The United States of America and the G7 warned Israel not to attack the nuclear sites of Iran.
"Netanyahu will listen for three reasons. Israel has shown that even 200 rockets fired at the state can be stopped, along with allies. Israel has also shown, in recent months, that it can reach any target, any single person it wishes to liquidate, so there is no rush. And third - the immediate threat to Israel is "Hezbollah" and the terrorist attacks from Lebanon against citizens of Israel. One by one, Israel will focus on eliminating this threat, and Iran will be struck when Israel decides.
This was commented by the former Minister of Defense Velizar Shalamanov in the studio of "Day ON AIR".
He stressed that Iran's haste is under pressure from Moscow and pressure from Iran's proxies, but Israel will not yield to that pressure.
"Escalation cannot be infinite, because missiles are a certain number, they are not an infinite quantity, but a reasonable and reciprocal response is really a matter of calculation depending on the objectives to be achieved. If Iran, after this escalation, restrains its actions and allows Israel to deal with the immediate terrorist threat without creating additional risks for Israel, it will reduce the strength of the response and delay it, Shalamanov told Bulgaria ON AIR.
The former minister says that "everything is a matter of probabilities" and emphasizes that even the most sophisticated anti-missile systems cannot guarantee 100% protection. He emphasized that even with a significant number of missiles launched, there are limitations and challenges.
Shalamanov expressed the opinion that Russia and China, along with Iran, play an important role in the region and can influence the escalation of the conflict. He emphasized that terrorist organizations, such as "Hamas" and "Hezbollah", have an interest in escalating tensions, but pointed out that this could lead to conflicts between them and Iran.
When asked about Bulgaria's preparedness for the worst-case scenario, Shalamanov commented that as a member of NATO and the European Union, Bulgaria is in a good position for protection. However, he stressed that the country must be prepared for potential threats coming from information wars and possible acts of sabotage.
The situation in the Middle East is serious. Russia needed a distraction after the successful summer operation of the Ukrainian army. This led Russia to provoke through Iran the attack of "Hamas" on October 7, 2023. This provoked an Israeli strike on the Gaza Strip. Israel is in a very specific position, commented the co-chairman of the Atlantic Council in Bulgaria, Ivan Anchev.
According to him, Israel is interested in world opinion and does not want to take a reputational risk. According to him, the administration of US President Joe Biden is hesitant on the issue with Israel, while Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain have a restrained position. Anchev is of the opinion that Israel and the Western world want to keep reasonable borders, but not appear weak.
"Israel will seek de-escalation of the conflict. Threats should not be overstated so as not to create a sense of insecurity. We have a very good level of cooperation with our international partners. Bulgaria faces threats to its security, but in line with counter-terrorism, we should not make arbitrary statements. There are sleeper cells all over the world. I believe that we are prepared and have the resources to counter such type of threats," Anchev told Bulgaria ON AIR.
The guest touched on the issue of buying and selling votes in our country, stressing that the Ministry of the Interior must fight and identify these persons.
"Vote selling is a huge blight on our society. There are departments that do not do their job as soon as they allow a breach in the social structure. One must know what these networks are. If it is not translated into action, then there is no leadership will, or there is some concern, or there is reluctance. Both are inadmissible. I believe that at some point the system will be purged of all malicious elements and people will come who are at least trying to do their jobs. If there is clear political support for entirely new persons in the Ministry of the Interior, there is a chance," Anchev pointed out.