The Middle East has just entered a new and unusual phase of open and direct war between two enemy powers. This time it is a direct attack, the first since the Khomeinist revolution.
There can be little doubt that it will also be responded to by another direct attack by Israel against Iranian territory. If Israel proves to be invulnerable thanks to its defense systems, it will score a first victory of enormous importance. It is practically impossible for Iran to achieve something equivalent, given the disproportion of forces and especially technology, also counting on the participation of allied forces. The destruction and objectives achieved by Israel in Iran will also have enormous significance regarding the future development of the war. The danger contained in the aggressive will of both contenders is maximum, expressed in Israel's attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, where seven prominent officials of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard died. The truce in Gaza, the exchange of hostages and the path to peace, which already seemed remote, are disappearing from the horizon. The only security is escalation, the auction of violence in which the contenders are engaged.