... operational Suez Canal remains an important source of budgetary revenue.
***
Vladimir Morozov:
Israel Will Have to Negotiate with Hamas
The situation in the Middle East underscores the fragility of stability in the region. At the same time, over the past year,... ... previously seemed unlikely. A year ago, it seemed to many that a powerful Israeli strike against Hezbollah could provoke direct Iranian involvement in the conflict. In any case,
according to certain reports
, the United States dissuaded Israel from launching ...
... annex building in Damascus, killing 16 people, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, one of the top military commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. On July 30, senior Hezbollah operative Fuad Shukr was killed in a Beirut suburb, and on July 31, Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran (Israel never claimed responsibility for his death). After each of these incidents, experts predicted a sharp increase in the risks of escalation. But the Iranian leadership’s response to these developments was surprisingly restrained (as was Tehran’s earlier response to the assassination of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in early 2020 by the U.S. military in a Baghdad suburb).
The leaders of most Arab states ...
... ounce of antisemitism and hatred toward Israel from the UN, the Hague, university campuses, and even politicians. In many ways, Haniyeh’s death consequently clipped Iranian’s puppet strings.
Iran has now vowed to avenge the assassination of the Hamas leader. On several occasions, the Iranian leadership has promised to take action and is now effectively committed to a meaningful attack on the Jewish state and perhaps other targets in the West. It is still unclear when Iran will launch its threatening assault against Israel, or what ...
... its symbolic significance, and sow fear among its supporters. The political implications of this assassination extend to the regional power struggle. Haniyeh's assassination, particularly on Iranian soil, can be interpreted as a direct challenge to Iran's support for Hamas. It underscores the ongoing proxy conflict between Israel and Iran, highlighting Israel's determination to counter Iranian influence in the region. This operation is not merely a tactical maneuver but more of a political calculation designed to ...
... terrorist or military activity. Russia maintains political contacts, including with Hamas and Hezbollah. But for Israeli society, this has always been and will always be an aggravating factor in Russian–Israeli relations. Israel’s arch enemies are Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, while we have constructive relations with them. Let me remind you that Hamas and Hezbollah are designated as terrorist organizations in Israel, while in Russia they are not. This is also brought up against us. But we have our point ...
... or the Emirates. Kuwait and Oman might also provide certain political support to Doha in this context.
The United States generally wants to once again punish the leadership of the Kingdom for misbehaving, all that is asked is to break off all ties to Iran and Hamas. It will view any displacement of Sheikh Tamim via a military coup, even if carried out by internal players, as a result of external (first and foremost Saudi) interference. Such a coup might negatively impact the United States’ image, since its ...
