Iran Continues Proxy War Against Israel

General Gadi Eisenkot, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, has claimed that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its proxy wars against Israel, particularly through Hezbollah in Lebanon, in its new phase. According to the Jerusalem Post, General Eisenkot made these remarks on Monday, January 28, at a security research conference in Tel Aviv. He described the situation of Israel in the region following the implementation of the JCPOA, the final nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, stating that Iran will increase its support for Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region. He noted that Iran currently provides Hezbollah with one billion dollars annually, but this amount is expected to increase in the next couple of years as Iran's economic situation improves. He mentioned that Hezbollah has lost 1,300 of its militants in the battles in Syria, but with increased financial support from Iran, the number of forces joining the organization and its weaponry will be strengthened. The Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army stated that he agrees with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's view that Iran has not abandoned its ambition to acquire nuclear weapons with the implementation of the JCPOA. Meanwhile, this senior Israeli military official described the nuclear agreement between Iran and the international community as a 'strategic turning point' and that Iran is likely to show adherence to this agreement in the coming years to benefit from its advantages. General Eisenkot also stated that the Iranian government's goal in supporting Syria is not just the survival of Bashar al-Assad, but, according to him, Iran wants to turn Syria into a permanent base for aggression against Israel. He indicated that the Israeli Army assesses that the Islamic Republic of Iran is adopting a new method of 'struggle' against Israel, which is 'provoking Arab citizens of Israel.' General Eisenkot identified 'changing regional strategic conditions, the continued presence of ISIS, and intensifying competition between Sunni and Shia forces in surrounding territories,' along with 'the lack of long-term strategic plans for the Israeli Army, social issues, and military budget shortages' as challenges for the years ahead for his command. The Israeli government has expressed clear dissatisfaction since the implementation of the JCPOA on Sunday, January 27, which leads to the lifting of a significant portion of the decade-long sanctions against Iran; Israeli Minister Gilad Erdan called this day 'a difficult day for all countries in the region.' Netanyahu also stated on Sunday that his government will 'monitor' any potential violations by Iran of its international commitments and 'expose' them to the world. The Israeli government has also told international energy companies, which have shown great interest in returning to operate in Iran's oil and gas sectors, to choose between cooperating with Israel or Iran. Israel has failed to advance its policies against the nuclear negotiations between world powers and Iran, but the United States and other global powers have called the achievement and implementation of the nuclear agreement a demonstration of power and success of diplomatic solutions. The United States has recently agreed to increase its annual military aid to the Israeli Army over a ten-year period from $3.1 billion to possibly over $4 billion to enhance Israel's security. The details of this increase, which is viewed as 'compensation' by the U.S. to Israel due to the Iran nuclear agreement, will soon be finalized between Israel and the U.S. government, pending approval from Congress in Washington.