Tensions in the Middle East are once again at a high point amid reports that Iran may be using Iraqi armed groups to carry out retaliatory attacks against Israel. This strategy would allow Iran to carry out actions without facing direct consequences, thus providing a form of plausible deniability in their minds.
Miri Eisen, a former colonel in Israeli military intelligence and currently a senior fellow at the International Institute on Counterterrorism, has raised the potential threat posed by these Iraqi groups. She points out that, because they are located close to Iran, they are more accessible than Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is currently struggling and under-served.
According to a recent report by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Israel has already faced an increasing number of drone attacks by pro-Iranian militias in Iraq in recent months. Despite this, there is little evidence of effective attacks in Israel, due to successful interceptions by Israeli authorities.
An Israeli military source also confirmed that the country is on high alert for a possible Iranian response. However, the source said that the Israeli military is still assessing the decision-making process in Iran to determine if and when a response will occur.
This comes after CNN reported that Iran would respond “definitively and painfully” to the Israeli attack on October 25, citing a senior source. The source said that the response could come before the US presidential election day.
The escalation of tensions between Iran and Israel once again highlights the fragility of the situation in the Middle East and the complexity of regional issues. The potentially devastating consequences of these hostilities reinforce the importance of diplomacy and dialogue to prevent a major conflict that would have devastating repercussions for the entire region.