Israel well aware of Iran missile power: Analyst

Press TV has carried out an interview with Redwan Rizk, a political commentator in Beirut, to discuss a senior Iranian military official’s remarks, warning Israel of a ‘crushing’ response in case of an attack against Tehran.

What follows is a rough transcription.

Press TV: Just how vulnerable is Israel and will it do anything to become such a target?

Rizk: Well, I think that the Israelis wish to do so but they are so much afraid because [of] their previous experience in clashes with the Lebanese resistance, which is in coalition and coordination with Iran, and the power of resistance against the Israelis. Now the Israelis are trying their best to widen the frontlines and that is why they have urged the Saudis to get involved in Yemen and elsewhere in Syria so that they can protect themselves, pushing other countries to do their proxy wars and they are trying to keep their borders safe, because they know that they are under targeting from Iraq, missiles from Iran and from Hezbollah in Lebanon. That could do a mass destruction to the Israelis cities. So... they will try their best to avoid any direct clashes with Iran and or to provoke the Lebanese resistance in southern Lebanon. So they have lots of information, they have strong information that those missiles are not a joke. They have the power to destroy major cities and major infrastructure in what is so-called Israel. So they are trying to play this hide and [seek] games because the Saudis now and other [Persian] Gulf countries are helping the Israelis a lot, they are providing a lot of facilities to their air force and other coordinations... logistic supplies to the groups in Golan heights who are protected by the Israelis. So the Israelis are highly concerned that their safety now is in danger because they cannot.... the so-called shield that is built around Israel have experienced a very bad failure in to [keep] rockets from reaching the main targets inside Israel. So I believe that they do take this kind of information and announcements from the Iranian officials in a very serious way. They understand that this information and these speeches are serious and not a joke and the Israelis are not going to do... or to commit any foolish steps in the future.

Press TV: How much would the US compromise for the security of Israel?

Rizk: Well,  I think that the Americans also don’t have much choices because if a major war could broke [out] in the region, they know their best allies in the region, like the [Persian] Gulf countries and Israel will be direct targets for Iran and they don’t joke with that. Because as we know and they know, Iran became a superpower in the region and it can change the whole game and I believe that the Americans are not willing to gamble with their strategic interests in the region. And they also know that they cannot get involved in a major war with Iranians and the Iranian allies in the region so that is why they are trying to pressure Israel to keep quiet because they cannot protect it if a major war breaks out in the region. So the Americans do realize that the war could damage their strategic interests in the region and as well as [the fact that] they cannot send any more ground troops due to their previous experience in Iraq and Afghanistan. So that’s why I believe that they will try to do their best in protecting Israel without getting involved into a direct war.

MTM/KA

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk