Image reproduced from Yahoo! 奇摩新聞

On the 13th, Israel conducted a massive airstrike against Iran, triggering international attention. According to reports, oil storage facilities in Iran continued to burn and smoke as of the 15th. Former President Trump stated on Sunday via 'Truth Social' that the U.S. had 'nothing to do with Israel's attack on Iran' and warned Tehran not to drag America into the conflict.

Former New Zealand representative Chieh Wen-chih emphasized that Iran's allies, Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon, have been significantly weakened, and with the U.S. preoccupied with multiple issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and trade wars, Israel has seized the opportunity to strike. Chieh mentioned in the program 'International Straight Ball' that Israel's bombing targeted military facilities in Iran, with nuclear weapons being a primary focus, and the first and second waves of strikes have already achieved some objectives.

Chieh pointed out that Iran currently lacks the capacity to launch attacks against Israeli territory, and over the past year, Iran's supporting forces have been greatly diminished. Therefore, Israel believes the timing is favorable to take action. He further elaborated that Israel's past successes in the Gaza Strip, combined with strong support from the U.S., position them favorably for action due to the weakened state of Syria and Hezbollah.

Chieh also mentioned that the significant obstacle was originally the stance of the U.S., as Prime Minister Netanyahu was displeased with President Biden, whose policy has always been to prevent direct Israeli attacks on Iran due to concerns about being drawn into the conflict and the potential for the situation to spiral out of control. However, after Trump’s presidency, who was viewed as exceptionally favorable towards Israel, Netanyahu saw an opportunity in the current context.

Chieh strongly asserted that the U.S. is now in a precarious situation with multiple issues, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, trade war, and domestic immigration problems. This vulnerability allows Israel to act without fear of U.S. intervention and reflects a decline in America’s international influence.