"According to some, it is exaggerated to be on the brink of full-scale war because they see this conflict as a conflict between state entities. In this case, we have the forces of Israel against a terrorist organization. Whatever definition we use, the fear of both escalation and escalation of the conflict is fully justified. Since the end of last week, we have been witnessing massive airstrikes by Israel, with over 500 killed and nearly 2,000 injured so far. Unfortunately, a huge number are among the civilian population. There are at least 150,000 Lebanese residents evacuated".
This was stated by the former Minister of Defense Angel Naydenov in "Day ON AIR".
He commented for Bulgaria ON AIR that the attack with the pagers is expected to be a harbinger of an upcoming ground operation
"The aim of these Israeli airstrikes is to liquidate and destroy the military capabilities of Iranian proxies in Lebanon and the region. The second goal is to destroy the terrorist infrastructure of "Hezbollah" and to further liquidate the command structure. The third direction is to provide conditions for the return of those nearly 70,000 Israeli citizens who left their homes when the "Hezbollah" strikes began. They are displaced in the capital, in hotels, dormitories or in the homes of their relatives," Naydenov explained.
According to him, the situation also depends a lot on the USA, which restrains Iran from interfering in the conflict.
"In Gaza, there are over 40,000 civilian casualties and over 100,000 wounded. Here we have almost the same situation, but unlike Gaza, which was a closed territory, in Lebanon we have caravans and flows of refugees who can easily cross into Syria and from there to other directions, in particular to Europe. In this situation, the participants in what is happening in the Middle East are many. It depends on Israel and Iran what help they would give their proxies. It also depends to a large extent on the countries in the Near and Middle East," explained the former Minister of Defense.
Voices are multiplying in the West calling on Ukraine to look more realistically at what is happening on the front, Naydenov noted.
"Putin is afraid of the Kursk operation and may have two things in mind - obviously he does not currently accept proposals for a second wave of mobilization, as both the first and now, the mobilization would be accompanied by serious protests . There are already protests by mothers demanding the return of their sons from the front, their husbands and relatives. And in order for this return to take place, there must be a complement of new mobilization. Winter is approaching. If the Russian units fail to de-occupy the territory of the Kursk region by then, it would be a severe blow to Putin's image," added the guest.