Sa’d Nimr, professor of political science at Birzeit University, argues that targeting Iran’s civilian infrastructure would risk severe regional escalation, as Iran has warned it would retaliate against infrastructure supporting US forces across the Persian Gulf. He suggests this threat, coupled with pressure from Persian Gulf states concerned about their own security, was a key factor behind Washington’s preference for de-escalation and a ceasefire.
He further warns that Iran’s regional allies, particularly Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, could disrupt the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with major consequences for global trade and energy markets. On the Israeli regime, he contends that although it projects readiness for renewed confrontation, both Washington and Tel Aviv recognize that a wider war with Iran would be highly damaging, making further escalation unlikely.
