Joe Biden and his advisers are responsible for Iran’s attack on Israel, John Bolton, former national security adviser to Donald Trump, John Bolton argues in an article published in the Washington Examiner. Bolton also discusses how Israel and the US should deal with the Iranian threat.
On 13 April Iran carried out an unprecedented attack against Israel. Launching more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against the Jewish state marks the first open conflict between the two states, which have been engaged in a so-called ‘shadow war’ for years. Iran’s attack was successfully repelled by Israel with the help of the United States, Britain, France, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Days later, Israel carried out a small drone attack in Isfahan, Iran showing of its on capability to strike anywhere in Iran’s territory. The international community, fearing an escalation of the already fragile situation in the Middle East, urged all parties to exercise restraint. But how did we get here?
According to John Bolton, Joe Biden and his advisers refused to acknowledge Iran’s ‘ring of fire’ strategy, that is attacking Israel through proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, the Yemeni Houthis or Iraqi and Syrian militias. Even after the vicious terrorist attack on 7 October the White House failed to recognize that
the real conflict in the region is not between the Palestinians or Arabs and Israel, but Iran’s war against Israel.
According to Bolton, Joe Biden is afraid of the anti-Israel left wing of the Democratic Party, which is why he is pursuing an unattainable ceasefire in Gaza that would have no real strategic significance. This is also why Democrats are increasingly critical of Israel. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), for example, has proposed calling new elections for Israel in the hope that Benjamin Netanyahu and his government will leave.
‘By contrast, Israel immediately understood that Iran was the hidden hand behind Oct. 7. Jerusalem’s April 1 strike against top Quds Force officers in Damascus was important in its continuing defensive military response,’ Bolton explained.
Why Iran delayed its response to the Damascus operation remains a question. It is not known whether there was indeed a calculated effort by Tehran to inflict only minor damage on Israel. Or there were simply operational reasons for the late response. But the one reason that led to Iran’s unprecedented direct attack, according to John Bolton, is certain. And that is:
„Israeli and U.S. deterrence against Iran failed. Proportionality, diplomacy, “messaging,” and academic game theory all came to naught.”
According to Bolton, in order to restore deterrence Israel should consider a retaliatory strike that sends a clear message to Iran that
if it launches another attack the consequences could be immense.
Such a strike, in Bolton’s opinion, would have to hit Iran’s air defences and missile launching sites, the command infrastructure of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran and Iran’s oil and gas production infrastructure as well.
Restoring deterrence, John Bolton argues, is essential because Iran has demonstrated that it can launch an attack directly against Israel, and although Tehran could not put nuclear warheads on the missiles, Israel must do everything to ensure that this may never happen. And the United States must give Israel all the support in this, the former national security adviser concluded.
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