LOS ANGELES.–U.S. intel indicates that Iran is preparing to strike Israel in the next few days for its April 1 strike on Iran’s Damascus, Syria consulate complex, housing Republican Guard Al Quds headquarters, killing Brig Gen. Mohammed Reza Zahedi and six other soldiers. U.S. officials think Iran could hit Israel directly or one of its diplomatic missions around the Mideast. Israel warned that it would respond to any Iranian strike on its consulates or any other Israeli outpost. “They’re threatening to launch a significant attack on Israel,” 81-year-old President Joe Biden said yesterday at a White House news conference. Biden has been striking Yemen-based Houthi targets with British help in the Red Sea trying to deter Iranian-backed attacks on commercial shipping that have forced major shipping carriers, like Maersk, to avoid the Suez Canal and Red Seat, going around the Cape of Good Hope.

Biden’s lack to direct involvement militarily with Iran has let the Iranian-backed Houthi’s run wild attacking commercial ships. Iran is the Middle East’s biggest sponsor of State terrorism, funding-and-arming Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen and ISIS-K in Afghanistan and Syria. When Israel struck Damascus April 1, it was for ongoing Hamas attacks in Gaza and Hezbollah rocket attacks in Lebanon. For the last six months, Hezbollah’s 63-year-old Supreme leader Hassan Nasrallah has been launching almost daily rocket attacks against Israel’s Northern border since Oct. 7, the day of the Hamas massacre, raping, torturing and killing 1,200 Israeli citizens, in the largest attack since the Nazi Holocaust. So, when Israel attacks Iran’s Al Quds force in Damascus, it’s for daily provocations and new threats to hit Israel with guided missiles.

Biden’s press conference reveals for the fake news to see his real relationship with Israel, not the good-cop-bad-cop rubbish that has him pitted against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “As I told Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, our commitment to Israel’s security against these threat from Iran and its proxies is ironclad. Let me say it again, ironclad. We’re going to all we can to protect Israel’s security,” Biden said, antagonizing his Muslim constituents in Michigan and Minnesota, all pushing him to impose a ceasefire in Gaza on Israel. Biden’s Arab constituents don’t like to hear the reality of U.S. foreign policy that they have no better U.S. ally than Israel. No one danced in the streets after Sept. 11 in Tel Aviv but they did in Gaza and the West Bank. Biden knows that no ally has the U.S. back more that Israel in the decades old war on terror.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian said Iran said Israel “will be punished and that America is responsible for the regime’s attack on the Iranian embassy and must be held accountable.” Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz warned Iran to think twice before attacking Israel on X. “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran,” Katz wrote on X. Iran hasn’t been attacking Israel directly since the 1991 Gulf War when its shot Skud missiles in Israel. Since then, it’s been all proxy attacks with Hamas and Hezbollah carrying the load. Hezbollah’s Nasrallah said he was ready to do whatever asked by Iran’s 84-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei battles his own domestic unrest in Iran after the Sept. 16, 2022 Basij militia beating death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. Khamenei can’t afford war with the U.S. or Israel.

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who’s consumed with Israel Defense Forces [IDF] operation in Gaza, said Israel would respond to any Iranian attack. “We will know to respond very quickly in a necessary offensive in the territory of whoever attacks Israel, no matter where . . . anywhere in the Middle East,” said Gallant. Iran wouldn’t dare strike any U.S. assets directly, only using Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis or ISIS-K. When it comes to Iran’s retaliation, it’s most likely to come from Hezbollah, where Nasrallah boasts having medium-range ballistic missiles capable to hitting any Israeli cities. Any strike from Hezbollah would prompt a decisive Israel response deep inside Lebanon, where the government continues to reel from a protracted economy downturn Lebanon in extreme poverty. Nasrallah bases himself south of Beirut, closer to the northern Israeli border.
Iran will likely strike Israel from its proxies, most likely Hezboallah who boasts the biggest arsenal of ballistic missiles in the Middle East. Nasrallah must be careful not to threaten his own power, where Israel could easily take out his militia with its superior air force. “The response will be crushing,” warned Amirabdollahian, not saying how or from whom the attacks would occur. Judging by Iran’s cryptic practices, any strike against Israel would use ballistic missiles and drones, most likely from Hezbollah but it could come from Yemen’s Houthi rebels. U.S. and British forces have found out the hard way how difficult it is to stop Houthi strikes on Red Sea commercial shipping. Houthis attacked Saudi Arabia for years and they could present problems for Israel. Unlike Hamas and Hezbollah, Houthis could start firing drones and missiles at Israel’s infrastructure.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.