Iran is not aiming for a large-scale conflict with its activities, experts say in ‘s morning. Israel, on the other hand, managed to hit Iran with its counterattack. The cycle of revenge is now estimated to be subsiding.
Iran and Israel carried out airstrikes on each other’s soil last week and the weekend before.
Scholar of the Middle East and Islam Joonas Mariston According to Iran’s massive attack on Israel, it was a show of force, and it was not intended to aim for large-scale destruction in the region. The attacks had been announced in advance, even a video of the missile launch was sent.
– Everything indicates that the other side, Israel and the allies, have plenty of time to prepare. I could see that the attack was more symbolic than aimed at maximum destruction, Maristo assessed in the morning on Monday.
On Friday, Israel responded to the Iranian attack by destroying the anti-aircraft systems protecting the country’s nuclear facilities.
Director of the MPKK’s Department of Military Art, colonel Pasi Hirvonen assessed in the morning that Israel kept the counterattack small in order to prevent the crisis from escalating.
– Israel sought to carry out a surgically precise, targeted strike, which would demonstrate to Iran that it has the ability to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities as well, if necessary.
The strike in the vicinity of the nuclear facilities was a fluke
According to experts, Iran is not seeking a large-scale, open conflict in the region. According to Maristo, Israel’s counterstrike near the nuclear facilities was a wink for Iran, but the country also has other reservations.
– There are many internal problems in Iran, the people there have been on the streets for many reasons in recent years, says Maristo.
‘s foreign editor Antti Kuronen believes that the danger of direct conflict is over, but Iran wants and intends to continue its decades-long war against Israel.
– But it does not want to bring war to Iranian soil, because that would be a problem for the country’s leadership. They will certainly try to continue the war through Hamas, for example, Kuronen estimates.
The situation in Gaza benefits Israel
According to researcher Joonas Maristo, the conflicts between Iran and Israel have taken attention away from the situation in Gaza for a while.
However, the prerequisite for a more permanent peace in the region is that a solution to the situation in Gaza, which is simmering under everything, is found, says Maristo.
Israel’s administration and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu however, according to him, there is no interest in ending the conflict, even if the country’s allies try to put pressure on it. According to media reports, the United States may impose sanctions on Israel in the coming days.
– Unfortunately, it seems that the administration and Netanyahu benefit more from this conflict continuing all the time, Maristo estimates.
Possible war crimes are beginning to be revealed
A mass grave of at least 180 bodies was found on Saturday in the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza. According to Maristo, the news means that more aspects of the war are starting to be revealed recently.
– When the war has been going on for seven months, various details about the nature of the war and possible war crimes slowly begin to emerge.
There are also more attacks on Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has announced that Israel will increase military pressure on Hamas, and a ground attack is planned on Rafah, which has been under heavy bombardment.
Colonel Pasi Hirvonen says that North Gaza has already been practically destroyed and South Gaza will probably face a similar fate.
– Israel has made the military destruction of Hamas its goal. Whether it is realistic and even possible is another question.
According to Maristo, Palestinian civilians no longer have any place to go to get out of the way of the attacks.
– The Egyptian border is opposite there, and the border is closed. The population has moved from the north to the southern part of Rafah, there is practically nowhere to go.
Watch the whole conversation about ‘s morning: