Israel on High Alert after Iranian Threat

Israeli security forces are standing on high alert Wednesday after a senior adviser to the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Ruler, the Ayatollah Khamenei, said on television that because of the bombing of a military base in central Syria being used by Iran – and attributed to Israel despite its silence on the matter – that “Israel’s crime won’t go unanswered.” The operation was consistent with Israel’s often-repeated vow, echoed by Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Tuesday morning, that it will not allow Iran to set up shop in Syria.” The retaliation could take a number of forms, but one frequently mentioned is the firing of rockets into the Jewish state by Tehran terror-proxy Hizbullah in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces are deployed along the border including the Golan Heights, where Iranian military elements are digging-in, testing Israel’s resolve. Analysts are in agreement that over recent months the conflict has grown into a direct confrontation between Tehran and Jerusalem, with a large and lethal proxy force in the form of Hizbullah in the north of Israel and Hamas in the south. Adding to Israel’s headache is the uncertainty regarding the role Russia will play. A long period of President Putin’s tacit approval – or at least allowance – of Israeli operations against weapons being brought from Iran through Damascus to Hizbullah in Beirut – might become problematic as tensions between the Russians and Israelis mount. The heightened concerns in the north come amid weeks of massive demonstrations by Palestinians along the border separating Israel and the Gaza Strip. The Netanyahu government is trying a carrot-stick approach with the new carrot being permission for Gaza fishermen to exceed the current limit. Egypt is also cooperating with Israel in trying to defuse some of the tension.