For Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Tuesday’s missile attack on Israel was “finished, unless the Israeli regime proceeds,” as he said, “with further retaliation.” Tehran claims that the attack against him Israel with about 180 missiles is the answer to the assassinations of Hezbollah leaders and the invasion of Lebanon. In addition, Iran made it clear that the missiles were aimed exclusively at Israeli military infrastructure.

For his part, the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu famously vowed publicly that Israel would strike back, stressing that “Iran made a big mistake and will pay for it.”

Speaking to DW, Mr Simon Wolfgang Fuchsa professor of Middle East studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, takes it for granted that Israel will respond to the Iranian missile attack: “I think at the moment Israel is not interested in de-escalation. Many in the country see the current situation as a “unique opportunity in the last 50 years” to turn the tide in the Middle East and decisively weaken Iran. The Revolutionary Guards confirmed in a video that they have completed retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah and the war in Gaza and Lebanon. But Israel does not consider the issue over. If it attacks oil installations or even nuclear units, developments in the entire Middle East will be unpredictable.”

40,000 fighters ready to fight for Hezbollah

At the same time reports speak of up to 40,000 fighters close to Iran, who are waiting in Syria, near the border with Lebanon. “Fighters from Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan have declared their solidarity with Hezbollah and their commitment to fight if called upon,” said Burju Ozcelik, a Middle East security specialist at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. :

“The risk of fighters from the so-called Axis of Resistance, i.e. Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan, gathering on the Syrian border to support Hezbollah has existed for some time. Should the Israeli operations in southern Lebanon lead to prolonged engagement and fighting with Hezbollah on the ground, then this may provide an opportunity for Arab fighters to infiltrate Lebanon. It would be extremely dangerous and it is something that the armed forces of Israel and Lebanon must prevent.”

Editor: Stefanos Georgakopoulos