[Daveinyork]

I have trouble believing that Hamas has set itself up for total annihilation by Israel. I fear that something else is in the works.

[hillarys cankles]

This was done to destroy the Saudi Israel talks which were moving forward.

[uranium penguin]

“I have trouble believing that Hamas has set itself up for total annihilation by Israel. I fear that something else is in the works.”

Iran is making a move.
I suspect it is coordinated with Russia and China.

Iran wants something. Maybe to come out as a nuke state? and THE power in the ME.

Russia wants eyes off of Ukraine, focus, $$, and Mil gear to go anyplace else than Ukraine.

China wants to see if US/EU backs Israel with direct support. and also to draw their attention.

IF US/EU do NOT intervene in Israel, they KNOW we are not going to do anything except a “harshly worded memo” when they invade Taiwan.

My forecast.

[OldGoatCPO]

One pundit compared it to the Tet offensive. North Vietnam pushed the Viet Cong to attack and then watched as they were destroyed as a fighting force. That left the NVA to run the war.

I see other issues at play:

1. Israel is expending a lot of fuel and ammo already.

2. Jets are not like cars, they require periodic inspections and certain components only have a specific life span (in flight hours) before they require changing.

3. 300,000 recalled Reservists is going to be a major strain on the Israeli economy. The land war will start soon because Israel cannot keep that many people on active duty for a long period of time.

4. The strain on the Israel military may weaken it as a fighting force even over the short term. It may leave Israel vulnerable. A month from now if this is still going on, I would be worried that Hezbollah and foreign Islamists will begin coordinated attacks on Israel via the West Bank and Lebanon.

5. While Israel is busy killing off Hamas, Iran is free to finish its nuclear weapons program.

Gaza is relatively small and a target rich environment. Israel may not need a long protracted fight to clear out Hamas. One possible miscalculation on Hamas' part would be the total war Israel is launching. Hamas may have thought based on Israel's previous responses and the large number of hostages that Israel would hit Gaza, vent their revenge and then negotiate for the hostages. It appears from the outside looking in that the Israeli leadership has written off at least the adult hostages and there will be total war. I am sure in Israel, smarter people than me have already discussed this attack being a feint to divert Israel's attention before a larger attack from the North and West begins.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

The only chance that Hamas and Gaza have to survive is if a much bigger, broader war breaks out before they are reduced to inhabitable rubble.