Iranian Encirclement of Israel Procedes Apace
Iran continues to implement its encirclement of Israel. In the past week we have learned of the following developments:
Shiite militias are taking over from the Iraqi army as the main military force in Iraq opposing the Islamic State (ISIS). The growing and increasingly effective Shiite militias outnumber the disintegrating Iraqi army by two and a half to one. The Washington Post reports that senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard official Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis has assumed the role of coordinating these Shiite forces. He has been linked to terrorist attacks against the United States.
Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah forces have assumed the main role of fighting Syrian rebels as the Assad regime’s Syrian army forces continue to diminish. Iranian general Qassem Soleimani is frequently mentioned as having taken charge of the war in Syria. Soleimani also reportedly visits Iraq and appears to have overall command of Shiite forces in both Iraq and Syria.
Meanwhile the Washington Post reports that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has publicly acknowledged that Hezbollah forces are fighting in Iraq.
Iran and its surrogates now control the most important military forces aligned with the states of Syria and Iraq and the most powerful military force in Lebanon. With the takeover of Yemen by another Iranian proxy, the Shiite Houthis, Iran can threaten Israel from three directions.
An article in the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahranoth reporting on the appointment of a new chief of staff for the Israeli Defense Forces discloses that the Israelis now recognize a looming “major conflagration” against Iran and Hezbollah on Israel’s northern front.
Iran has maneuvered itself into a favorable position diplomatically as well. The United States is reportedly keen on making a deal with the Islamic Republic on its nuclear program. Israel considers the proposed agreement to be a capitulation to Iranian demands. Angered by the outspoken Israeli opposition to the proposed deal, the Obama administration has reportedly decided to cut Israel out of the loop on its discussions with the Iranians.
Meanwhile, the United States and other western powers continue to bomb ISIS, effectively serving as an airforce for the Iranian-backed forces that oppose the Sunni extremists.
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