From: The Washington Post September 27, 2024 Iran’s focus on engagement and its hesitance to intervene on the ground demonstrate the limited military options available to reestablish deterrence with Israel after a year of heightened hostilities in the region, analysts and diplomats say.
Extracts: In the past year, Hezbollah has suffered the heaviest losses of its four-decade history. Iran has offered rhetorical support but it has not joined the fight.
Airstrikes by Israel are dealing withering blows to Hezbollah, its longtime foe just across the border in Lebanon and one of Iran’s most important allies. But Tehran has been reluctant to intervene on behalf of the militant group, choosing instead to pursue engagement with the West
Extracts: Iran never came to the rescue of Hamas or Hezbollah These proxies were designed to fight and die for Iran to secure its interests on the cheap not to drag it into costly direct wars
Extracts: Israel’s airstrike on Hezbollah’s leadership in Lebanon has far-reaching implications for Tehran and Washington
When Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, told reporters in New York on Friday
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that the coming days will determine the future path of the Middle East
Blinken could not have been more prescient, even if at the time, Blinken was hoping that Hezbollah and Israel could be persuaded to step back from the brink
Now, with the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah confirmed killed, the region, after 11 months, has finally stepped over the brink and into a place it has truly never been before
Iran's fateful choice
Here's the thing.... Nasrallah could be the tipping point -- Israel has to answer for Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and now Nasrallah and everyone, everything Lebanon and Gaza
Iran's Challenging and Delicate, high-stakes Balancing act -- 'punishing' Israel but without risking an all-out war in the Middle East even beyond
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Israeli Air Force: "Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world"
Nasrallah's successor will.... Israel's mighty and powerful Deterrence is the key 07 October 2023 Never Again
