Iran’s top strategists are reportedly escalating efforts to acquire and test nuclear weapons following the death of Hamas leader and Tehran ally, Yahya Sinwar.
The Iranian leadership suffered a significant blow when Israeli forces assassinated Sinwar in Rafah on October 16 as part of their ongoing offensive in Gaza.
Sinwar was the brains behind the October 7 attack on Israel that led to approximately 1,200 fatalities – predominantly civilians – and the abduction of hundreds of people.
This massacre triggered Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, resulting in tens of thousands of Palestinian civilian deaths alongside Hamas militants and millions being displaced from their homes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently extended the war beyond Gaza to target the terrorist group Hezbollah, which had a stronghold in the southern regions of neighbouring Lebanon.
In line with Netanyahu’s threats, Israel bombarded Iran with a series of airstrikes on Saturday following earlier missile attacks as tensions in the Middle East near breaking point.
Instead of supporting Israel’s enemies – known as the Axis of Resistance – Iran may now aggressively seek to acquire and even test nuclear weapons.
Arash Azizi, historian and visiting fellow at Boston University, told The Mirror: “The Iranian regime has invested billions of dollars and decades of time in building up a coalition of anti-Israel militias, the Axis of Resistance, so it’s not very easy for it to shift its strategy now.
“But the fact that the country now finds itself in a direct conflict with Israel has alarmed many in the Iranian establishment and there is a possibility of such a shift. Sinwar’s killing reinforces that, although the killing of Nasrollah and Israel’s new round of attacks on Hezbollah are a more important factor for Tehran.
“Realistically though, a major shift can only occur after power passes from the current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, who is 85 and thus not expected to rule for a very long time. One major shift in the last year is that now an increasing number of Iranian strategists advocate for the country to get nuclear weapons and test them.”
The expert added: “Now that the Axis of Resistance is failing to deter Israel, the nuclear deterrent is the only way, their argument goes. But this path has a lot of inherent problems too and it won’t be as easy to follow as its proponents seem to suggest.”
An escalating crisis in the Middle East also presents a prime opportunity for global disruptors such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Security experts previously told the outlet that the tyrant is joyfully observing a “gathering storm” that could “easily lead to a global war.”
The US and other Western leaders have urged Israel to exercise restraint, despite Netanyahu’s clear indication that the nation would retaliate following Iran’s most recent attack.
