Iran and Israel
On Wednesday Iran test-fired no less than nine missiles, including one Shahab-3 intermediate range ballistic missile IRBM with a 1,250-mile range. In a second round of exercise more long-range missiles were shot into the Persian Gulf by Iran 's Revolutionary Guards the next day.
Last month, the Israeli air force practiced what American intelligence officials called “a rehearsal for a possible strike” on Iran . The United States and British warships have been conducting naval manoeuvres in the Persian Gulf, meant probably to support such a move by Israel . In this context it is not hard to interpret the Iranian decision: the test-firing of missiles may be a move by an alarmed government in Iran to deter Israel and the United States from carrying out any airstrike.
To quote Hossein Salami, a commander of the Revolutionary Guards, “The aim of these war games is to show we are ready to defend the integrity of the Iranian nation.” The government in Tehran described its missile capabilities as having the range to reach Israel, making it clear to the Israelis and their allies that they could not get away with any airstrike cost free.
Thomas Fingar, the deputy director of national intelligence for analysis and head of the National Intelligence Council, said, “I think Iran has a hedgehog strategy: mess with me and you'll get stuck.” And he may be correct. The huge range of Shahab-3 along with its conventional warhead weighing one ton and other missiles with "special capabilities" along with torpedoes and surface-to-surface missiles may all be meant to show that any attack on Iran would be heavily retaliated.
Yet, Israel did not balk. In response to Iranian missile tests, it showed off the latest spy plane Thursday. "It has the most sophisticated early warning and intelligence devices to date” said Assaf Dargan, a spokesman for Israel Aerospace Industries. While explaining the Israeli might, he attributed the plane as “capable of reaching all destinations required by the air force."
This flaunting of strength by both Iran and Israel has once again peaked the tension between these two countries and, if cooler heads fail to prevail, is likely to drag the whole Middle East into a dangerous road with catastrophic consequences.
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