How the Ukraine situation could impact Israel’s strategies for Syria and Iran – Breaking Defense
Posted By admin on February 11, 2022
An explosion in Quneitra on the Syrian side of the Israeli-Syrian border is seen from the Israeli Golan Heights on July 22, 2018. (Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)
TEL AVIV: Like in the rest of the world, the Israeli defense establishment is watching the Ukraine situation closely, and working hard to figure out what a potential conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, and Washingtons response, might mean for Israels interests.
More than many nations, Israel could find itself in an awkward spot. On the one hand, the US is Israels biggest ally and longstanding patron. At the same time, Jerusalem has to keep up good relations with Moscow, in order to keep the ability to launch military strikes against Iranian interests in Syria, where Russia largely controls the airspace.
If the US were to call for wide sanctions against Russia, for example, Jerusalem would have to weigh carefully any major steps forward; any actions against Russia could result in Israeli operations being blocked in Syria potentially putting military personnel at risk if they conduct operations Jerusalem views as vital for its own national security.
In particular, a senior defense source said that Israel is currently underway with a series of strikes against shipments of Iranian-made rockets on their way to Lebanon, including one as recently as Tuesday Washington time. This operation needs continued coordination between Tel Aviv and Moscow to avoid harming Russian troops in Syria, which would cross a red line for Moscow and endanger the ability to do further operations.
RELATED: To placate Russia, Israel told Baltics states it would block weapon transfers to Ukraine: Sources
Concerns about what could happen to Syrian operations should relations with Russia shift were brought up recently in some high-level defense meetings, in which the top decision-makers were present, the defense source told Breaking Defense.
Giora Eiland, a retired major general and former head of the Israeli National Security Council, said that if Washington asks Israel to participate in sanctions against Russia Jerusalem will be in a very impossible situation.
Even light sanctions could harm Israels standing with Russia, and potentially, its technology industry. While Russia has not purchased Israeli-made weapons since 2015, non-military technologies are routinely sold to Russian firms.
Israel is also watching the Ukrainian situation as a potential distraction for Washington, as Jerusalem makes its plans for how to react to a new nuclear agreement with Iran. Officials this week involved in the negotiations have signaled to the press that the question of a new deal with Iran are coming to a head. While Israel has made clear it is not in favor of any such deal, but has been relatively quiet about it so as to not anger Washington.
In a new paper this week, Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, noted that Iran is also watching the Russia situation and seeing how distracted Washington is by it. It is possible, Inbar wrote, that Iran will try to push for a harder deal during the Vienna negotiations knowing the Biden team could desperately use a geopolitical win.
While defense sources tell Breaking Defense that Israel is not planning to directly attack any Iranian nuclear sites should a new agreement be signed, there are plans underway for increased sabotage efforts that would seek to damage nuclear sites and centrifuges in Iran. Those operations would begin should an agreement be reached that Israel judges allows Iran to successfully create a nuclear weapon.
As a second source put it, the current plans will take the shadow war to new heights. And if that happens, intelligence and defense planners here are operating under the assumption that Iranian proxies will step up attacks against Israeli targets in retaliation.
Moredchai Kedar, one of Israels top experts on middle Eastern Issues, told Breaking Defense that Washington will try to restrain Israel from continuing the shadow war against Iran. This is reason for a major concern in Jerusalem, and may create friction between the US and Israel.
And Eiland, the former National Security Council official, said that regional powers in the Middle East are looking to see how the US ultimately supports Ukraine.
They see what has happened in Afghanistan and how the Americans do not react to attacks on their forces in Iraq, Eiland said. This brings especially the Saudis to think that one option for them is to improve their relations with Iran.
See more here:
How the Ukraine situation could impact Israel's strategies for Syria and Iran - Breaking Defense
- Saudi delegation to visit West Bank this week as Israel normalization talk increases - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Israel Transferred Tens of Thousands of Shekels to Eritrean ... - Haaretz - September 26th, 2023
- Israel | General Assembly - General Assembly of the United Nations General Debate - September 26th, 2023
- Israel arrests 8 Palestinian students suspected of planning terror attack - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Ghosts of the past: For Israel, war on UNESCO is an existential battle - Middle East Monitor - September 26th, 2023
- Israel's New Swedish Friends Are the Wrong Crowd - Opinion - Haaretz - September 26th, 2023
- Lebanon, Israel troops fire tear gas along tense border in a disputed area - Al Jazeera English - September 26th, 2023
- UK and Israel: Has the fightback against weaponised antisemitism ... - Middle East Eye - September 26th, 2023
- On Yom Kippur, Facing the Question: Where Is Israel Headed ... - Haaretz - September 26th, 2023
- 50 years after the Yom Kippur War, veterans see echoes in Israels current crisis - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Iran claims: We have missiles that can hit Israel - Arutz Sheva - September 26th, 2023
- Israel's Covert War on Iran's Nuclear Program Is Impressive. But Is It ... - Mosaic - September 26th, 2023
- 'Can India's diplomatic spat with Canada be its Israel moment?' - Times of India - September 26th, 2023
- Peace and good neighborliness: Israel congratulates Saudis on their National Day - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Everything We Know About Israel's New Robotic Drone Tank (And ... - SlashGear - September 26th, 2023
- Israels Cyberstarts closes $480m fund for cybersecurity investments - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Israel is cursed from within, but it could be turned into a blessing - The Jerusalem Post - September 26th, 2023
- An economic corridor, the Israel link and the geopolitics - The Hindu - September 26th, 2023
- Israel and US conduct joint training on air defenses - The Jerusalem Post - September 26th, 2023
- Rare 3800-year-old passageway and vault found in northern Israel - The Jerusalem Post - September 26th, 2023
- Iran unveils longest-range drone in the world, threatens Israel at military parade - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Canadas parliament, Trudeau and Zelensky give inadvertent ovation to Nazi war veteran - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Israel Premier Tech wrap up successful week at the Tour de ... - Israel - Premier Tech - September 26th, 2023
- "Israel and Turkey are leading the Middle East gaming industry" - CTech - September 14th, 2023
- Smoking Rooms to Return to Israel's International Airport, Bucking ... - Haaretz - September 14th, 2023
- Rifts in Israel's coalition as Ben-Gvir withholds support - The New Arab - September 14th, 2023
- Home - Israel | The Netherlands and Israel - The Netherlands and You - September 14th, 2023
- Noa's Arc: How Noa Tishby went from actress to Israel activist - The Jewish Chronicle - September 14th, 2023
- Moody's likely won't lower Israel's credit rating but outlook could ... - Ynetnews - September 14th, 2023
- Turkey frees Israeli held over ornamental bell it claimed was artifact - The Times of Israel - September 14th, 2023
- Congregation Beth Israel to Host 'Rosh Hashanah in the Park' - http://www.we-ha.com - September 14th, 2023
- US should help win the freedom of Israeli scholar missing in Iraq, her sister says - The Times of Israel - September 14th, 2023
- Foreign Secretary travels to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian ... - GOV.UK - September 14th, 2023
- Israel says it will reopen the main cargo crossing to Gaza on Sunday, a relief for Gazan producers - ABC News - September 14th, 2023
- Mossad chief vows to target Irans highest echelon if Israelis, Jews hurt in terror - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Israeli delegation makes first open visit to Saudi Arabia - FRANCE 24 English - September 12th, 2023
- Israel expects 30% of cars on its roads to be electric by 2030 - Reuters.com - September 12th, 2023
- We must reshape the Israel conversation on campus - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - September 12th, 2023
- Israel on edge as Supreme Court convenes for historic, crucial overhaul hearing - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Leading protester in Israel speaks to CNN ahead of Supreme Court hearing - CNN - September 12th, 2023
- UK foreign secretary in Israel to talk Iran threats, Palestinian state - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- American Rabbis, Tell Your Congregants: The Israel You Knew Is a ... - Haaretz - September 12th, 2023
- Why Barcelona reversed its decision to cut ties with Israel - The New Arab - September 12th, 2023
- Israel ties Romania 1-1 as they fight to qualify for 2024 Euro soccer tourney - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Earthquake preparedness exercise in northern Israel - Arutz Sheva - September 12th, 2023
- Here's What I Learned on My Trip to Israel | White Coat Investor - The White Coat Investor - September 12th, 2023
- 'It's Hard to Consider Abandoning Israel. But Leaving Is the Only ... - Haaretz - September 12th, 2023
- Israel imposing apartheid on Palestinians, says former Mossad chief - The Guardian - September 12th, 2023
- Four 1,900-year-old Roman swords found in cave in Israel - CNN - September 12th, 2023
- Citing God of Israel, Papua New Guinea becomes 5th nation to open Jerusalem embassy - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- US said to transfer armored vehicles, weapons to PA to clamp down on West Bank terror - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Israel preparing to send search and rescue mission, assistance to quake-hit Morocco - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- NYC exhibit shows Israeli Hebrew didnt kill Yiddish, it gave it a new nest to live in - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Rahat man suspected of killing wife, turning gun on self - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Israel's toxic harvest in Africa - The Africa Report - September 12th, 2023
- Iran and Israel find common purpose: The subjugation of women - The Hill - August 28th, 2023
- Israel's foreign minister meets with Libyan counterpart in sign of ... - POLITICO - August 28th, 2023
- Imagine Dragons warmup band AJR tours Israel ahead of Tuesday show - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Palestinian Mother Deported to Gaza After 30 Years in Israel ... - Haaretz - August 28th, 2023
- Citing Israeli example, Zelensky says Ukrainians need to learn to live with conflict - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Israel says it foiled bid to smuggle Iran-made explosives over Jordan border - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- The politics of visiting Israel aren't stuck in the '90s - City & State - August 28th, 2023
- Israel's Dead End: We Don't Have the Luxury of Despair - Opinion - Haaretz - August 28th, 2023
- Israels cost of living the highest among OECD countries in 2022, data shows - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- In Israel, Adams Has Swagger in His Step and 'Hustle' on His Sleeve - The New York Times - August 28th, 2023
- A minister who hates Arabs will protect Arab children?: 100k at Tel Aviv protests - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Israel uncovers massive section of Second Temple-era Jerusalem ... - The Jerusalem Post - August 28th, 2023
- One Voyage That Changed the Face of Jewish Culture in Israel ... - Haaretz - August 28th, 2023
- Inside the negotiations over Israels democracy - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Vivek Ramaswamy Touched the Third Rail on Israel. He's Surely ... - Vanity Fair - August 28th, 2023
- Arab Israeli activist says he was assaulted at UAE airport over pro-Israel advocacy - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Tantleff, Berkey and Hutter family to be honored by Israel Bonds at ... - ROI-NJ.com - August 28th, 2023
- Israel should build closer ties with Uganda - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - August 28th, 2023
- Israels Marhu Teferi wins silver in mens marathon at World Athletics Championships - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- 4 Palestinians attack army post near Jenin, are shot by troops - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Israel Airports Authority: Serious delays in flights to and from UK - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Libyans burn tyres in protest over Israel meeting video - The Guardian - August 28th, 2023
- Bringing Sundays to Israel: Is it time for the workweek to change? - The Jerusalem Post - August 28th, 2023
- Iran unveils armed drone resembling America's MQ-9 Reaper and says it could potentially reach Israel - The Associated Press - August 22nd, 2023
- Analysis | A Saudi-Israeli Peace Deal? Who Wants What and Why - The Washington Post - August 22nd, 2023
Comments