"Middle East Escalation? Israel Holds the Key"
Professor Seong Il-gwang of Sogang University's Euromena Research Institute stated regarding Israel's airstrike on the meeting place of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other command members using massive bombs, "It is true that Israel bypassed the United States in this operation," adding, "because the U.S. could have interfered with the operation."
On the 30th, during CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' Professor Seong explained, "Important operations are not disclosed in advance; they are only revealed after the operation has already begun," and added, "It is possible that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh was also not disclosed beforehand." Israel assassinated Haniyeh, the top political leader of the Palestinian armed faction Hamas, on July 31.
He said, "Israel hopes the U.S. will assist in attacking Iran," explaining, "Iran is a powerful force supporting Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas, and pro-Syrian militias, so Israel cannot handle it alone." He continued, "However, the newly elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian prioritizes negotiating with the U.S. to lift economic sanctions and is trying not to fall into Israel's trap."
Regarding the possibility of further escalation in the Middle East, he predicted, "Iran holds the key," and "It seems they will take a little more time before making a decision." Professor Seong said, "Although Iran-backed proxy groups are expected to support Hezbollah, Iran has not stated that it will directly retaliate against Israel," adding, "because Iran is currently in a serious dilemma."
He added, "Hezbollah is like the beloved eldest son to Iran," and "It is a safeguard that Iran has heavily invested in to prevent Israel and the U.S. from attacking its nuclear facilities, but now it is collapsing." He also noted, "If Iran helps Hezbollah, it could lead to a confrontation with the U.S. and Israel, which might worsen the situation, so Iran is likely to be in a difficult position."
Meanwhile, on the 28th (local time), the Israeli military devastated the Hezbollah command meeting place by dropping about 100 massive bombs known as 'bunker busters.' According to the Israeli military, many key figures in Hezbollah's command, including leader Hassan Nasrallah, were killed in the airstrike. On the 29th, the Israeli military also conducted airstrikes on the port city of Hodeidah, controlled by the Yemeni Houthi rebels.
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