The chaos Israel is sowing across the Middle East could come back to haunt it

 Iran’s decision to pursue strategic restraint against Israel was a strategic mistake that led on Tuesday night to the bombardment of more than 180 missiles on targets across Israel, Middle East Eye’s editor-in-chief, David Hearst writes, noting that the Islamic Republic is now pushing back against an emboldened Israel's bid to 'reshape' the region. 

Iran’s attack on Israel comes after Tehran and its allies went out of their way to avoid war with Israel, while their foe pushed to expand its war on Gaza across the region.

In hindsight, Iran's strategy to avoid being dragged into war proved to be a strategic mistake, for which Hezbollah is paying today - because it gave Israel the confidence to do what it is now doing to Lebanon, Hearst says.  

However, Israel is making an even bigger strategic blunder, believing it can redraw the balance of power in the Middle East.

“Nothing can persuade its Arab neighbours that Israel cannot live with them in peace more than the course on which Israel is currently set - a course that targets and threatens Christians, Muslims, Shia, and Sunni alike,” he writes.

“Netanyahu, more than anyone else, is persuading them that an Israel that behaves like this, does not belong to this region”.

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