00:00This renewed aggression in the region comes at a time where Netanyahu is visiting the United States.
00:06So what can you tell us about what exactly went on and beyond the headlines?
00:11What essentially is the conversation between Israel and the United States at the moment?
00:19Well, thank you. And if you ask the Iranians, it's quite possible that this flare-up of the last 12
00:24hours,
00:25which was very ably summarized by Stewart, was designed to follow on that meeting in Washington
00:31between Netanyahu and Trump, the Israeli prime minister and the U.S. president,
00:35their first meeting since they went to war against Iran on February 28th,
00:40indeed on the five-month mark of the beginning of that war.
00:43While both leaders spoke about a preference for a diplomatic solution,
00:48it's clear that their public closing of ranks also shows that they're ready to work together
00:53in the absence of such a solution, in an alternative situation,
00:57that's obviously code for a return to full-on warfare against Iran.
01:01It would appear the Iranians picked up on that code and are signaling in advance that they are not deterred.
01:09And so, Dan, Israel has been quite quiet over the past month or so
01:15since these skirmishes between Iran and the United States have returned.
01:19What are the prospects, really, of Israel returning to the full-scale aggression
01:25that it started with the United States at the on-start of this war against Iran that we saw in
01:30late February?
01:33That's a very good observation, Abir, and there's also a very simple reason why the Israelis have been quiet.
01:38They have not been part of this flare-up, this month's flare-up of fighting with Iran.
01:42That's been exclusively by U.S. forces, the U.S. Navy and the Gulf and such.
01:48Essentially, the Israelis have said that they're willing to pitch in if and when the Americans request
01:53or if and when they're directly attacked by the Iranians.
01:56Neither has happened.
01:58It would appear Iran is content to keep that regional power, Israel, out of this fight.
02:03It appears the Israelis are content with this unwritten subdivision of this conflict
02:08whereby the Americans take on Iran and the Israelis take on Iran's proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah.
02:15It's worth remembering just a few weeks ago, the Iranians were conditioning any diplomatic resolution
02:21on Lebanon being included, effectively a safeguard for what remains of Hezbollah in Lebanon,
02:27immunity for Hezbollah from continued Israeli attacks.
02:31Israel pushed back against this.
02:33There was a time when it caused tensions between Netanyahu and Trump.
02:35It would appear that the Israelis succeeded in divorcing the Lebanese front from the main Iranian front.
02:42That is the reason the Israelis have been quiet.
02:44That's the reason they have not been taking part, although the Israeli defense minister revealed
02:48only a few hours today at a conference that the Americans have been using bases in Israel
02:53to launch their attacks against Iran, among other bases in the region.
02:58So, yes, there is a reason for that subdivision.
03:00It's more than code.
03:02It's a subdivision of action.
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