Iran is stronger and more resistant than Israel thought
The Middle East is heating up
The whole globe looks with concern at the latest conflict in the Middle East, wondering if we're on the brink of a new large-scale international conflict with devastating consequences.
Did Israel underestimate Iran?
The conflict between Iran and Israel has rapidly intensified. Although Tel Aviv currently appears to have a strategic advantage, the enduring resilience of Tehran should not be overlooked.
Years in the making
France24 describes Israel’s attacks on Iran as taking years of planning and intelligence gathering, targeting top military commanders and important nuclear scientists working for Tehran.
Top targets
According to France24, Israel has managed to eliminate at least 20 military and security objectives, including the chief of staff of the armed forces and the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Biggest threat to the Islamic government
Meanwhile, news website Axios writes that Israel’s attacks seem to be the biggest blow to the Tehran government since the 1979 revolution that deposed the Shah and established a religious-based government.
The art of the deal
Axios reveals that Tel Aviv’s military offensive comes as the Trump White House was negotiating a nuclear deal with the Iranian government, effectively dashing any hopes of an agreement.
Deciphering Iran
The biggest question is how Tehran is capable to counterattack Israel’s attacks. After all, news website Vox highlights that Tehran has a bigger population than Germany or the UK, a large ballistic arsenal and trained militia across the Middle East.
Israel's Iron Dome
At first, Israel didn’t seem to be concerned about Iran’s retaliation. NBC explains that since 2011 the country’s airspace has been protected by the so-called Iron Dome, a network of radars and missiles led by a command center ready to attack any incoming threat.
Cracks on the dome
However, NBC points out that the Iron Dome could face saturation if dealing with several missile attacks coming from different direction, overwhelming the system, explaining recent Iranian attacks reaching Israeli targets.
Shahed-type drones
AP News also points that, despite antiquated equipment and some setbacks by Israeli and US military operations, Iran possesses a wide array of UAVs, such as Shahed-type drones that Tehran has sold Russia in large numbers to use in Ukraine.
Going nuclear
According to AP News, Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East and Tel Aviv’s sabotage on Iran are attempts to remain so, targeting nuclear facilities during this latest wave of attacks.
