing its people into two camps: the people of truth were known by the glimpses of pride in their eyes, and the people of falsehood were revealed by the stuttering of their letters as they tried to formulate a single sentence about the news. If the instruction came: Be ridiculous, say that this spectacle of glory is not real, do not let people believe what they see, and do not allow the Israeli impotence to be exposed in front of the whole world... The password that entitled this torrent of urgent orders was: theatrical.
Since the announcement of the great event and throughout the following day, it was noted that the American media, directed at Western public opinion, began to portray the oppression of the Zionists right on its own street; CNN wonders about the reason for this “aggressive attack on Israel,” and does not link it to any previous event, in an attempt to suggest that Iran suddenly decided to carry out a sudden “attack” against the “Israelis.” To us, this may seem like a clear foolishness since we follow the events in our region on a daily basis, and all of us, even those who do not follow the news constantly, know that the Zionists carried out an attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus and assassinated Iranian experts and advisors.
Most of the American audience that CNN is targeting is not aware of this barbaric attack, and therefore the ignorance carried out by the media here, despite its ugliness, is trying to influence the recipient by being clever about it, and by choosing the part of the series of events that is beneficial to his policy, which serves his dual goal: criminalizing the Islamic Republic in Iran by endorsing it. The role of the aggressor, and attracting sympathy for “Israel” by portraying it as the victim being attacked. This media policy, generally followed by the West and fully adopted by CNN, is the factory of “Western public opinion.” Of course, we have not yet forgotten, as a witness to this, the Western media’s desperation in marketing false narratives related to October 7, which was quickly revealed thanks to the resistance media activity, despite its modest capabilities compared to those observed in the service of the Western media, and thanks to the activity of a huge number of individuals in solidarity with Palestine. And activists on social media platforms. So, the West is striving to market the narrative that serves its policies and is trying to spread it intelligently in its streets. Sometimes he succeeds and sometimes he fails... but he tries as much as possible to pretend to respect the mind of the target audience, by playing on words, events, images, etc.
American media policy in Iran is very different from that in Western countries: here, they do not try to be clever, and they do not show any respect for the public's mind. They rely on a flock of tools programmed for parrot repetition, throwing out “instructions” that are so stupid that the discerning listener will think that what is being said cannot possibly be serious or intended: An example of this is when they told their flock of parrots to say “It is a play.” . Perhaps what drives the American to adopt this media policy based on ignorance is either his knowledge of the low level of his cognitive tools and consequently the low levels of their self-esteem such that they are satisfied with appearing stupid, or as a result of his superiority as a “white man” who considers the peoples of this region to be “stupid” peoples who are not worth the effort. Cleverness to attract and mobilize her. In both cases, on the sidelines of the glorious Iranian strike, America struck with a ridiculous instruction all that remained of the credibility of its tools and the respect of some of the public for them, when it told them the absurdity of what happened, while its own media was commenting on this same event as a historical and pivotal event that constitutes a terrifying threat to everyone. Western presence in the region.
So, they said to them, “Say it is a play.” And they used everything that the Hebrew media broadcast about attempts to cover up the losses, as a source to confirm your statement. And because the tool does not have the ability to discuss with its operator what he orders it to do, creatures have floated to the surface of the swamp of Americanization and Zionism in the country, croaking at the same word, without thinking about it a little... For example, in describing what happened in the play, the describers try to portray the Iranian position as a weak position, and they do not take into account It's a good thing: if it is a play, and if they are seriously convinced that it is, would any of them dare ask themselves the following questions:
Who is the target group of the play? Resistance crowd? Does anyone with a working mind think that Iran needs to make plays in order to attract this audience? This public, this environment laden with certainty and resistance, does not require evidence confirming Iran’s good intentions with regard to the war issue, and most of them belong to the spirit of resistance and are good at the dignity of submission, such that if their leader had said that the Republic would not respond, they would have said: Say it, which is without a doubt the most correct and appropriate. . Who is the next potential target? The Palestinians and the people of Gaza who are subjected to the crime of genocide known to our era? If so, then the cries of pride that rang out throughout Palestine on the night of the strike, and addressed the missiles as they roamed the skies of Palestine by saying, “Thank you, Iran” and “At your service, Hussein,” are worthy of a thousand “theatrics” of this kind. Since it has proven its success in instilling joy in hearts burdened by the occupation and its crimes, why do Arab countries not kindly present similar theatrical performances with the aim of making the Palestinians happy and reassuring them?
What prompts the Americans to accept that the Iranians present their “theatrics” for which the minimum price is to undermine the prestige of the people of Zion and those with them in the land? Is America unaware that a “theatrical act” of this magnitude is sufficient to destroy the image of the prestige and power of the Zionists? Is this how easy the Zionist is to the American? If so, what a misery and disappointment of those who dedicated their lives to serving the American head and its Zionist tail. Meaning, if the American willingly consents to a play that hurts and weakens his tail, and is satisfied with humiliating the Zionists in front of the world, then what about how he deals with his “robots” that speak in the most stupid way possible?
What about the global confusion from the moment the Iranian missiles and drones were launched until now? What about direct American and French intervention to protect “Israel”? What would prompt this entire world to absorb the blow it received and not engage in a response that would lead to a regional battle, had it not known that the “theatrical” is nothing but a little Iranian bravado? Honestly, what a great “play” that does all this!
Those who speak with this parrot absurdity are targeting the Arab public, which does not want to believe that “Israel” is defeated, and also does not want to believe that the Islamic Republic of Iran is today a great power that supports the oppressed, and confronts arrogance in an equal, sovereign confrontation with the qualitative ability to do so. And based on the same instructions, they do not even try to pretend to respect the mind of the target, but rather they deliberately flatten it, mock it, and create a defeated awareness. And if the colossal act that stopped the entire world in amazement is just a “play,” then American media policy in our country is a poor movie performed by a group. From "extras" with poor performance and reputation.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth spoke of a strategic failure that Israel suffered after the Iranian response, due to the fact that Israel was enslaved for two weeks, as a result of paralyzing tension, after it carried out the assassination (this is an indication of the anticipation and anxiety that prevailed in waiting for the response, after the threats since the beginning of this month). The newspaper doubted whether the Israelis could say, "Why was an assassination carried out that could lead to a confrontation a million times more complex than it is in the north and south, while the story there is also far from over?"
The newspaper asked sarcastically: “How are the leaders, who have already approved several times plans to invade Rafah, which has not yet happened, supposed to threaten Tehran?” according to Al-Mayadeen. In the face of this, Yedioth Ahronoth found that the answer is “another classic Israeli answer,” which is: “Wrong, they are wrong, we made a mistake.” The newspaper also pointed out that the intelligence assessment was that Iran “would not change its method of operation” if the Israeli “army” assassinated a person in Damascus, in sovereign territory for Tehran.
In reference to Israeli miscalculation, the newspaper saw that Israeli officials “forgot that Israel no longer appears as a threat, that it has an untrustworthy government, and that its army has made mistakes more than once, and does not know how to recover from that.” In addition, the newspaper wondered whether the assassination operation was “urgent,” given that “Israel was about to become closely familiar with the ring of fire that had been established around it.”
It continued, "Once again, it has been proven that Israel does not like to think differently, unless it comes to dramatic steps on the part of the enemy." In this context, the newspaper returned to the “Saif al-Quds” battle in 2021, in which “Israel believed that Hamas would not bomb Jerusalem and risk an all-out battle, and to October 7, when it “believed that Hamas would be deterred.” Likewise, the assassination of leaders in the Guard, in targeting the Iranian consulate in Damascus, was built, wrongly, “on Iranian hesitation, and turned into a historic attack,” according to “Yedioth Ahronoth.”
What the newspaper wrote comes in the context of the Hebrew media’s comments on the Iranian response, which expressed fear of “changing the rules of the game in any confrontation with Tehran,” as it spoke of “being subjected to a heavy and unprecedented insult,” as “the Israeli deterrence that was shattered in Gaza and Lebanon, It also crashed in Tehran.” In addition, Liraz Margalit, a doctor in social psychology and researcher of behavior in the digital age, commented on the Iranian response to the targeting of its consulate in Damascus, that “Iran’s victory was achieved long before the attack.”
She believed that Iran's victory was "in the madness here, both in the public and in the media, in the tense anticipation of the Iranian response, and in the endless speculation." In an article published in the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Margalit expressed her astonishment at the belief of a former Air Force general that “Iran has failed and will have to think about how to succeed more next time.” She commented, "The bottom line of the entire event is that Iran sent a clear message: the issue is over. All of this process was known in advance and its final outcome was clear."
“The former general’s reading of the situation was so wrong that I had to rub my eyes and ask myself if these are the people we rely on to assess the situation,” Margalit said. She also stressed that Iran had not failed, “and those there are not hallucinated people... In Tehran sit rational people, who knew exactly what they were doing, every step was well planned.” Margalit considered that Iran's response had essentially a "symbolic meaning," but in conclusion, "Iran does not want, and is not interested, in opening a front neither with the United States nor with Israel," as Iran operates according to the rules it dictates, "and it does so rationally." Absolute, and all that remains is for us to learn from the tact with which she works.”
In light of the strategic impact of the Iranian response to the Israeli attack in Damascus, there are sharp divisions within Israel regarding dealing with Tehran’s response at all levels. The Israeli Military Council failed again to make a clear decision regarding the response, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would be strong.
The council, which met for three hours on Monday, failed to come up with a unified position on the issue, so the decision was postponed to another meeting on Tuesday. Hebrew sources revealed that the meeting discussed implementing limited action against inside Iran in a way that would not lead to casualties or escalate the situation with Tehran. While reports said that the occupation government is also considering options related to diplomatic action against Iran instead of taking military action.
The military council's inability to make a decisive decision is due to the sharp divisions that plague it, between a supporter of a broad military response against Iran without considering the consequences, and a rejection of military action that could lead to an unprecedented danger to the entity. Especially since the signals coming from Washington are in the context of accepting the Iranian response and not escalating with Tehran.
This is what emerged from the White House, which confirmed that Washington does not want escalation with Iran, while US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that his country is not looking for escalation in the region. In addition to Netanyahu's crisis with the Iranian response and the American position in this context, the internal crisis began to intensify, with a harsh attack launched by opposition leader Yair Lapid on Netanyahu's government , considering that it constitutes an existential threat to the occupying entity, calling on both Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot to leave the war council and help get rid of Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
Paris is working to prevent escalation between Iran and Israel after the Iranian attacks with drones and missiles. France engaged, at the highest levels, in calling for refraining from escalation, calling on Israel to abandon targeting Iran militarily, and to search for another way to respond to the attacks that struck it.
In an interview on Sunday morning with the BFMTV news channel, which was mainly devoted to talking about the Olympic Games that France will host next summer, President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that his country will do everything in its power to prevent escalation in the Middle East. He initially considered that the Iranian attacks were not “proportionate” to the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which claimed the lives of senior leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Macron said: “Instead of Iran targeting Israeli interests outside Israel, it chose to target Israel inside Israeli territory, which is the first of its kind” in the history of the Iranian-Israeli conflict. What happened, according to Macron, “constitutes a profound change and break” from what was previously happening between the two parties. Therefore, “the stage that has opened is extremely dangerous in terms of the quality of reactions.” Macron stated that he intends to speak to the Israeli Prime Minister, on Monday, to push him to refrain from escalation.
Macron said literally: “It must be avoided that each stage constitutes crossing a previous threshold; We see today that the situation has become extremely dangerous.”
What worries the French president is “the risk of a major regional fire.” Therefore, it proposes alternative solutions to Israeli military reactions against Iran and inside Iranian territory. What he wants is to work to convince Israel that “we should not respond with escalation, but rather by isolating Iran, and to succeed in convincing the countries of the region that Iran poses a danger.”
The French President sought to downplay the importance of what Tehran did, by focusing on “Israel’s victory,” which was represented by “stopping almost all missiles and drones.” Only 7 of them hit their lands, and one person was injured. To convince Israel, Macron called for “increasing sanctions” against Tehran, and “increasing pressure on nuclear activities” in order to find a path to peace in the region, adding that “the situation is very unstable today, and there is a very strong diplomatic mobilization in this context.”
Macron linked the current direct Iranian-Israeli escalation to the ongoing war in Gaza, and he believes that reaching a ceasefire and resuming humanitarian operations “to protect civilians who have nothing to do with Hamas” will play a role in ruling out an escalation between a nuclear state, Israel, and another that has arrived. According to a large number of observers, to the nuclear brink.
In any case, French sources promise that any war that might arise between Tehran and Tel Aviv could quickly spread to other countries such as Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. What will constitute a conflagration across the Middle East that no one wants. Macron explained that France is talking “with all the countries of the region” and is trying to be a “mediation force,” stressing the American role “to contain Iran.”
However, what is striking in Macron’s statements on Monday, and what his Foreign Minister Stephane Ségournet made to French TV Channel 2 on Sunday evening, deals with France’s participation in shooting down Iranian missiles. On Sunday morning, the Israeli army spokesman confirmed France’s participation in shooting down Iranian missiles alongside the United States and Britain, while Paris did not issue confirmation until Sunday evening through the Foreign Minister.
Macron says that French aircraft stationed in Jordan as part of the international force to combat ISIS have participated in confronting Iranian missiles “at Jordan’s request.” He added: “We have an air base in Jordan (...) These (Iranian) projectiles violated Jordanian airspace. Our planes took off, and we intercepted what we had to intercept.” In his words, there is no reference to Israel.
On Sunday, Sigournet said that what the French aircraft did “came to protect French bases in the region, in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.” He added: “We shouldered our responsibilities because France is one of the players concerned with regional security,” stressing that the Iranian attacks “did not threaten Israel alone, but rather the security of our forces, and violated the safety of the airspace of our Arab partners.” In Macron’s words, as in Sigournet’s words, there is no reference to France’s desire to protect Israel from Iranian attacks, nor did anyone mention that Iranian drones and projectiles were targeting French interests in Jordan or the UAE, which indicates “confusion” in French explanations.
v Paris had summoned the Iranian ambassador to France to deliver a “firm message” regarding the attacks carried out by his country on Saturday-Sunday night. Sigourney held Iran responsible for the current escalation. Whereas the Iranians were “the ones who attacked Israel, and Iran has made the diplomacy of hatred towards Israel its method since 1979,” that is, since the establishment of the Islamic Republic. Also, Interior Minister Gerald Dramanan asked police officials to strengthen guarding schools and places of worship on French territory for fear of terrorist attacks against the backdrop of the escalation taking place in the region.
Russia expressed its concern about the risks of escalation in the Middle East, following the Iranian attack on Israel, calling on all parties to exercise restraint. Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, confirmed on his Telegram channel that "The Anglo-Saxons blame Iran for all their sins, forgetting that the UN Security Council previously refused to condemn Israel's attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus."
In a conversation with the head of the Israeli National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, Secretary General of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev stressed the need for restraint to prevent escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. The Russian Security Council statement said: “Secretary of the Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, held telephone conversations with the head of the Israeli National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi. In the context of the worsening situation in the Middle East, Patrushev pointed out the need for all parties to show restraint in order to prevent further escalation of the conflict.” It was stressed that Russia supports resolving differences exclusively through political and diplomatic means.
His Excellency Field Marshal Mahdi Al-Mashat, Chairman of the Supreme Political Council, today made a call to his brother, His Excellency President Ibrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. During the call, His Excellency President Al-Mashat congratulated the success of the Iranian Operation “True Promise” in punishing the criminal Zionist enemy entity, for the crimes and violations it committed, the most recent of which was the blatant attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus in the Syrian Arab Republic. He affirmed Yemen's support for Operation "True Promise" in deterring the Zionist entity, and the right of the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to the attacks of the usurping enemy entity, which is guaranteed by United Nations charters and international laws. President Al-Mashat pointed out, "Unfortunately, some forces in the world do not believe in rights, and the hope is that God Almighty will prepare more power for our peoples and our Islamic nation to take their rights by force."
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