On Saturday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel in its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said. The attack was a response to Israel’s airstrike on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital in early April. According to the IDF, Israel had intercepted 99% of the aerial targets fired by Iran, including all drones.
It was later reported that at least nine Iranian missiles hit two of Israel’s air bases during the attack, damaging infrastructure. Five ballistic missiles hit Israel’s Nevatim air base, damaging a C-130 military transport aircraft, a runway and storage facilities, while four more missiles hit an Israeli air base in the Negev desert, though no significant damage was reported.
Michael Maloof, a former senior security policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, an author and political commentator, joined Sputnik’s Fault Lines on Monday. Speaking to the show’s hosts, Maloof said that the Israelis attack on a diplomatic compound has set a precedent for how other countries may approach foreign affairs.
“The fact that the Israelis attacked a diplomatic compound, there is an international convention on consulates to protect them. No matter whether they're friend or foe, you don't attack consulates. Now, the fact that Israelis did this means that all other consulates of every country are going to be fair game if you don't like them,” the former senior security policy analyst said.
“That's what this is. It sets precedent. International law set by precedent.”
“There was no condemnation either in the UN or by Joe Biden,” Maloof added. “Yet they want the condemnation in the UN of Iran's attack. This is pathetic. This shows the one-sidedness of our rules-based order led by the US.”
Sputnik’s Melik Abdul then asked whether Israel wanted to involve the US in a larger, regional war.
“The Israelis would not have done it unless and until they knew they had the US where they wanted them in terms of commitment. Not only logistically but financially, and that's when they made their move and to bomb a diplomatic facility with impunity the way they did in another country, another sovereign country, I might add,” answered Maloof.
“And, it's very clear that the US was very placid in any response and it continues to this day. So, the Israelis feel that they got away with it. And, the Iranians now are saying, ‘no, you're not, you passed a red line, and, as a consequence, you've got to pay for it.’”
“I think that this is something that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has been savoring and salivating over for some time. He wanted to get the US engaged. He's done that even though Biden says, well, we're not going to support any offensive effort against Iran. But, once attacks begin, how do you distinguish between offense and defense?” Maloof continued.
“So this is a very, very precarious time. We're on an extraordinary slippery slope. And this not only has the potential of becoming region-wide, but beyond the Middle East, which if Iran is attacked by the US, I'm fearful that it will bring in Russia and China.”
When asked what could happen next regarding a potential retaliation from Israel, Maloof responded that he has been hearing conflicting reports.
“Number one I'm hearing, into this morning, is that they're still mulling over what reaction they're gonna have in retaliation. But on the other hand, The Times of Israel published a story saying that in the conversation between Biden and Netanyahu, Netanyahu agreed that he would not launch a counterattack,” said Maloof of Israel.
“Now, if that's the case, I have not seen that anywhere else. The only thing I've heard is that the US would not support an offensive, if Israel were to launch. But, at the same time, anything can happen here,” he added.
“Biden has laid the groundwork that we will not agree to work with them on an offensive, but what happens if Israel starts it anyway? Are we going to say, ‘no, we're not doing it’? No, we're not. I mean, the repercussions in this country would be very, very great, particularly in the Congress,” Maloof said. “And so, Netanyahu's basically going to call Biden's bluff and I think that Netanyahu will win.”
It was reported on Monday that Netanyahu had asked the IDF to list possible targets in Iran to send a “message” to Tehran without causing casualties. Israel could strike Iran with a cyberattack, for instance. Israel reportedly wants to attack Iran in a way that would not anger its allies or undermine opportunities of building an alliance against Iran.
“Biden is fearful of having a war on his hands, as we approach the [US presidential] election,” he added. “The American people perceive that he got us into this and he hasn't really stood up to Netanyahu and told him that what he's conducting himself is wrong. And, as a consequence, there is no ceasefire.”
“We see [Antony] Blinken running around all the time and he might as well just stay home because he's totally useless. So, there's no projection of strength and authority coming out of this administration and Netanyahu and other countries have picked up on that.”