As governments around the world try to digest the Iranian attack on Israel last Saturday night, in which hundreds of drones and missiles were fired against the country (almost all of them intercepted in the air), another debate is already in full swing: Was Iran’s actions a military failure or a political and strategic success? The answer can be very different.
For members of the Israeli government, the fact that virtually all of the projectiles were fired is evidence of this the country’s ability to withstand a major attack, even with stronger and more precise weapons, without much fear. The Iron Dome, developed in collaboration with the United States, was tested to its limits, with social media users deeming the explosions in the sky over Israeli cities as “fireworks.”
Seen this way, if the Iranians really wanted to cause harm – like the one the Israelis caused in Damascus on April 1st – They failed. Since Iran is a country that uses its missile and drone development program as a propaganda banner and a tool for regional projection, if it could not overcome the Iron Dome with hundreds of projectiles, it would be proof that its weapons are not exactly invincible.
Politically, Some see the alleged failure as a sign of weakness on the part of Tehran’s leadership.which could now be even more at risk if Israel decides to launch a military response, an issue that still divides Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet.
“The fact that the Iranian attack was a complete failure does not diminish in any way Israel’s commitment to retaliate against Iran for their direct act of aggression,” said Jonathan Conricus, a former Israeli army spokesman and researcher at the Foundation for Defense and Democracy, an organization based in the United States.
But Iron Dome wasn’t the only one responsible for launching the missiles and drones.: According to Israeli government officials, Americans, British, French and Jordanians intercepted some of the projectiles, more than 100, showing that the support of these countries, especially the United States, is not based only on speeches and statements.
According to the Maariv newspaper, Americans and British organized themselves an operation to ensure that the wiretapping attempts were successful. Some of the aircraft were already over Iraqi airspace before the takeoffs and were refueled in mid-air to remain operational.
“The Iranian threat was countered by Israel’s technological and operational superiority, in collaboration with Western and Middle Eastern countries. And Iran’s missile program against Israel has failed miserably, with 99% of threats intercepted,” Ou Fialkov, an intelligence data analyst, told Maariv.
