Air Force General C Q Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed on Monday that the immediate threat of widespread conflict in the Middle East has been somewhat minimised. This conclusion comes after the recent clash between Israel and Lebanon’s Hizbullah did not escalate, and the damages in Israel were minimal with no subsequent threats of retaliatory attacks.
General Brown had just concluded a three-day visit to the Middle East, during which he landed in Israel shortly after Hizbullah launched numerous rockets and drones at the country, and Israel’s troops responded by targeting Lebanon to prevent a more severe attack. This incident was one of the largest face-offs in the ongoing border conflict over the past 10 months.
Despite this lessening of immediate danger, General Brown highlighted that Iran’s potential hostile action against Israel constitutes a significant ongoing risk, especially considering their recent threats following the murder of a Hamas leader in Tehran.
The future of regional stability will be heavily influenced by Iran’s response, which in turn will dictate the reaction from Israel and potentially dictate a broader conflict. Alongside this, General Brown referred to the risks associated with Iran’s militant allies in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and the Houthis in Yemen, who have previously attacked American troops, targeted Red Sea shipping, and launched drones at Israel. The Houthis, a Shia group, were referred to as the “wild card” by General Brown.
Iran has promised to retaliate harshly for the assassination of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, an event that transpired during his visit to Tehran last month which they attribute to Israel, though Israel has neither affirmed nor fully rejected its part.
General Brown pointed out that the US military is presently in a stronger position to assist in supporting Israel’s defence, as well as their own forces stationed in the Middle East, compared to its circumstances on 13th April when Iran instigated an unprecedented onslaught on Israel. This involved deploying numerous drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Nonetheless, Israel, the US and some of their allies were successful in annihilating nearly all the weapons before they hit their intended targets.
“Compared to April, we’re now in a stronger position,” mentioned General Brown. He highlighted the decision taken on Sunday to keep two aircraft carrier strike groups in the Middle East, supplemented by an additional F-22 fighter squadron.
“Iran’s military’s next move is contingent on the strategy decision taken by Iran’s political leadership,” said General Brown. “Whilst they are inclined to convey a message, they are also hesitant about instigating a widespread conflict.”
The administration under US President Joe Biden has been diligently trying to control the collateral damage resulting from the ongoing war between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas, which is in its 11th consecutive month. The conflict has not only led to the destruction of major parts of Gaza but has also ignited border confrontations between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-supported Hizbullah organisation, while also involving Yemen’s Houthis.
On Monday, Brown visited the Northern Command of the Israeli military and received detailed insights on potential dangers along Israel’s borders with Lebanon and Syria. Later, in Tel Aviv, he held meetings with Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant and the Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi.
Brown also warned concerning the military strength of Lebanese Hezbollah, especially following the Israeli attacks, and stated “they possess a significant capability”.
This ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip all started back on 7th October 2023, with Hamas militants launching attacks on Israeli communities, which led to the killing of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of around 250 hostages, according to Israeli estimations.
Since then, almost all of the 2.3 million residents of the Palestinian region have been displaced by Israel’s military actions. This has resulted in lethal hunger and diseases which claimed the lives of at least 40,000 individuals, as reported by Palestinian health authorities. – Reuters
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