The Spreading War In The Middle East

Ever since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, we've warned that the latest war in the Middle East between these arch enemies could be protracted and spread to the rest of the region. On October 10, we wrote: "This one isn’t likely to lead to a quick ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as occurred in the past, because it is in fact a war between Israel and Iran. For Israel, it is existential. This time, Israel’s goal is to wipe out Hamas, which is Iran’s surrogate in Gaza. The war is also existential for Iran’s mullahs, who need it to distract the population from discontent over their authoritarian regime by moving forward on their machinations to wipe out Israel."

Yesterday's WSJ warned: "Israel is preparing for a direct attack from Iran on southern or northern Israel as soon as Friday or Saturday, according to a person familiar with the matter. A person briefed by the Iranian leadership, however, said that while plans to attack are being discussed, no final decision has been made." The Iranians are reportedly considering a direct attack on Israel. Diplomatic efforts are underway to avert such a calamity by both the US and Russia.