Uneasy calm won’t last long – Israel’s next move could bring even bigger war
For the first time in almost half a century, Israel is at war during the Jewish day of atonement, Yom Kippur.
The streets are empty, driving is forbidden. Religious observant Jews are at home. Others walk the traffic-free boulevards here in Tel Aviv.
The seaside city is in the eye of the storm in the calm before another. Because while its wars rage to the north and south, another bigger front may soon open.
Middle East latest: Israel issues warning over ambulances in Lebanon
In Gaza, Israel has launched a ground offensive in recent days in the same place for the third time.
Hamas has popped up again in the north of the strip and Israeli counterfire has killed scores of civilians, including women and children.
Israel’s critics believe it is trying to clear the entire north of Gaza to make it a closed occupied zone, something its government refutes.
To the north, Israel’s “limited operation” in Lebanon looks more like a long-term invasion with each passing day.
Expanding into the coastal western sector, its forces have now caught UN peacekeepers in their fire – Israelis say mistakenly. They were targeting Hezbollah nestled close to the base of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
France, Spain and Italy have issued stern diplomatic reprimands of what they say they’re convinced was deliberate targeting of international peacekeeping troops.
The sounds of war though have not reached Tel Aviv in the last 24 hours, bar one loud explosion last night. A Hezbollah drone flew into northern Israel and evaded air defences, crashing into an apartment block in the upmarket area of Herzliyya. No one was hurt.
In the military security headquarters of the Kirya in central Tel Aviv, Israelis are planning their next move against their arch enemy, Iran.
Israel’s cabinet met on Thursday but reportedly without a final decision on how to retaliate for Iran’s second direct attack on the country, with 200 ballistic missiles at the start of the month.
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Missiles rain down on Jerusalem
On the cards, an Israeli attack on Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons facilities.
Advocates say Israel will never have an opportunity like this but admit it will probably be impossible to destroy completely without American help, which has been ruled out.
Opponents say it could have the opposite effect, accelerating Iran’s ambition to build the bomb.
Other plans include striking Iran’s economy, especially its oil industry.
That will hurt the Iranian people too and could encourage them to rally around their reviled regime – risking a much bigger war.
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Where did Iran’s missiles get through Israel’s defences?
Tehran says it would hit back not just at Israel but the gulf states, which could draw in the US which is committed to defend the emirates and their military assets based there.
That would be a very dangerous moment for the region and the world.
The most compelling option may be to strike the regime where it hurts most. To target its military, the hated IRGC and other organs that so brutally crushed nationwide unrest in recent years.
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The Iranian regime has lost all legitimacy in the minds of its people, insist western diplomats.
Hit its barracks, intelligence headquarters and secret police bases, the argument goes, and you will punish both the ayatollahs and the goons who keep them in power and maybe bring the day forward when they are toppled.
Or on this national day of reflection, the Israeli prime minister may have other, more covert options to ponder.
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Israel has heavily penetrated Iran with spies and agents, carrying out numerous assassinations and acts of espionage.
Could there be something more asymmetrical in the works? After all, Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant a few days ago said its retaliation would be “surprising”.
The day of atonement has a few hours left to run. The uneasy calm won’t last long here, Israel’s next move will become clearer soon, and with it, potentially, an even bigger war.
World
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
Israel has shown little respect for international borders since becoming the unrivalled military hegemon of the Middle East. Today that meant an Israeli airstrike on a government building in Damascus.
Israel says its attack on a Syrian defence ministry facility was intended as a warning to the new government: stay out of the part of southern Syria we have occupied or else.
Israel has moved into parts of the south of the country, built military bases and declared a line of control.
Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike that hit the Syrian Defence Ministry in Damascus. Pic: AP
On Monday, Syrian tanks heading south to try and restore order following an outbreak of factional fighting were attacked by Israeli warplanes.
“The presence of such vehicles in southern Syria could pose a threat to Israel,” stated the Israel Defence Forces.
In reality, Syria’s ageing tanks pose minimal threat to Israel’s state-of-the art military.
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Syrian presenter interrupted by Israeli airstrike
The Syrian armour was attacked as it entered the area around Sweida in the Druze heartland of southern Syria following factional fighting there.
The flare-up reportedly began with clashes between Bedouin and Druze groups that ended in scores killed.
The background to the escalation is complicated.
At least three Druze militia groups are divided in their loyalties to different religious leaders and differ over how they should respond to calls to assimilate into the new post-revolutionary Syria.
Druze from Syria and Israel protest on the Israeli-Syrian border.
Pic: AP
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Israel is becoming more and more involved in Syria’s internecine war and says it will remain there indefinitely “to protect our communities and thwart any threat”.
Its critics say Israel is operating a policy of divide and rule in Syria, weakening the fledgling government and creating a buffer zone to protect the border with the Golan Heights – originally Syrian territory that it has occupied and annexed for almost half a century.
Since the fall of the Assad regime, Israel has used airstrikes to destroy of much of Syria’s military capability weakening its ability to impose control on outlying regions. This makes it more not less likely Israel will have a volatile unstable state on its northern border.
Syrian security forces walk along a street in the southern Druze city of Sweida. Pic: Reuters
America and European powers have chosen to normalise relations with the new government in Damascus and lift sanctions.
In contrast Israel has occupied its territory, bombed its military and today hit one of its government buildings in the capital with an airstrike.
Since its crushing military campaigns against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, Israel has emerged as the unchallenged military power of the region.
There is however a limit to what blunt force can achieve alone. It requires diplomacy to achieve lasting gains and Israel’s repeated assaults on multiple neighbours combined with its relentless campaign in Gaza are winning it few friends in the region.
Israeli airstrikes have targeted the Syrian military headquarters in Damascus amid renewed clashes in the country.
The gate of the Ministry of Defence in the Syrian capital was targeted by two warning missiles from an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft.
State-owned Elekhbariya TV said the Israeli strike had wounded two civilians, the Reuters news agency reported.
Smoke rises from Syria’s defence ministry building in Damascus. Pic: Reuters
It came as Israeli airstrikes targeted security and army vehicles in the southern city of Sweida, where the Druze faith is one of the major religious groups – marking the third consecutive day Israel has struck Syrian forces.
The Israeli military confirmed it had “struck the entrance gate” in Damascus – and that it would be monitoring “actions being taken against Druze civilians in southern Syria”.
The Israeli airstrike targeted Syria’s military headquarters. Pic: AP
Why Israel is getting involved in Syria’s internal fighting
Israel has shown little respect for international borders since becoming the unrivalled military hegemon of the Middle East. Today that meant an Israeli airstrike on a government building in Damascus.
Israel says its attack on a Syrian defence ministry facility was intended as a warning to the new government: stay out of the part of southern Syria we have occupied or else.
Israel has moved into parts of the south of the country, built military bases and declared a line of control.
On Monday, Syrian tanks heading south to try and restore order following an outbreak of factional fighting were attacked by Israeli warplanes.
“The presence of such vehicles in southern Syria could pose a threat to Israel,” stated the Israel Defence Forces.
In reality, Syria’s ageing tanks pose minimal threat to Israel’s state-of-the art military.
Local media said Sweida and nearby villages were coming under heavy artillery and mortar fire on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
The clashes marked the collapse of a ceasefire between Syrian government forces and Druze armed groups, with Israel also warning it would increase its involvement.
Syria said its forces had responded to being fired upon. Pic: Reuters
Israel said it was acting to protect the Druze groups through its attacks on convoys of Syrian forces.
Syria blamed militias in Sweida for violating a ceasefire agreement which had only been reached on Tuesday.
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A statement from its defence ministry said: “Military forces continue to respond to the source of fire inside the city of Sweida, while adhering to rules of engagement to protect residents, prevent harm, and ensure the safe return of those who left the city back to their homes.”
Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said the military will continue to strike Syrian forces until they withdraw and should “leave Druze alone”, according to local reports.
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