Israel will launch a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip which will “not stop until Hamas no longer exists”, an analyst told Daily Express US.
It comes after the Israeli military ordered the “complete siege” of Gaza following coordinated attacks by Hamas that killed at least 900 people over the weekend.
In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) would strike Hamas with a force “like never before”.
Now, intelligence expert and geopolitics analyst Kervin AuCoin believes Israel is in for a long war that will see terrorist group Hamas wiped out.
He said: “Israel has declared war on Hamas and will begin a ground offensive soon. The fact that reports indicate Hamas is taking civilian hostages leads me to believe Israel will not stop until Hamas no longer exists.”
The CEO of AuCoin Analytics warned of a wider conflict with Lebanese terrorist group and political party Hezbollah and, potentially, even Iran which supports the two terrorist organizations bent on the destruction of Israel.
Already Israeli helicopters reportedly carried out strikes in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah launched mortar attacks in solidarity with Hamas.
Mr AuCoin added: “Israel will also be dealing with Hezbollah to the North, coming from Lebanon. We are already seeing Israeli strikes on Hezbollah sites within Lebanon and any Hezbollah personnel that enter Israel through Lebanon will be dealt with but will also give Israel the green light to start a separate ground offensive to the North.
“I want to be clear, Hamas carried out this attack unprovoked, and now Israel has a right to defend itself. That is what they are doing right now, and they will not stop until Hamas is over.
“This conflict will go on for I while I feel since Hezbollah has jumped into the war. Now we wait for Iran to make their move. If they enter the war, it is going to be the biggest geopolitical conflict in a very long time.”
Iran – which has called for the destruction of Israel – entering the war would likely see much of the Middle East descend into conflict.
Hamas is known to be supported by Iran although ties are thought to be less close than those between Tehran and Hezbollah which is often seen as a Iranian proxy.
Israel was quick to blame Iran for helping plan and coordinate the attack with Hamas, although US officials have not found direct evidence of this.
Iran’s mission to the UN also denied involvement in a statement that read: “We emphatically stand in unflinching support of Palestine; however, we are not involved in Palestine’s response, as it is taken solely by Palestine itself.”
Hamas attacked in the early morning, around 6.30am, on Saturday launching thousands of rockets into Israel while terrorists poured into the country.
At least 900 Israelis were killed in the violence while more than 100 are thought to have been taken hostage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retribution for the attack and said Israel would turn parts of Gaza into “rubble”. Palestinian authorities said at least 500 people had been killed in Gaza,
Now, Netanyahu has told US President Joe Biden that Israel will launch a ground operation in Gaza, the first since 2014.
Earlier, Israel’s Defense Minister announced a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip cutting off supplies of water, food and fuel to the enclave of around 2.2 million people.
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