Israeli Journalist Urges Broad Coalition to Counter Iran

A broad international coalition is essential for deterring Iran and protecting global trade routes, according to Avi Ashkenazi, a military correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Maariv. Ashkenazi argues that previous military actions against Iran have not yielded the desired results, with Tehran managing to partially restore its military capabilities and increase its influence on the global economy despite ongoing strikes. He points out that both former US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared victory after prior confrontations, but the reality is that Iran has maintained its political stability, continued its nuclear development, and begun rebuilding its ballistic missile infrastructure.

Furthermore, Iran has strengthened its position in the Strait of Hormuz and, with the help of the Houthis, extended its influence to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. This allows Tehran to exert additional pressure on international shipping and impact global energy prices. Ashkenazi believes that military means alone are insufficient to resolve issues related to Iran. He advocates for Washington and Jerusalem to enlist the support of European nations, as well as countries in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf.

Ashkenazi cites the international coalition formed by the United States during the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq as a model, which included various European, Middle Eastern, and Persian Gulf states, as well as Russia. He suggests a similar collaborative format could be used not only for security but also to counter Iran's economic pressure, specifically by safeguarding maritime trade routes and stabilizing international markets for oil and other energy resources.

The Iranian threat, Ashkenazi notes, extends beyond direct military confrontation. Recent weeks have seen numerous reports of alleged explosive devices on passenger planes and cruise liners, impacting the aviation and tourism sectors. One such incident involved a ship from the Israeli company Mano, where over a thousand passengers and crew were evacuated from a Greek port due to a bomb threat. Additionally, 11 planes made emergency landings in European airports following similar threats, though no explosives were found in any of these cases. Ashkenazi warns that even unconfirmed threats can create significant problems for the transport industry, leading to increased security costs, flight diversions, and a decline in passenger confidence, ultimately posing further difficulties for the global economy.