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It is hard to exaggerate anything about the Middle East because it is already in a parlous state. This past week, the world has been on tenterhooks about the escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict to a regional war, which many would call World War 3. While this may sound like an exaggeration, the region is highly volatile.
That violence continues, but has now been overshadowed by the Iran-Israel hostilities. Although there have been tensions over the years between the two countries, things went up a notch when Israel bombed the Iranian consulate in Syria, leading to a retaliatory attack by Iran on Israeli military installations of over 300 drones and missiles.
READ: Mondli Makhanya | To stop feeding Gaza genocide, West must end arms support to Israel
On Friday, Israel carried out counter-retaliatory limited drone strikes inside Iran, Syria and Iraq. The Iranian area of Isfahan, in which Israel launched a drone, is known for its military industrial facilities and the presence of an important facility in Iran’s nuclear programme, prompting Israel to make a statement that it could reach anywhere in Iran.
However, the history of Israel and its war-prone Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggests that we have not heard the last of this fight. Netanyahu has already ignored the advice of his very loyal Western backers – who fund his country and arm his military forces – not to strike back at Iran, given the lack of impact of its strikes on his country last week.
As soon as Iran was drawn into the fray, allies were quick to uncritically jump to Israel’s defence.
READ: Middle East tensions reach boiling point amid Iran, Israel and US standoff
Most of the world can only call for de-escalation. Yet the UK, the US and other allies of Israel should ramp up the pressure on Netanyahu to keep a cool head and refrain from further warmongering. They have nurtured this monster and now behave as if they have no leverage with which to rein him in. They do.
