As Israel plots to strike Iran, its choices range from symbolic to severe

A US nuclear-powered Ohio-class submarine is in the Middle East to help prevent the Israel-Hamas war from spiraling into a broader conflict, the Pentagon said on November 6, 2023. (AFP file photo)
A US nuclear-powered Ohio-class submarine is in the Middle East to help prevent the Israel-Hamas war from spiraling into a broader conflict, the Pentagon said on November 6, 2023. (AFP file photo)
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Updated 09 October 2024
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As Israel plots to strike Iran, its choices range from symbolic to severe

As Israel plots to strike Iran, its choices range from symbolic to severe
  • Israel has a broad range of choices of targets – from Iranian government buildings and military bases to sensitive oil installations to heavily fortified nuclear facilities hidden deep below ground
  • “Unlike Lebanon and Gaza, every Israeli attack on Iran has international and global repercussions,” said Menahem Merhavy, an Iran expert at Hebrew University in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM: Israel has promised to retaliate for Iran’s massive missile attack last week. How it does so involves great risk, and could have major repercussions for the archenemies, the Middle East and the world.

Israel’s options range from symbolic strikes on military targets to crippling attacks on Iran’s vital oil industry or its secretive and heavily fortified nuclear program.

The intensity and timing of any retaliatory strike was expected to top the agenda of a planned meeting this week at the Pentagon between Israel’s defense minister and his US counterpart. But late Tuesday, the Pentagon said the meeting was abruptly postponed.

In a sign of possible disagreement over the right approach, President Joe Biden has already urged Israel not to hit Iran’s nuclear program and discouraged it from hitting the oil industry.




A view of a road sign directing towards the city of Dimona, close to the nuclear power plant in the southern Israeli Negev desert. (AFP file photo)

The Associated Press spoke to two former Israeli prime ministers and other experts to explore Israel’s options. There is broad consensus that Israel must strike back, but deep disagreement over the best way to do so.

“The question is not whether Israel will retaliate or respond,” former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told AP. “The question is which way.”

Why is Israel threatening Iran?

Israel and Iran have been involved in a bitter shadow war for years — primarily through Israel’s battles against Iranian-backed militant groups across the region. Israel also has been suspected of killing Iranian nuclear scientists and carrying out attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, but it rarely acknowledges involvement.

Direct clashes have been rare. But things changed after Hamas attacked Israel from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023, and Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel the following day. Both groups receive support from Iran.

In April, Iran fired over 300 drones and missiles toward Israel after accusing it of killing two Iranian generals in a diplomatic compound in Syria. Nearly all of the missiles malfunctioned or were intercepted, and Israel responded with a limited strike that signaled it did not want any further escalation.

After last week’s Iranian attack, Israel signaled its next response would be different.

Iran said the barrage of at least 180 ballistic missiles was to avenge a series of Israeli strikes against its close allies, Hamas and Hezbollah, including the assassination of the group’s longtime leader. Although the missiles caused little damage or casualties, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran had made a “big mistake and it will pay for it.” Members of his hard-line coalition have called for a harsh response.

What options does Israel have?

Israel has a broad range of choices of targets – from Iranian government buildings and military bases to sensitive oil installations to heavily fortified nuclear facilities hidden deep below ground. Israel accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons — a charge Iran denies.

Striking anywhere in Iran is a logistical challenge for Israel. Warplanes would need to fly over 1,500 kilometers (about 1,000 miles) to their target, requiring a complicated midair refueling operation, potentially over hostile skies. Any strike would also mean confronting Iran’s Russian-made air-defense systems.

“Remember that Iran is 1,500, 1,600 kilometers (about 1,000 miles) away from Israel, and you have countries in between — Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia. Some are friends. Some are foes,” said Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv and a former adviser on Iranian affairs on Israel’s National Security Council.

“You don’t want to embarrass your friends. You don’t want to get hostile fire from other countries,” he said.

Olmert, who served as prime minister from 2006 to 2009, said Israel is more than capable of coping with these challenges.

“We have the capabilities,” he said. “I’m not certain it would be wise and responsible to expose them.”

Even if Israel has the means, there are diplomatic considerations. A strike on the oil sector, Iran’s economic backbone, or on the nuclear program would almost certainly guarantee an Iranian response and raise the risk of further escalation.

Such strikes could rattle global oil markets and shake the US economy on the eve of a presidential election. They also could risk Iranian retaliation not only against Israel, but against American troops stationed in the region or Gulf Arab countries aligned with the West.

“Unlike Lebanon and Gaza, every Israeli attack on Iran has international and global repercussions,” said Menahem Merhavy, an Iran expert at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

So how will Israel respond?

Former leaders are divided on what path Israel should choose.

Olmert said a strike on multiple military targets, spread across Iran’s vast territory, would be more than enough to send a message. The goal, he said, is to show that Israel can strike anywhere and anytime.

“That’s precisely what deterrence is all about,” he said.

Olmert said hitting Iran’s oil sector would be an unnecessary escalation that invites a response, and that striking the nuclear program is not worth the risk. Not only would it trigger Iranian retaliation, but the odds of success are uncertain, he said.

“Trying to attack the nuclear program will be a mistake,” he said.

Another former prime minister, Yair Lapid, believes Israel should strike Iran’s oil industry infrastructure.

“That is the most painful target for the Iranian regime,” Lapid, who served as premier in 2022, said in a written response to a question from The Associated Press.

“Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel must be met with a forceful response,” he said, adding that Iran must understand “there is a high cost to its regional aggression.”

In an interview with the Israeli news site Ynet, Lapid said a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities should only be done as part of an international coalition in coordination with the United States.

Lapid’s predecessor as prime minister and former governing partner, Naftali Bennett, takes an even tougher line, saying now is the time for Israel to bomb the Iranian nuclear project.

Bennett said in a video posted on social media Tuesday that Iran and its allies have been weakened, and that Israel has a rare chance to deliver a decisive blow to Iran’s leadership, economy and nuclear program.

“We must not settle for Iranian military bases or noisy-yet-meaningless actions that are meant only to deliver a message,” Bennett said. “The time for messages is over.”

Olmert, however, said he hopes cooler heads will prevail.

“What do we want to achieve and how far do we want to go and how arrogant do we want to be?” he said. His advice: “Try to be smart.”

 


Foreign ministers of five countries condemn Israeli plan to seize Gaza City

Foreign ministers of five countries condemn Israeli plan to seize Gaza City
Updated 09 August 2025
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Foreign ministers of five countries condemn Israeli plan to seize Gaza City

Foreign ministers of five countries condemn Israeli plan to seize Gaza City
  • Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to seize control of Gaza City, escalating military operations in the devastated Palestinian territory

GAZA: The foreign ministers of Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom on Friday strongly condemned the Israeli Security Cabinet’s decision to launch a new large-scale military operation in Gaza.

“The plans that the Government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law,” the ministers said in a joint statement.

Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to seize control of Gaza City, escalating military operations in the devastated Palestinian territory. The move drew renewed criticism at home and abroad on Friday, as concerns mounted over the nearly two-year-old war. 

 


Turkiye hails US-brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan deal

Turkiye hails US-brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan deal
Updated 09 August 2025
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Turkiye hails US-brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan deal

Turkiye hails US-brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan deal
  • “At a time when international conflicts and crises are intensifying, this step constitutes a highly significant development for the promotion of regional peace and stability

ISTANBUL: Turkiye hailed an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan as progress toward a “lasting peace” on Friday after US President Donald Trump declared the foes had committed to permanently end hostilities.

“We welcome the progress achieved toward establishing a lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the commitment recorded in Washington today in this regard,” Turkiye’s foreign ministry said, in a statement.

“At a time when international conflicts and crises are intensifying, this step constitutes a highly significant development for the promotion of regional peace and stability. We commend the contributions of the US administration in this process.”

 


Hunger and disease spreading in war-torn Sudan, WHO says

Hunger and disease spreading in war-torn Sudan, WHO says
Updated 08 August 2025
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Hunger and disease spreading in war-torn Sudan, WHO says

Hunger and disease spreading in war-torn Sudan, WHO says
  • 770,000 children under 5 years old are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year

LONDON: Hunger and disease are spreading in war-torn Sudan, with famine already present in several areas, 25 million people acutely food insecure, and nearly 100,000 cholera cases recorded since last July, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

Sudan’s conflict between the army and rival Rapid Support Forces has displaced millions and split the country into rival zones of control, with the RSF still deeply embedded in western Sudan, and funding cuts are hampering humanitarian aid.

“Relentless violence has pushed Sudan’s health system to the edge, adding to a crisis marked by hunger, illness, and despair,” WHO Senior Emergency Officer Ilham Nour said in a statement.

BACKGROUND

Cholera has hit a camp for Darfur refugees in neighboring eastern Chad, the UN refugee agency said on Friday.

“Exacerbating the disease burden is hunger,” she said, adding that about 770,000 children under 5 years old are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year.

Cholera has also hit a camp for Darfur refugees in eastern Chad, the UN refugee agency said on Friday.

The World Health Organization said nearly 100,000 cholera cases had been reported in Sudan since July last year.

An outbreak in the Dougui refugee settlement has so far resulted in 264 cases and 12 deaths, said Patrice Ahouansou, UNHCR’s situation coordinator in the region, leading the agency to suspend the relocation of refugees from the border with Sudan to prevent new cases.

“Without urgent action, including enhancing access to medical treatment, to clean water, to sanitation, to hygiene, and most importantly, relocation from the border, many more lives are on the line,” Ahouansou told a briefing in Geneva.

Oral cholera vaccination campaigns had been conducted in several states, including the capital Khartoum, he told a press conference with the Geneva UN correspondents’ association ACANU.

“While we are seeing a declining trend in numbers, there are gaps in disease surveillance, and progress is fragile,” he said.

“Recent floods, affecting large parts of the country, are expected to worsen hunger and fuel more outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dengue, and other diseases.”

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that spreads through food and water contaminated with bacteria, often from feces. It causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle cramps.

Cholera can kill within hours when not attended to, though it can be treated with simple oral rehydration and antibiotics for more severe cases.

There has been a global increase in cholera cases and their geographical spread since 2021.

“In Sudan, unrelenting violence has led to widespread hunger, disease, and suffering,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“Cholera has swept across Sudan, with all states reporting outbreaks. Nearly 100,000 cases have been reported since July last year.”

As for hunger, Tedros said there were reports from El-Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur state, that people were eating animal feed to survive.

“In the first six months of this year, nutrition centers supported by WHO have treated more than 17,000 severely malnourished children with medical complications. But many more are beyond reach,” Tedros warned.

The UN health agency’s efforts were being hindered by limited access and a lack of funding, he added, with the WHO having received less than a third of the money it had appealed for to provide urgent health assistance in Sudan.

The WHO director-general said that as long as the violence continues in Sudan, “we can expect to see more hunger, more displacement and more disease.”

 


Plans to take Gaza City are met with defiance from war-weary Palestinians and anger by many Israelis

Plans to take Gaza City are met with defiance from war-weary Palestinians and anger by many Israelis
Updated 08 August 2025
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Plans to take Gaza City are met with defiance from war-weary Palestinians and anger by many Israelis

Plans to take Gaza City are met with defiance from war-weary Palestinians and anger by many Israelis
  • “What does (Israel) want from us? ... There is nothing here to occupy,” said a woman in Gaza City
  • Ruby Chen, a dual US-Israeli citizen whose son, Itay, is a hostage held in Gaza, told AP that the decision puts the remaining hostages in danger

TEL AVIV: Israel’s decision to take over Gaza City was met with resignation and defiance by Palestinians who have survived two years of war and repeated raids. Many Israelis responded with fear and anger, worried it could be a death sentence for hostages held in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday that Israel would intensify its 22-month war with Hamas by taking over Gaza City, large parts of which have been destroyed by past bombardment and ground incursions.

A major ground operation is almost sure to cause more mass displacement and worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

“What does (Israel) want from us? ... There is nothing here to occupy,” said a woman in Gaza City who identified herself as Umm Youssef. “There is no life here. I have to walk every day for more than 15 minutes to get drinking water.”

Ruby Chen, a dual US-Israeli citizen whose son, Itay, is a hostage held in Gaza, told The Associated Press that the decision puts the remaining hostages in danger.

“What is the plan now that is different from the last 22 months?” he said.

Ehud Olmert, a former prime minister and harsh critic of Netanyahu, told the AP “there’s not any objective that can be achieved that’s worth the cost of the lives of the hostages, the soldiers” and civilians, echoing concerns expressed by many former top security officials in Israel.

‘I will die here’

Netanyahu says military pressure is key to achieving Israel’s war goals of returning all the hostages and destroying Hamas. On Thursday, he told Fox News that Israel intends to eventually take over all of Gaza and hand it over to a friendly Arab civilian administration.

But Hamas has survived nearly two years of war and several large-scale ground operations, including in Gaza City. In a statement, the militant group said the people of Gaza would “remain defiant against occupation” and warned Israel that the incursion “will not be a walk in the park.”

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled Gaza City in the opening weeks of the war, the first of several mass displacements. Many returned during a ceasefire earlier this year. Now, residents say they are too busy searching for food and trying to survive amid the city’s bombed-out buildings and tent camps to think about another exodus.

“I have no intention to leave my home, I will die here,” said Kamel Abu Nahel from the city’s urban Shati refugee camp.

Israel already controls and has largely destroyed around 75 percent of the Gaza Strip, with most of its population of some 2 million Palestinians now sheltering in Gaza City, the central city of Deir Al-Balah and the sprawling displacement camps in the Muwasi area along the coast.

The offensive has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians. It says women and children make up around half the dead. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The United Nations and other experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of casualties, while Israel disputes them.

Ismail Zaydah said he and his family had remained in Gaza City throughout the war.

“This is our land, there is no other place for us to go,” he said. “We are not surrendering ... We were born here, and here we die.”

‘This madman called Netanyahu’

Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that started the war and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Though most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals, 50 are still in Gaza, less than half of them believed by Israel to be alive.

Relatives of many of the hostages and their supporters have repeatedly protested against the continuation of the war, demanding that Israel reach a ceasefire with Hamas that would include the return of their loved ones. The long-running talks broke down last month.

“Somebody’s got to stop this madman called Netanyahu,” said Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is held hostage. He said faith in the United States to help is also dwindling. “I lost hope with Donald Trump ... he’s letting Netanyahu just do whatever he likes,” he said.

But other Israelis voiced support for the decision.

“They need to go after Hamas,” said Susan Makin, a Tel Aviv resident. “Why are they not asking why Hamas has not given back the hostages and put (down) their arms?”

The agony around the plight of the hostages has worsened in recent days as Palestinians militants have released videos showing two of the captives emaciated and pleading for their lives. Families fear their loved ones, who may be held in other parts of Gaza, are running out time.

Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli general and chairman of Israel’s Defense and Security Forum, said there are a few hostages in Gaza City and the army will have to decide how to manage the situation.

He said they might be able to surround the hostages and negotiate directly with their captors or leave those areas untouched. Under pressure, Hamas might decide to release the captives, he said.

That strategy carries great risk. Last year, Israeli forces recovered the bodies of six hostages who were killed by their captors when troops approached the tunnel where they were being held.


Cruelty becoming enemy of peace in Gaza, UN torture expert warns after hostage videos emerge

Cruelty becoming enemy of peace in Gaza, UN torture expert warns after hostage videos emerge
Updated 08 August 2025
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Cruelty becoming enemy of peace in Gaza, UN torture expert warns after hostage videos emerge

Cruelty becoming enemy of peace in Gaza, UN torture expert warns after hostage videos emerge
  • Alice Jill Edwards calls for immediate release of all hostages, reiterates that aiding and abetting hostage-taking is also a crime under international law
  • Disturbing videos released this week by captors ‘should be proof enough’ of cruelty inflicted on hostages, she says; also calls for release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails

NEW YORK CITY: The UN’s special rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, on Friday reiterated her urgent call for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, after disturbing videos showing severely emaciated captives emerged this week.

“Cruelty is being used as psychological warfare, with devastating consequences for individuals, families, societies and for peace,” Edwards said from Geneva.

She warned that the conflict in Gaza is increasingly being fought in the public arena, with graphic media coverage intensifying the psychological harm.

Last weekend, Hamas released a disturbing video of 24-year-old Evyatar David, an Israeli taken hostage at the Nova Music Festival during the Oct. 7 attacks.

He appeared extremely thin and pale, so much so that his father said he barely recognized his son. The video showed David, under the control of his Hamas captors, being forced to dig what appeared to be his own grave inside a narrow underground tunnel.

Out of respect for the wishes of David’s family, the video is not being shown as they believe he is being used for cruel propaganda purposes. They called for urgent international action to help secure his release.

Edwards said that it is not only hostage-takers who could be held criminally liable under international law, but also any individuals or groups that aid in concealment or detention.

“Anyone involved must be held to account for their involvement, in a court of law,” she said.

She also appealed to countries with influence in the region to help break the deadlock in ceasefire negotiations, and called for international observers to be granted immediate access to all hostages and detainees.

“If anyone was immune to the cruelty being inflicted on the hostages, these latest videos should be proof enough,” Edwards said.

She also repeated her broader calls for an end to hostilities in Gaza, the urgent expansion of humanitarian aid to the territory, the release of arbitrarily detained Palestinians, and independent investigations into all alleged violations of international law.

She urged all parties to resume negotiations toward a comprehensive peace settlement based on a two-state solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

Special rapporteurs are part of what is known as the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council. They are independent experts who work on a voluntary basis, are not members of UN staff and are not paid for their work.