Analysts Agree: Israel’s Targeted Strikes on Enemy Leaders Are Shifting Conflict Dynamics
Michael Doran, a Hudson Institute analyst, stated that Israel’s actions show that no locale is beyond their reach and that they are not intimidated by Iran’s hostility.
Top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders were killed by Israel, putting pressure on terrorist groups and Iran to respond. This increased the likelihood of war and changed the dynamics of the conflicts, according to analysts.
Analysts noted that Iran became more involved following the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s leader, in Tehran while he was under the protection of the Iranian government. Israel did not publicly claim responsibility for the attack.
Israel’s bold move to target its enemies’ leadership in distant locations, like the killing of Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s military head, in Beirut, demonstrated its strength and changed the rules of engagement. This came as a response to Hezbollah’s rocket attack on the Golan Heights that resulted in the deaths of Druze children and teens.
“Israel’s approach signals a new offensive strategy against Iran’s proxies, short of targeting Iran directly without U.S. support,” said Irina Tsukerman, a national security and counterterrorism specialist.
She added that Israel’s calculated escalation aimed to deliver severe blows to its adversaries that would be difficult to recover from.
Ilan Berman, vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council, commended Israel’s success in penetrating Iran’s security measures and emphasized the strategic significance of the killings in the ongoing conflict.
Israel’s recent actions targeting Hezbollah and Hamas leaders have shown their determination to eliminate these threats and rebuild their regional posture. The deaths of Mohammed Deif, Hamas’s military head, and Mohammed al-Jabari, Islamic Jihad’s weapons manufacturing deputy, further illustrate Israel’s resolve to cripple these organizations.
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Similarly, Tsukerman dismissed the idea that Haniyeh was a moderate figure, highlighting his questionable actions and lavish lifestyle amid Gaza’s economic turmoil.
As part of Israel’s efforts to dismantle these terrorist networks, she indicated that Hamas leadership’s impunity was coming to an end, and warned that no individual, regardless of their status or location, is immune to repercussions.
Amid this escalating conflict, Hamas’s leadership has suffered significant losses since the Oct. 7 massacre. Tsukerman suggested that Khaled Meshaal may become the new leader and could also face Israeli targeting.
She stressed that Israel’s objective should be to disrupt Hamas’s operations early on and prevent any leader from gaining influence and power to ensure that being a Hamas leader becomes the most dangerous and undesirable position in the world.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
