Leaking the Israeli Plan of Attack
Al-Ahram, Egypt, October 25
For those closely monitoring international affairs, there was little groundbreaking in last Friday’s leaks about Israel’s plans to launch a significant strike against Iran. Israeli leaders have openly stated their intentions, and President Biden has publicly expressed his support. What is truly startling, however, is the context within which these revelations have surfaced. The leaks, consisting of highly confidential documents, disclose that the United States gathered crucial information by conducting satellite surveillance on Israel—a nation it considers its most trusted ally. This raises serious questions about the degree of trust between the two nations, especially given the proximity of the upcoming US elections in just three weeks. There are concerns in Washington that Israel’s military actions could jeopardize the electoral prospects of Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate. The documents reveal that the objectives of Israel’s intended strike are far graver than the past skirmishes between Israel and Iran. These include plans to assassinate high-ranking Iranian officials and dismantle Iran’s air capabilities, such as airports and missile sites. Essentially, Israel aims to dominate Iranian airspace, creating a pathway potentially leading to strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. There are even preparations underway to ready missiles equipped with nuclear warheads, highlighting Israel’s willingness to escalate regional tensions dramatically. Such aggressive moves could easily draw in major powers, obliging the United States to intervene on Israel’s behalf at a highly inconvenient moment. Analysts are divided over the source, motive, and objectives behind the leak. It could be a strategic move by the US to place Israel in a challenging position under these volatile circumstances. Alternatively, the leak could originate from Iran, aimed at exposing America’s complicity in Israel’s perilous plan to potentially compromise global security, thereby pressuring the US to rein in Israel. There’s also the possibility that an insider, aware of the operational details and concerned about the outbreak of a large-scale conflict, decided to leak the information in hopes of averting a scenario that could spiral into a world war. — Ahmed Abdel-Tawwab (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
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