“The Middle East is in its most dangerous phase in a decade,” warns the German daily Die Zeit this Wednesday, October 2, the day after the massive attack launched by Iran on Israel, during which between 180 and 200 ballistic missiles were fired. An evening of terror across the country, “that sent nearly 10 million people into air raid shelters, while projectiles and interceptors exploded in the skies above them. Explosions could be heard in a large part of Israel, from Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley, on television, reporters lay down on the ground during the live broadcasts. tell it Times of Israel. “It’s October again,” points out Die Zeitin reference to the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, 2023.
Exhaust Israel’s air defenses?
Unlike the “well-telegraphed drone and missile attack in April”, “Iran’s decision to launch dozens of high-speed ballistic missiles at Israel indicates that Tehran sought to inflict serious damage” points out the english newspaper The Guardianwhich at the same time describes the operation as a “military failure”. Because according to the Israeli army, “a large number” of missiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome. But for the British media, the attack could have had a purpose other than that of causing structural or civilian damage. “Firing so many ballistic missiles in a matter of minutes also represents a serious effort to overwhelm or exhaust Israel’s air defenses. Because they are sophisticated, interceptor missiles are expensive – and their stocks are uncertain,” notes the Guardian. Who also predicts that “Tehran will have wanted to keep the vast majority of its stocks in case the conflict with Israel escalates further into a full-fledged war.”
Although, according to Israel, the attack only left two people lightly injured, the impact of this second attack by Iran in the space of six months is above all psychological, notes the Israeli media Haaretz. As the Jewish New Year approaches, “growing concern over missiles launched from Iran means that families who want to get together for the holidays are afraid to travel because they fear new attacks,” reports the media. “In their worst nightmares, no one in Israel could have imagined that life would be like this.”
The threat of an attack on nuclear infrastructure
And now ? If the attack “largely failed”, Benjamin Netanyahu immediately promised that Iran would “pay the price” for this “big mistake”, reminds Times of Israel. “We will stick to what we have set: whoever attacks us, we attack,” threatened the Prime Minister, supported “fully, fully, fully” by the United States, as Joe Biden repeated . Washington, which helped its Israeli ally to shoot down Iranian missiles, said it wanted to “coordinate” with Israel a response to Iran. “In 45 years of existence, the Islamic Republic has never taken such a risk,” reacts The Orient – The Day this Wednesday morning.
Because according to from the sources of Wall Street newspaperArab officials say Iran has previously received direct threats from Israel regarding targeting nuclear or oil infrastructure in the event of an attack. “What will be the Israeli response, given the fact that Benjamin Netanyahu could seize this opportunity to realize his dream of striking Iranian nuclear facilities?”, also questions the Lebanese daily The Orient – The Daywho believes that the Iranian regime is “playing with fire”. In the New York Timesretired former intelligence agent and area specialist Danny Citrinowicz predicts the start of a never-ending cycle of violence: “Israel’s next action will almost certainly trigger another Iranian response. It seems that we We are at the start of a violent confrontation between Israelis and Iranians.