The Palestinian Islamic Jihad has launched a new wave of rocket attacks against Israel according to Axios. While rocket attacks against Israel have occurred frequently, these have been directed from Lebanon by Palestinian terrorists in association with Esmail Qaani, the local leader of Iran’s clandestine special forces.
Hamas and other Palestinian militant organizations used to rely on Sunni Arab support, particularly from Gulf States like Saudi Arabia. Since the Abraham Accords brokered during Trump’s Presidency, Arab states have been withdrawing their open support in exchange for normalizing relations with Israel in a common front against Iran.
The withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan and the focus on Ukraine has given Iran greater space to subvert the order of the region. In addition to testing Israel from Lebanon and Gaza, Iran also has a firm base in Syria through its support of Assad, and Iraq where it continues to support local groups in attacking Americans. This action in particular was the immediate cause to the ordered killing of Qasem Soleimani by President Trump in January 2020.
