Conflict in Middle East and Europe are part of a single ‘global war’

The conflicts in the Middle East and Europe are different parts of a single global war, experts said last night.

It follows Israel’s recent attack on Iran, which neutralised Tehran’s ability to deliver new missiles and drones to Russia for use in Ukraine, and threatened its ability to export large quantities of oil to China.

Israel’s October 25 attack was “without question the most sophisticated use of air power in the history of air warfare”, claimed Prof Gwythian Prins, a former advisor to Nato and the UK’s chiefs of staff.

With sophisticated intelligence assets on the ground, Israel’s air force “obliterated the eyes and teeth” of Iran’s air defence capabilities including radar systems as far afield as Iraq, Abadan and the Indian Ocean coast.

Israel avoided the destruction of major oil refineries and pipelines, but the IAF neutralised all air defence systems without a single loss among the 100 fighter jets that took part.

Prof Prins said the attacks greatly affected Iran’s ability to supply both ballistic missiles and drones. “This has severely clipped Russia’s wings in Ukraine. Because these two theatres of war – the Middle East and Ukraine – are interlinked we must acknowledge that what we have is a general world war confrontation.”