Past, iraq, afghanistan, we can go down that road, but the other route is available, the Arab States are here to help and protect you and secure your interests, take that routes, and it is now up to the western states, the us and germany and the uk to help make that happen to help bring israel from the brink, to tell Prime Minister netanyahu, more war is not the answer, let us try to go, you have the offer from the arabs, at this find a way to make it happen. It is imperative for the citizens in the region, whether it israelis are arabs, that we dont go down The Roots of more war. 50 that we dont go down The Roots of more war of more war. So good to talk to, thank of more war. So good to talk to. Thank you of more war. So good to talk to, thank you for of more war. So good to talk to, thank you for taking of more war. So good to talk to, thank you for taking the l to, thank you for taking the time to speak to me on the work today. Let us take your notes or pictures, and these pictures show the effect on the ground of the Missile Strikes, have a look at this. These pictures we are bringing your here are from tel aviv, showing the Missile Strike near the item or in the city, they are only a few seconds long so the they have been moved, so you can see there in a short time, a missile landed in and exploding in the distance. In this video, a very short Video Looping over and over again to you, and just to show you as we have been hearing from the israeli defense forces, a few of these ballistic missiles have hit the ground. Thereve been no reports so far of casualties, but we know a few of these missiles have actually hit various areas in israel. Lets speak now to a Senior Fellow at the Middle East institute, a nonpartisan think tank. Thank you forjoining us on the world today. Let me ask you for your assessment of this latest move from iran. Assessment of this latest move from iran assessment of this latest move from iran. Good to be with you. In if ou from iran. Good to be with you. In if you allow from iran. Good to be with you. In if you allow me from iran. Good to be with you. In if you allow me first of in if you allow me first of coming on what was said earlier amount my good Friend Jasmine of kamada, i am here In Washington Talking To senior administration officials all the time, and Theres Nobody in this administration who would think about change in iran right now. It is not the Policy Or Priority or interest of this administration, which is on the cusp of a tightly contested election, and the last thing they want to see is that Middle East blew up as it currently is, and it does me working very hard to try to obtain a Cease Fire and keep prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at bay, and that michael, but even know at this point, is a Presidency Dontjust dont going to work because they mean up the people who as in jasmines words, want dimarco to much power does the states have right now inputting israel back from putting israel back from the redline . Its a difference between what the policy is and the ability to bring about and follow through and use the leverage. You are right, there is not much political will and. 2 bring Benjamin Netanyahu to heal, there is a israel Support Group In Washington that is politically influential at this point in the year, and President Biden is banking on not wanting to see Oil Prices rise during an election year, not a good outcome for the administration, so there is an attempt to reestablish Deterrence And Karen of this attack, they believe no President Biden will come down on netanyahu not to respond in a major week that would cause a broader War And Cause Oil Prices to rise. That is part of the youre in incontinence. So ou the youre in incontinence. So you think is about oil . It the youre in incontinence. So you think is about oil . It is i you think is about oil . It is artl you think is about oil . It is partly about you think is about oil . It is partly about oil you think is about oil . It is partly about oil in you think is about oil . It is partly about oil in it partly about oil in It Election year, with the economy being a factor in how people vote, and if the Oil Prices rise that would have an impact on the economy and how people vote, so it is part of it. The administration does not want to be sucked into the Middle East right now, but there is the aspect of tying into the global economy and the impact it would have here on elections in the us.. i. Us. How much power do you think the us now us. How much power do you think the us now holds us. How much power do you think the us now holds in us. How much power do you think the us now holds in terms us. How much power do you think the us now holds in terms of the us now holds in terms of what it can ask is residue, whether it be behind the scenes are in public . Sib whether it be behind the scenes are in public . Are in public . Sb real estate, iran responded are in public . Sb real estate, iran responded back are in public . Sb real estate, iran responded back in are in public . Sb real estate, iran responded back in april, | iran responded back in april, and the Israel Response that was a strategic response targeting an anti Aircraft Asset that is in a very sensitive Military Installation in iran but it was not widespread and kept contained. This time around, i suspect the israeli Prime Ministers will get what he wants. He has been itching for a in this war because he senses a strategic opportunity to degrade the Irani Ring of fire, the proxy starts in with hezbollah and hamas, and what your other guests termed as two or three months onto and out onto theres a new Admin Tradition sworn in in the us, so at this time the Biden Administration will have a tougher time keeping this contained. It is been good keeping this contained. It is been good to keeping this contained. It is been good to talk keeping this contained. It is been good to talk to keeping this contained. It is been good to talk to you, really interesting, thank you for taking the time to speak to us. Lets get more reaction, and cross like to speak to a political correspondent at the times of israel, thank you for joining us on the bbc. You are north of tel aviv, so can i ask you first of all before talking about what this means, what happened to you during the Missile Attacks . Did you manage to find somewhere safe to be during that hour or so of those attacks .... attacks . Since around four m. attacks . Since around four P M. israel attacks . Since around four P M. israeltime, attacks . Since around four P M. israeltime, idf attacks . Since around fourj P M. israeltime, idf said attacks . Since around four P M. israeltime, idf said we P M. israel time, idf said we need to stay close to shelters, which means not leaving the house, basically, so we canceled the plans, we had plans tonight, cancel them and stayed indoors and then when the sirens took off, he ran downstairs and stay there for an hour, and we heard the bombs, basically allaround an hour, and we heard the bombs, basically all around in the sky. You cant really tell if it is the missiles are the interceptors, however we heard interce ptors, however we heard at least interceptors, however we heard at least 15 of them in ten minutes apart, so, yes, wejust waited and waited and then that is it, we were following the news, with apps you get all the Information Right to your cell phone, when to do and so on. Thank you for describing that for us, and a bit earlier we spent showed people watching at home some pictures from a Shopping Mall in tel aviv, short pictures on a loop, and we are showing them no, showing one of the ballistic missiles hitting the ground, what information are you getting about how many of the missiles ended up hitting their targets . I dont think they had any targets, but they hit in proximity to the target, so you may see a whole open wound in a erode or a square or a school. I saw a school that was completely blessed, but the school was empty because it was 7pm at Night And Tomorrow is a holiday, by the way, the new Years Eve of the jewish people, so nobody was in school, and you can see in many places, like a restaurant, completely shattered, and a square close to my house, there was a Round Circle that this huge hole in the middle, but nobody was there. Hopefully everybody was indoors. I understood there is one person in the palestinian authority, a muslim from jericho, which is stilljerusalem, i suppose, muslim from jericho, which is stilljerusalem, isuppose, was killed, an arab person in the west bank, not really in israels territory, but still hit by the missiles. This area is all very close to each other, so when the iranians are shooting at israel, it should set regions that include lots of muslims and arabs and so on and he managed to kill that one person which is arabic, which is very bad, but you saw a lots of, i dont which was the interceptors are the missiles themselves all over. Out of 180 missiles, i suppose, themselves all over. Out of 180 missiles, isuppose, i dont know how many, but not little more probably more than a dozen... more probably more than a dozen. i. dozen. Could you tell me a bit about what dozen. Could you tell me a bit about what your dozen. Could you tell me a bit about what your assessment i dozen. Could you tell me a bit| about what your assessment is aware israel moves into next, what the next move is for Benjamin Netanyahu and for the israeli government in terms of its response to this . Its israeli government in terms of its response to this . Its response to this . Its been a ear, its response to this . Its been a year. We its response to this . Its been a year. We are its response to this . Its been a year, we are under its response to this . Its been a year, we are under severe l a year, we are under severe attack, for that year, all of israels northern parts have been shut due to rocket attacks every day, we all know whats happened in the southern part of israel when they took people and raped and torched houses, so it is all iranian backed militias. We are getting shot from iraq, syria, yemen, lebanon and gaza, and tonight from iran as course, and back in april when it was the first attack, the israeli military said next time we will react on the spot, which means immediately, so i do not know what they are planning, but will not be surprised if there would be a Counter Attack by israel, even tonight or tomorrow, i dont know when, but i think they cannot longer go along that in this take place, where you have the entire country running to shelters, and the entire civil life here probably stopped. What can we do . We cannot stay in the houses for all of our lives because of those missiles coming in, so even though we do not we have those interceptors and the iron dome, we still get a lots of hits. As i said, even before today, we are hit by hearing and backed missions from the record, lebanon, yemen, we have about 100,000 internally displaced people forced out of their homes in the northern part and we are still trying to take control of what happened in the south just one year ago, we are not over that yet, and we have 101 hostages still held in gaza, people to confront their houses on a Saturday Morning in their pajamas, so we are very far from their pajamas, so we are very farfrom and in this, unfortunately, and i think a war is devastating to everybody, not a good solution. Good to talk to you, appreciate a time, thank you very much. Lets get a bit more assessment on what is happened this evening and what it means or the wider region of an foord. Join in the studio by Allred Chief International Correspondent at least a set and chief Security Correspondent Frank Gardner and if i can ask you this to set, about your assessment about where we are now and giving the Gauntlet Continent that a rightist turndown. Gauntlet continent that a rightist turndown. Gauntlet continent that a rightist turndown. Everyone is askinu rightist turndown. Everyone is asking what rightist turndown. Everyone is asking what happens rightist turndown. Everyone is asking what happens next asking what happens next Question Mark i was in april when iran fired ballistic missiles and Cruise Missiles and drones into israel, which was telegraphed, the forces were told about the attack before, The Americans knew, the israelis were prepared, very few landed him a moose brought on by the united states and britain and jordan, and jordan said it was to protect its own citizens, and in israel use the phrase then use tonight, we will respond in a place and time of our choosing, but last time, was basically a symbolic strike, almost like they left their Calling Card strategically placed right in the center of iran. As you know, place close to a Nuclear Reactor reactor, as if to say they know where they are and they will get them if they have to come back, this time will not be a Calling Card, they are talking about severe consequences. Benny gantz, what you said, no theyre all talk and seem language, it is either of us or them, and the mission is clear, however attacks would be attacked and will be hurt. Is responded nobly which makes it absolutely clear that it was simply not tolerate this. We spoke a lots in april about each side wanting to establish deterrence, in other words, to say that we have hits you and if you hit me again i would hit you back. I dont know i beat you, friend, but the deterrence for iran, especially whats happened with hezbollah, their forward advance, there deterrence is dented and israel now is any risk of taking mood after its spectacular literary successes of the past few weeks, and it does seem with every day, it seems clear, they decided this is the moment to strike, and we are going to strike, and we are going to strike heart everywhere. And the Prime Minister wanted to attack for decades. I the Prime Minister wanted to attack for decades. The Prime Minister wanted to attack for decades. I think the. Loves attack for decades. I think the gloves are attack for decades. I think the gloves are coming attack for decades. I think the gloves are coming off, attack for decades. I think the gloves are coming off, I Attack for decades. I think the | gloves are coming off, i agree. The Last Gloves are coming off, i agree. The last time in april, there was the last time in april, there was a the last time in april, there was a concerted international diplomatic effort to put a Restraining And Hand on israel. Restraining and hand on israel. So Restraining And Hand on israel, so after there was a volley israel, so after there was a Volley Of israel, so after there was a Volley Of 300 drones and missiles lobbed at them which were missiles lobbed at them which were almost all nearly intercepted, israelwants were almost all nearly intercepted, israel wants to hit back intercepted, israel wants to hit back hard and the international community, particularly the us, said please particularly the us, said please bones, because iran would please bones, because iran would hit back and there will be a would hit back and there will be a regional war, would hit back and there will be a regionalwar, so would hit back and there will be a regional war, so it was a symbolic be a regional war, so it was a symbolic hit, but this time it would symbolic hit, but this time it would become enough, ive been looking would become enough, ive been looking at would become enough, ive been looking at Comments Intelligence officers seen israel intelligence officers seen israel is likely to respond soon israel is likely to respond soon and with much greater force soon and with much greater force. ~. soon and with much greater force. ~.. force. What is gloves coming off and hitting force. What is gloves coming off and hitting hard force. What is gloves coming off and hitting hard mean . L force. What is gloves coming off and hitting hard mean . What does it look like . The off and hitting hard mean . What does it look like . Does it look like . The big question. Does it look like . The big question. I does it look like . The big question, i am does it look like . The big question, i am sure does it look like . The big question, i am sure it does it look like . The big question, i am sure it is i does it look like . The big question, i am sure it is being discussed in Situation Rooms in many capitals, israel has long wanted to make a preemptive strike against irans nuclear United States Military facilities, which would be the coordinated with thl Nuclear Strike against irans nuclear facilities, which would be the bottom of all bombs, which is bottom of all bombs, which is what they want, i dont think what they want, i dont think they would want to do that, but they would want to do that, but they would want to do that, but they want to do something big. What they want, i dont think they would v do to do that, but what they want, i dont think they would v do something. But what they want, i dont think they would v do something big. Irans nuclear facilities are they want to do something big. Irans nuclear facilities are very irans nuclear facilities are very very irans nuclear facilities are very irans nuclear facilities are very very irans nuclear facilities are very very deep, beneath various very very deep, beneath various places very very deep, beneath various places which are not easy to places very very deep, beneath various places which are not easy to get, places which are not easy to get, places which are not easy to get, theyre deep inside get, theyre deep inside mountains. I think they would mountains. I think they would possibly mountains. I think they would possibly want to hit the launch possibly mountains. I think they would possibly want to hit the Launch Sites possibly want to hit the Launch Sites that launch these sites possibly want to hit the L