The Strategic Military Outlook For Israel

By Stefan Frank
The Propagandist
04 March '11

The Propagandist's Contributing Writer Stefan Frank interviewed Yaakov Katz, the Military Editor for The Jerusalem Post, about Israel`s strategic military outlook in the light of rapid changes in the region. Here is a transcript of their interview.

Two Iranian warships have crossed the Suez Canal. How should we see this incident in the light of the developments in Egypt?

Katz: For Iran, sending warships through the Suez Canal for the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution is a way to flex its muscles, to show the world that it's a regional superpower in the Middle East, and that while Hosni Mubarak is kicked out of Egypt and while Muammar Gaddafi appears to be nearing his end in Libya, Iran is a strong country and it's growing militarily and economically. That's the message they're trying to send.

In addition, there`s the message they`re sending to Israel by sending the warships along its Mediterranean coast. Iran has nothing to look for in the Mediterranean. Iran already supports Hezballah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, and now they`re sending ships to the Mediterranean. These vessels could be carrying weapons or missiles or intelligence gathering systems to eavesdrop on Israel. Israel has to be concerned about the possibility of Iran's establishing a new front.

(Read full interview "The Strategic Military Outlook For Israel")