The sense of unease accompanying the war’s impressive achievements stems from the impression that the long-awaited change in Iran was within reach, yet the ceasefire pushed it further away and helped the regime rise from the ropes. Israel must now push for two critical decisions: No easing of economic sanctions on Iran, and no restrictions on Israel’s freedom of action.
Iran still has an arsenal of thousands of ballistic missiles that it could use by bringing launchers out of underground storage sites. American officials familiar with the latest intelligence assessments say they are concerned Iran would use the ceasefire to rebuild parts of its missile arsenal.
According to The New York Times, the US had difficulty tracking the small boats Iran used to lay mines in the critical shipping lane, creating uncertainty. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the strait would be reopened to traffic "subject to technical limitations."
An initial call is set to take place between Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, and the incoming Lebanese ambassador. The conversation is only a first step ahead of the launch of official negotiations early next week.
Israel thwarted a potential Iranian capability during the war to harm its satellites. It did so first by protecting them from the ground around the clock, and later by bombing the enemy’s space infrastructure. The damage is estimated in the billions.
