Israel is not only attacking Gaza, Palestine, and Lebanon but is also targeting its objectives in Yemen and Syria. Recently, in an Israeli airstrike, Hamas’ new leader Yahya Sinwar was martyred, and an attack on the Jabalia refugee camp left 28 Palestinians dead, including women and children, and 160 others injured. According to American news agencies, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has approved targets for retaliatory strikes on Iran.
Rather than creating favorable conditions for the return of hostages, Netanyahu is expanding the war in a bid to secure his political survival. Despite a year of intense bombing and warfare, he has failed to achieve any significant objective. Israel’s inability to dismantle a small militia like Hamas or undermine Gaza’s war capabilities highlights his helplessness. The chances of hostage recovery remain slim, and Netanyahu’s popularity is plummeting to unprecedented lows in Israel, where public protests and demonstrations against him are rampant. If this war ends in failure, Netanyahu faces the prospect of numerous legal battles and severe penalties. He sees Lebanon as a solution to his political problems.
The deaths of Hamas’ new leader and, a few days prior, Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, signal a dangerous escalation of military and political tensions in the region. Although Israel might feel empowered after such significant actions, a nation’s success has never been defined by constant warfare. Bombing neighboring countries, engaging in tank invasions, and putting its citizens at risk globally do not equate to triumph.
This situation is poised to have far-reaching consequences for both internal policies and the alliances of countries involved. The developments could lead to significant shifts in the region’s political, military, and security landscape, affecting alliances and conflicts. The elimination of leaders like those of Hamas and Hezbollah could alter the rules of engagement between the involved parties. The high-profile nature of these killings points toward a larger regional conflict.
Just two or three years ago, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the entire European continent condemned the aggression. Sovereignty and the sanctity of borders were widely defended. Yet, now, in the Middle East, when the issue concerns Palestine and Lebanon, the West is shrouded in hypocrisy and remains inert. After weeks of heavy bombing, Israel’s incursion into Lebanon on October 1st is being dismissed by the international community as a limited strike in line with Israel’s right to self-defense.
When Hamas exercised a similar right of self-defense on October 7th last year against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land, it was labeled aggression. In response, Israel has since killed and wounded thousands of people, displacing millions, and turning Gaza into a wasteland. Yet, all of this is deemed acceptable.
The creation of a Jewish state in Palestine was a malicious political move by Europe to rid itself of the “Jewish problem,” transferring it to the Arabs. Israeli aggression and American support for it lack any moral justification. Despite claims of seeking a ceasefire in Lebanon, Israel was confident that the U.S. would stand by its side during an invasion of Lebanon.
A White House National Security Council spokesperson stated, “The (Lebanon) incursion is in line with Israel’s right to self-defense, aimed at ensuring the safety of the Israeli people and their return home. We fully support Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah and all Iranian-backed terrorist groups.” Israel used its intelligence on Hezbollah to strike its leadership, while Netanyahu aims to involve Iran in this war.
The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was an attempt to draw Iran into the conflict. Israel hopes that if Iran retaliates, it will compel the U.S. to join in attacks against both Iran and Israel’s enemies. Expanding the conflict to a regional war does not concern Israel, as it perceives Iranian influence in Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria as a threat. Destroying Iran’s nuclear and military facilities is also among Israel’s objectives. While Iran seeks to avoid direct confrontation, Israel’s actions are pushing it into a position where a response is necessary to preserve its reputation and authority.
Israel’s military budget is heavily subsidized by the U.S., with 10% being paid annually by Washington. During wartime, this aid reaches billions. Earlier this year, the U.S. provided Israel with an $8 billion aid package. Israel lacks the resources to fight wars on its own and relies on the U.S. to carry out its military operations.
Every American president, regardless of party, has supplied Israel with weapons, funding, and protection. However, the U.S. cannot afford a regional conflict that could have severe economic and geopolitical costs, especially as it remains entangled in the war in Ukraine. Other powers in the region are also stepping into the arena. China’s role in mediating a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, without any American involvement, reflects a shift that would have been unimaginable two decades ago.
Arab countries and Iran have long been dealing with Western conspiracies. All efforts to control Netanyahu have failed. The U.S. government’s growing “concerns” over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are nothing more than hypocritical pretense. They have no genuine regard for the thousands of innocent lives lost in Gaza. Their real fear lies in the political and economic repercussions that could arise from this conflict. On one side, the ongoing war poses a growing threat to U.S. allies in the region. On the other, a widespread regional conflict could isolate American imperialism and devastate the global economy.
Countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan are concerned as their populations grow increasingly angry, with workers and youth rising in protest. The price of this chaos is steep. U.S. influence in the region has severely eroded. Anti-imperialist sentiment is on the rise among the region’s people and beyond.
While the intensifying war may benefit Netanyahu politically, it also increases the risk of dragging the entire Middle East into a conflict with unpredictable outcomes. This situation cannot be resolved by the hypocritical peace appeals of the so-called global community or the hollow condemnations of Israeli war crimes by the United Nations.