Free Republic

Following the fall of the Assad regime, Israel has established a new “red line” in Syria, launching major airstrikes on Damascus on July 16 to warn the new government against attacking the Druze minority in the south. The strikes, which targeted military headquarters, came after clashes erupted between Druze and other armed groups near Suwayda.

Israel’s surprise attack on Iran in the early morning hours of June 13 saw more than 200 aircraft strike more than 100 targets in Iran. Among the targets were key Iranian commanders, including the head of the Iranian army and also the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This type of decapitation strike is how Israel dismantled Hezbollah, Iran’s ally in Lebanon.

Will Israeli air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities spark a larger shooting war between the two belligerent countries? Any aerial attack by Israel against Iran would be difficult. Israel has no long-range bombers to hit the nuclear sites that are over 1,000 miles away. Jet fighters would require a significant number of bunker-busting bombs that may have limited efficacy. The Israeli jets would need to be re-fueled, and the air force has limited means to conduct these operations (except for re-fashioned 707 tankers). The Israelis would have to fly over Iraqi air space, which is anathema to Baghdad. Plus, the...