The announced Israeli military operation in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, “has the potential to trigger a regional war” since it “incites public opinion in Arab countries against their leaders”. This was stated in an interview with beraking latest news by Afifeh Abedi, researcher on foreign policy issues at the Center for Strategic Research (CSR) in Tehran, one of the main think tanks of the Islamic Republic, while international calls for the Netanyahu government to desist are multiplying from launching an attack on Rafah.
According to Abedi, Israel’s goal is to “occupy Gaza and transform its social, economic and political structures into Israeli ones.” The operation planned in Rafah is part of “Israel’s ongoing efforts to weaken Hamas and secure access to Gaza”, explains the analyst, according to whom, however, the emergence of “a new dimension of crimes”, such as the discovery of mass graves makes “Washington’s ability to continue to support Israel increasingly difficult”.
As for Iran, he specifies, its demands are always that Israel cease its attacks on Gaza and Rafah, that it withdraw completely from Gaza and that the inhabitants of Gaza return to their homes. “On this basis it will continue to hold regional and international consultations.”