Israeli sources explain reasons for expanded Israeli attack on eastern Syria

The Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, said that the last air strike in eastern Syria, which targeted several Iranian targets, was the fourth strike attributed to Israel in the past two weeks and before that, but the latter preferred to remain silent.

Although Israel remained silent about these strikes, sources in the defense firm told the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, that the attack took place against the background of the Iranian positioning on the Syrian-Iraqi border, and the increase in tensions in the region before the US President-elect Joe Biden assuming office.

Iran had moved its forces to the Syrian-Iraqi border, created areas under its full control, and established the infrastructure for the forces' movement and smuggling operations between Iraq and Lebanon.

However, intelligence estimates stated in early 2019 that Iran would face difficulties in establishing a presence west of Damascus due to the Israeli air strikes and the sanctions imposed on it, as Iran had established "militias" with fighters from different countries in that region, including Hezbollah forces.

Last Tuesday's attack included dozens of targets; headquarters and logistical centers used by Iran and the "militias" that it sponsors.

An Israeli intelligence official said in recent closed talks: "Iran conducted an assessment on damage after realizing that it would struggle to operate near the Israeli border, and reassessed the situation in western Iraq."

The official added: "Missiles that could hit anywhere in Israel were transferred there, and could be transported by smuggling to closer locations."

Israeli defense establishment officials worry that after the president-elect, Joe Biden, takes office, Washington will lose interest in Iraq, becoming an entire subordinate of Iran.

There is also the possibility that the US will enter the nuclear deal with Iran, and ease the sanctions it imposed on Tehran.

According to intelligence estimates, a combination of these factors could encourage the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to take risks in operations against Israel and other countries.

A senior defense official said recently in a closed discussion that "if the United States returns to the nuclear deal, the Iranians may understand that it is a green light to continue doing anything that is non-nuclear."

According to the source, this may mean that they will start taking up the slack more than they have done so far, and Hezbollah may also be affected by this.

A former defense official, who was involved in efforts to prevent Iran's entrenchment in the region, said that Israel has an interest in showing the United States that it will not accept the distinction between the nuclear file and Iran's actions in Syria or helping Hezbollah, as long as they pose a strategic threat to Israel.

Although Israel is trying to conceal the truth about the military operations it is carrying out, some statements of officials confirmed the occurrence of direct confrontations between Iran and Israel, through Israel uncovering Iranian nuclear enrichment sites and smuggling tunnels of Hezbollah, in addition to thwarting Iranian attempts to attack.

  This caused embarrassment and loss in Iranian circles about the truth and the breadth of intelligence information with Israel, and that the normalization agreements concluded by Israel, with US mediation, with a number of Gulf countries recently may contribute to provide a closer and better overview to Iran.

D.H