Israel lodged an aerial attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria on April 1, 2024. The raid killed 16 people including a Brigadier General of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran. Iran declared that it was equivalent to an attack on Iranian soil. Indeed, as per the US State Department, an assault on an embassy is deemed tantamount to an attack on the nation it represents. As was expected, Iran vowed revenge.
On the following day, a representative from the White House National Security Council announced that the United States played no part in the strike and was unaware of it beforehand. A US official also affirmed that this information was communicated directly to Tehran. These responses indicate that the US was concerned about the consequences of Israel’s reckless act and wanted to distance itself from it.
But why did Israel do it? Well, Israel’s blatant genocide in Gaza has entered its sixth month, and neither could Israel rescue any hostage taken by Hamas nor could it destroy Hamas. Even its ‘ironclad’ allies have started losing patience with it. So, Israel needed an opening to divert world attention from Gaza and revamp its allies’ support. Also, in case of an Iranian reprisal, it can use that as a pretext to bomb Iranian nuclear sites – its longtime dream. In 1981, Israel destroyed Iraq’s nuclear reactor by aerial bombing. With an estimated 90 nuclear warheads in its possession Israel wants to ensure that no one else in the Middle East become a nuclear power.
Israel’s tactic almost worked. When Iran fired over 300 drones and missiles at Israel on 14th April, the USA, UK, and Jordan joined Israel to shoot down those projectiles. However, Washington also informed Israel that it would not join any retaliation against Iran.
So far, Israel has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians including over 14,000 children and around 10,000 women since October 7, 2023. Israel said that Hamas carried out inhuman atrocities including the brutal killing of innocent civilians and children and systematic rape of Israeli women. The Western media instantly echoed Israeli claims and Western leaders were quick to swallow them and condemn Hamas. One particular bloodcurdling story was that of the beheading of 40 babies by Hamas. Even US President Joe Biden announced that he had seen pictures of terrorists beheading children. However, international journalists and news agencies soon found out that the Israeli claim was totally false. The White House later clarified that the President based his comments on Israeli claims.
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This article was published in the Daily Sun on April 20, 2024, with the title “Some More Magical Phone Calls Needed to Tame Israel”. Please read the full article here or here.