The United Nations said on Sunday Israeli tanks had burst through the gates of a base of its peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, the latest accusation of Israeli violations and attacks that have been denounced by Israel’s own allies.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the United Nations to evacuate the troops of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force from combat areas in Lebanon. Hours later, the force reported what it described as additional Israeli violations, including two Israeli Merkava tanks destroying the main gate of a base and forcibly entering before dawn that morning.
Soon after the tanks left, shells exploded 100 metres away, releasing smoke which blew across the base and sickened U.N. personnel, causing 15 to require treatment despite wearing gas masks, it said. It did not say who fired the shells or what sort of toxic substance it suspected.
It also accused Israel’s IDF military of halting a logistics convoy. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to the statement.
My personal nightmare theory is Netanyahu believes one of two things. Biden will not stop him because he believes Israel must be supported at all costs or Biden believes he cannot take action against Israel until after the election. So it is Netanyahu’s goal to start a war with Iran before the election, and make sure the US is drawn in.
In this case we know the troops were not Biden’s idea. Netanyahu specifically requested them. And for either of the reasons above Biden immediately approved the request.
I sincerely hope it’s just depression thoughts. But I will not be surprised if we end up pulled into a war with Iran just before or during the traditional lame duck period. Obviously if Trump wins this is all even worse. But putting troops under Iranian missiles is a breathtaking escalation of the conflict.