A report in the Hezbollah-affiliated outlet Al-Mayadeen on an attack on a cargo ship mistakenly thought to be Israeli-owned in the northern Indian Ocean raises concerns of a renewed campaign between Israel and Iran.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
According to foreign sources, this campaign has been going on for around two years in a number of arenas. According to what we know, Israel tried to prevent the transfer of Iranian fuel to Syria to prevent the transfer of funds to Hezbollah, which Iran pays for the fuel that comes through.
This campaign, which as far as we know was initially covert in nature, has slowly become more overt, with increasing reports of its existence coming out over the last year.
The Iranians have begun to attack Israeli-owned ships in an apparent response to Israeli naval activity. It is in this way that we have found ourselves in the midst of a naval campaign in which vessels belonging to both sides are targeted.
"The war between wars" is characterized first and foremost by covert activity in which neither side takes responsibility, allowing both sides plausible deniability. The aggressor does not confirm it attacked, allowing the target to "live with the aggression."
When the campaign becomes more kinetic and overt, with reports and in-depth briefings of our activities trickling out and a new US administration leaking to the American media and claiming Israel is behind the attack, we deviate from the limits of secrecy.
As a result, we do not have plausible deniability, and the campaign becomes a covert one that doesn't necessarily serve Israel's interests.
On June 2, a fire broke out aboard the Kharg warship, which had been docked next to the Dahlak Archipelago in the southern Red Sea for three years, serving as a floating munitions warehouse armed with guards tasked with protecting Iranian ships from pirates.
A naval campaign on cargo ships is not beneficial to Israel and will make it very difficult for Israeli-owned ships to operate around the world. So far, the Iranian attacks have been measured in scope, due to a desire to send a message and not inflame tensions. Following Saturday's incident, officials in Jerusalem should sit down and think before they respond. We should return to the basic rules of warfare originally adopted in this "war between the wars," a covert campaign with less chatter and plausible deniability for both sides. In this manner, we will expand our operational freedom and avoid an escalation.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
