Mark Zell tweeted the following:
It pains me to repost this tweet by @Wurmserscribit, but it sums up eloquently and comprehensively what I have been saying all day today, after the IDF announced that it completed Operation Days of Repentance. My only hope is that a GOP victory on November 5th will flip the scales and allow Israel to do what has to be done to remove the Iranian threat from Israel, America and the West.
“The bottom line as far as I am concerned:
1. The U.S. wanted Israel to hit mostly what is aligned with what this administration defines as U.S. priorities, which is anything that helps to harm Russia’s war against Ukraine. Those sites were, in fact hit.
2. ?That Israel limit itself to only those sites and the sites that Israel operationally needs to strike to operate over Iran. Those sites, namely anti-aircraft, were hit.
3. ?That Israel NOT hit any site that hurts Iran’s regime and could lead to escalation as defined by Iran’s pre-strike chest-thumping: nuclear, oil, infrastructure, regime figures or symbolic targets. Those site were in fact NOT hit.
4. ?So after a year in which Iran and its proxies killed 2000 Israelis, destroyed up to 60% of cities in the north, sent 250,000 Israelis to be internal refugees, launched a global campaign of Nazi-level anti semitism, sent 600 missiles and drones into Israel, shut down half of Israel’s ports and caused all international airlines to indefinitely stop flying to Israel, tried to kill several of the most senior Israeli officials, sent a drone to hit the sitting Prime Minister’s house … Israel launches a strike that protects Ukraine but leaves everything else untouched.
5. ?So after a month of bluster that Israel will change the face of the Middle East, Israel returns to the October 6 strategic concept of “we showed them” and deterrence rather than conduct a strike that shakes the foundations of the Iranian regime and maintain strategic strategic momentum. Instead, it let the United States finally achieve its goal of strategically leashing Israel and forcing it back essentially into a strategically reactive, deescalatory posture.
6. ?In fact, it let Iran’s chest thumping, which was designed to panic Washington, to succeed in reshaping Israel’s reaction — in essence giving Iran control over what Israel would hit.
7. ?The key strategic gain Israel had in the last months that was bringing victory as understood in terms of regional culture and understanding — that Israel had “lost it” and was “possessed by the Jinn” (???????) and the master of the house went crazy (??? ???? ?????) — was traded in for again a failed Western understanding of conflict management — “restraint is strength”, “we showed them”, Iran got the message”, deterrence.
8. ?In short, Iran, whose entire strategy is based on manipulation, chess and using your soul as a weapon against you — all of which depends on your being rational, predictable and manipulate-able— used the power of the U.S. as Israel’s strategic Achilles heal to transform the strategic reality of defeat, retreat and fear it faced in the last two months as Israel has become a dangerous uncontrollable and unpredictable force into a successful effort to return Israel into a controllable, reactive, and manipulate-able position. From there iran now can reassert its domination over setting the agenda and manipulate events to reverse its retreat and return the strategic momentum it had lost back to itself and enter a long range confrontation with Israel on its terms.
9. ?Regionally, Israel no longer appears to be the strong horse that can replace indispensable U.S. power, but instead has reverted to being a dependent U.S. vassal in terms of strategic behavior.
I realize this is harsh, but Israel blew it. I realize Iran may strike back, so israel might have a second chance, but I am doubtful. Israel’s strike is a form of strategic victory for Iran in regional terms , not matter how much our western minds try to rationalize it as an objective show of strength. Iran will respond thus will far more likely respond in ways that continue to reassert its manipulative control over events rather than lash out in a way that allows Israel a second chance.”
…I support PM Netanyahu fully, but it is clear to everyone here in Israel, that tge Harris-Biden strongly influenced Israel to downgrade its targets in Iran because of the US elections.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear earlier today that the decision to not launch Strikes against Iranian Nuclear, Oil, or Energy Facilities was made by Israeli Officials, and not decided by the United States; with him further having stating that these Targets… pic.twitter.com/9CPJtYxE41
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 26, 2024
Let’s try something else:
Israel is planning a longer campaign against Iran, just like against Hamas in Gaza and hopefully against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
If so, how is that accomplished?
1) Figure out what Defensive Measures Iran can bring against an air campaign as Israel is NOT invading Iran with soldiers.
2) Take out their air defenses.
3) While you are at it take out any offensive progams like Iran’s missiles.
3) From what I have read that is exactly what Israel did. They took out the production sites of fuel for their rockets.
4) Then strike by strike take out one IRGC military “system” after another and also try to cripple Iran’s economy.
5) If what I read and listen to is correct this strike was the first of many. If not then the IDF is missing the greatest opportunity against Iran it is ever likely to get.
Pray for Israel and pray it makes the right decisions. Its people expect nothing less.
Consider the inability (or unwillingness) of the most powerful navy in the world to keep shipping lanes open by not stopping the Houthi rebels. The US reacts with “proportional” responses which, to date, have accomplished little. The Biden Administration expects Israel to act similarly with symbolic responses, responses that fail to cause economic damage and telegraph lack of resolve.
Perhaps Israel has no choice in the matter. Trump advised Israel to go after the Iranian nuclear sites. Despite his preference to “cut a deal,” I think he can see the importance of not letting Iran cross the nuclear threshold. Hopefully, Trump will be President again. If that does not happen, Israel will face a nuclear Iran.