It is hard to know the actual trigger behind the Israeli government’s response to the breaking down of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
While Hamas has been playing games throughout the ceasefire, yesterday’s Hamas directed terror attack in Jerusalem appears to be the final move from Sinwar that triggered the end of the ceasefire. With no renewal in the offing, Hamas fired rockets at southern villages and cities just after 5am. Israel retaliated with heavy strikes in Khan Yunis in Gaza’s South and across Gaza City. Reports of firefights in the northern part of strip has also come out.
Hezbollah once again started shelling and shooting rockets in the North – sending exhausted Israelis once again to the bomb shelters in Galilee communities.
Blinken Plays His Entire Hand And Loses
Just before the end of the ceasefire, America’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken came to Israel to force them to continue the ceasefire as well as threatening the War Cabinet that they had only weeks to finish the job. That information was leaked to the media – revealing to the public the USA’s double talk and leaving Blinken exposed and empty handed.
Overnight Attack on Yemen With Saudi Help
Saudi media reports indicate that an overnight Israeli strike was behind an explosion at an arms depot in Yemen’s capital Sana’a. The capital is controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Houthis have of course denied the attack took place. However, the Saudi report seems credible. Furthermore, any attack on Yemen would need Saudi support as the fastest way to Yemen is over Saudi airspace. If this actually occurred – it has seismic repercussions across the region and inside the Biden administration as well. It would mean that Saudi Arabia and Israel have upped their relationship to a near alliance and it also means that any such coordination would have left Biden’s team in the dark as neither the Saudis nor the Israelis trust the Qatari connected security advisors to the White House.
With the war beginning again and this time Israel clearly indicating to America that it has no interest in holding back, Sinwar’s plan for a multi front war may happen.