Max Abrahms, associate professor of political science at Northeastern, says the attack could have “international implications for the US” as well as a regional impact in countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
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Iran launched a blow to Israel on Saturday, deploying more than 300 drones and missiles to the country as part of a major air offensive.
Israel says 99% of weapons intercepted, but Max Abramsassociate professor of political science at Northeastern University, says Iran's actions can be seen as a “declaration of war” and will have broader implications for the wider Middle East conflict.
The attack, which comes six months after Hamas attacked Israel, is an apparent response to an Israeli attack on an Iranian compound in Damascus, Syria, earlier this month.
The United States says it shot down an unknown number of drones in the attack.
“Iran has effectively declared war on Israel, and Israel is going to respond in a meaningful way,” Abrams says. “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to respond by targeting Iran's nuclear facilities.”
Abrams notes that Iran and Israel have been enemies since the Iranian revolution in 1979. But what makes Saturday's attack significant is that it was launched directly from Iran.
“Israel and Iran are waging a low-level war with each other in the shadows,” says Abrams. “Iran has historically used its proxy groups to attack Israel from Yemen, Lebanon and even the Palestinian territories with Iranian-backed groups like Hamas.”
Saturday's attack came weeks after an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 killed three top Iranian commanders.
Abrams says Iran's response to this attack has made the situation much more serious.
“Israel attacked some terrorists outside of Iran, and Iran apparently responded by launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel,” he says.
The Biden administration had pledged to support Israel against the attack and in recent days has sent increased military aid in anticipation of an Iranian attack. In a statement to The New York Times on Saturday night, a US Defense Department official doubled United States support for Israel;.
“Consistent with our ironclad commitment to Israel's security, US forces in the region continue to shoot down drones launched by Iran targeting Israel,” the statement said. “Our forces remain positioned to provide additional defense support and protect US forces operating in the region.”
Abrams adds that the attack could have “international implications for the US” as well as a regional impact on countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
“There are simultaneous attacks by Iranian proxies from Yemen, from Lebanon,” he says. “Well, yes, this is a very serious situation. We're in uncharted waters here.”
Iran's attacks on Israel come six months after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, when Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, launched a cross-border attack on Israel on October 7. deploying bombs and other large-scale military actions in the Gaza Strip in the name of eliminating the group.
Abrams says Iran may have launched its strike against Israel on Saturday, given the country's vulnerability and its response to the Oct. 7 attack.
“Israel has lost some international prestige since its response to the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7,” says Abrams. “Thus, the Iranian leadership has concluded that this is the right time to wage war against Israel.”
