Iran vs. Israel

Iran properly felt harsh military consequences for meddling with Israel this weekend — in a skirmish that could foreshadow growing regional conflict if Russia doesn’t move to rein in its allies in Syria. The flareup, the first direct fighting between Israel and Iran ever, began when an Iranian drone coming from Syria violated Israeli airspace and was shot down.

Then, Israel attacked Syrian air defenses, which had supported the drone. In the ensuing exchanges, Syria downed an Israeli fighter jet; the crewmen ejected and survived, back in Israel. This could be the preview for a very scary movie. As Syria’s civil war has raged, dictator Bashar Assad’s close partners in Tehran — sworn enemies of Israel — have rushed in to bolster their military presence, while simultaneously sending ever more advanced weapory to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Both moves threaten Israel from the north. And all this is being done with implicit cover, if not explicit support, from Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Even as President Trump has built up the American presence in Syria and unleashed the armed forces to escalate attacks on ISIS there, he has stood back and let Putin consolidate political control on the ground.

Which leaves Assad to rule the roost. And Iran, to plant more firepower there. For Israel, this means a future in which not only Hamas and Hezbollah but Iran breathes down its neck.

Trump has made it a priority of his presidency to cultivate a relationship with Putin.

What is it good for? Let’s find out.