Russian Officer: Middle East Conflict Will End with the Elimination of Israel

Lieutenant General Apti Alaudinov, deputy commander of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces and commander of Russia’s special “Ahmad” forces, told the Russian news agency TASS that the conflict in the Middle East could lead to the disappearance of Israel from existence. He clarified: “We must recognize that the war in the Middle East will see only further escalation. I believe this is precisely Israel’s goal—to escalate the conflict to the maximum extent possible and draw the United States and the entire North Atlantic Treaty Organization into this conflict. The Israelis excel at this. In the end, they will overestimate their strength, and Israel will cease to exist as a state.”

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including the Lebanese front. However, the United States resumed attacks on the night of July 8, launching wide-ranging strikes against Iran, accusing it of violating agreements concerning the Strait of Hormuz. On August 2, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to cancel a planned large-scale strike against Iran, aiming to reach an agreement with the Islamic Republic. He added that Tehran and several Arab capitals had requested the United States refrain from launching an attack, after the parties had agreed on the broad outlines of a future deal.