Alameen Templeton
Like Hitler cowered down in his bunker in the last days of Nazi rule, so Israel’s leaders are now holding cabinet meetings in an underground command room known as “The Pit” for fear of an Iranian missile attack.
The Pit is located underneath the Security Ministry’s headquarters in the Kirya in Tel Aviv where all eyes are on the skies, fearfully anticipating an Iranian response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh..
The last time such a meeting was held was when Iran responded to an Israeli attack on its embassy in Syria by launching hundreds of drones and missiles on Israeli targets.
Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 claimed The Pit meeting was just a drill for a potential emergency situation.
The US is doing its best to ward off an attack, but its efforts are merely underlining how out of touch it is in the region where its stature lies in tatters. Every clumsy attempt at calming merely seems to aggravate the situation.
By demanding Iran “show restraint”, the US has merely generated a storm of demands for it to ensure Israel shows restraint and stop the genocide. By threatening Teheran with “severe consequences” if it responds, the “Axis of Resistance” has redoubled calls for revenge for the murder of Haniyeh.
Al Mayadeen reports Iran has promised to sternly respond to “Israel’s” assassination, prompting Israeli authorities to roll out extensive precautions to protect strategic sites and personnel in recent days.
And Hezbollah has promised a retaliatory strike against Israeli targets over the airstrike assassination of its commander, Fouad Shokor, and several civilians in Beirut.
Channel 12 says that the Israeli occupation forces are preparing for a security cabinet order to carry out a “preemptive strike” on Lebanon.
Another, Channel 13, said Israel expects Hezbollah will target a senior Israeli official in response to the killing of martyr Shokor.
Channel 13 said the choice of The Pit as a security cabinet venue was not just a drill”but rather an understanding that Hezbollah is very interested in targeting Israeli officials.”
“This serves the theory of equations, since in exchange for the official that Israel assassinated, it targets an Israeli official.”
The last time Iran responded with a 300 missile attack on Israel for the airstrike on its Beirut embassy, the US and Tel Aviv got plenty of forewarning. There’s nothing like that this time around and US and Israeli intelligence statements have underlined just how isolated they are in Arabia.
Analysts are also anticipating strikes from the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF), as the Yemeni people have yet to retaliate for Israel’s bombing of the Hodeidah port earlier.
The Pentagon has ordered its usual warships, aircraft, and troops to strategic waterways and bases in Arabia and around Iran, hoping to surround Israel with a protective umbrella like it did last time.
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