Following the firing of several hundred rockets from Gaza into Israel, the Israeli airforce responded with lethal airstrikes, marking a serious escalation in the region. While a ceasefire seems to have taken a tenuous hold, this recent flare of tensions was the most significant conflict in nearly half a decade. MLI Research Advisory Board Member Elliot joined CTV news to discuss.
Tepper explains that the latest flareup comes after Egypt successfully brokered a ceasefire in March and Israel loosened some blockade restrictions that limited fishing. “The question is, why would Islamic Jihad and Hamas want to have a big flareup at this stage?”
Tepper suggests that instigation for these attacks may be a direct result of Iranian activity in the region. He further argues that an escalation between Gaza and Israel could potential spiral into a larger regional conflict if Iran is believed to be responsible for instigating it.
“It’s a matter of speculation, but… if it was Iran, how far do they wish to go?” Asks Tepper. “The possibility that this could get out of hand is very definite. This is a volatile region.”
Despite a fragile ceasefire, tensions remain extremely high. Tepper says that whether or not things get out of hand depends largely on what the terrorist organizations in Gaza decide to do.
“What he have is the lighting of bonfires by Islamic Jihad and Hamas in an arsenal. This could spin out of control.”
