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Israeli Intelligence Expects War that 'No One Wants'

Two Israeli soldiers react during an army operation near Nablus. (AFP)
Two Israeli soldiers react during an army operation near Nablus. (AFP)
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Israeli Intelligence Expects War that 'No One Wants'

Two Israeli soldiers react during an army operation near Nablus. (AFP)
Two Israeli soldiers react during an army operation near Nablus. (AFP)

The Military Intelligence Division of the Israeli Army (Aman) saw that the possibility of war breaking out in the region has increased over the past months.

In a report issued on Tuesday and published by Haaretz, Aman considered that the current escalation during the month of Ramadan stemmed from three central developments that led to changes in Israel’s strategic environment. Those include decline of American interest in developments in the Middle East, Iran’s self-confidence through attempts to challenge Israel directly, and increasing instability within the Palestinian arena.

The military editor of Haaretz, Amos Harel, indicated that the cooling of relations with Washington began to affect the military field.

He noted that although the Israeli army boasts of close relations with the US Army Central Command (CENTCOM), the prevailing impression is that the Americans were less enthusiastic about Israel’s sharing of intelligence information and operational plans.

The report considered that the leaders in Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas were not interested in a confrontation with Israel, and they expressed this position in various means and messages.

However, they are taking unprecedented military steps and operations that “could set the region on fire,” according to the report.

In fact, Iran and its proxies believe that the massive demonstrations taking place in Tel Aviv in protest against a plan to weaken the judiciary, tension with the Palestinians, and the disagreements with the US administration, were all signs of Israel’s increasing vulnerability.

While the report underlined that the chances of war breaking out were not great, because “no one wants it”, it stressed that the region could be dragged into war because of the temptations offered by the internal Israeli crisis.

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Russia Stages First Missile Attack on Kyiv Since August

Rescuers work at a site of a Russian missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine August 27. REUTERS/Stringer
Rescuers work at a site of a Russian missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine August 27. REUTERS/Stringer
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Russia Stages First Missile Attack on Kyiv Since August

Rescuers work at a site of a Russian missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine August 27. REUTERS/Stringer
Rescuers work at a site of a Russian missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine August 27. REUTERS/Stringer

Blasts boomed across Kyiv on Wednesday morning after officials said Russia launched its first missile attack on the Ukrainian capital since August, forcing elderly women and small children to take shelter in an underground metro station.
Ukrainians have been waiting for a big missile attack for months, worried that it could deal a new blow to the hobbled energy system and cause long blackouts as winter sets in.
Air defenses intercepted two incoming cruise missiles, two ballistic missiles and 37 drones across the country, the air force said. No casualties or major damage were reported in Kyiv.
"Putin is launching a missile attack on Kyiv right now," Andriy Yermak, the head of the president's office, wrote on Telegram.
Falling debris came down in the region outside Kyiv, injuring a 48-year-old man and causing a fire at a warehouse, the head of Kyiv region's administration said.
Kyiv has faced Russian drone attacks almost nightly for weeks. City mayor Vitali Klitschko said a drone was still flying over central Kyiv in the morning.
"Explosions in the city. Air defense forces are working. Stay in shelters!" the Kyiv city administration wrote on Telegram.
Around 100 residents took shelter in the central metro station Universitet, including small children sleeping on yoga mats and elderly women sitting on fold-out chairs.
Some complained of a lack of sleep from the regular drone attacks, which trigger the air raid alert that sounds across the city and buzzes on phones.
"The mornings are totally ruined. I started college in September and every morning has been ruined by the bloody Russians. I cannot sleep, cannot think and I drink energy drinks all the time," said Mykyta, a teenager hugging his dog in the metro.
MASSIVE ATTACK
Russia targeted Ukrainian power facilities with strikes earlier this year, causing blackouts. The situation has since improved, but officials believe the Kremlin may plan to attack the grid again soon.
Andrii Kovalenko, a senior official at the National Security and Defence Council, warned that Russia was ready to conduct another "massive" attack and had accumulated a large number of cruise missiles.
After Wednesday's strike, power grid operator Ukrenergo said it would limit electricity supply for businesses due to "significantly" lower power imports and lower generation.
The last time restrictions on power supplies were imposed on both businesses and households was after a big Russian missile and drone attack in late August.
It was unclear whether the new restrictions were linked to the latest attack. Ukraine's largest private power generator and distributor DTEK said the restrictions would apply to Kyiv, the surrounding region and the regions of Odesa, Dnipro and Donetsk.
Despite regular drone attacks, Russia has not struck Kyiv with missiles since Aug. 26 when it launched a massive attack across the country that officials said deployed more than 200 drones and missiles. That attack killed seven people, Ukraine said.