Israel inflicted several blows on the Iranian regime in 2019, including in the last week, with cruise missiles reportedly launched towards Iranian and Syrian military positions near the latter’s capital, Damascus.attacks
In August and November, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck dozens of Iranian targets in Syria, and carried out a series of airstrikes in northern Baghdad a few months ago. According to reports, several Iranians have been killed and wounded in these airstrikes.
The Islamic Republic is known for immediate retaliation, usually resorting to military responses power in such situations. But on these strikes, the regime has remained silent. The only response coming out of Tehran is heightened rhetoric.
Abbas Nilforoushan, the deputy commander of operations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), threatened in an interview with the Iranian news agency Tasnim: “Israel is not in a position to threaten Iran. Iran has encircled Israel from all four sides. Nothing will be left of Israel.” Another deputy commander, Hossein Salami, called Tel Aviv “vulnerable and bringing itself closer to death.”
This begs the question why Iran has not yet responded militarily to Israel’s airstrikes against its bases and proxies in Syria and Iraq. The main reason lies in the fact that the Iranian authorities are currently fighting for their own survival, as the regime is mired with various problems and has been cornered from every possible direction.
Tehran has not faced so many challenges at once since its establishment in 1979. Domestically speaking, the regime appears to be in a constant state of emergency. For every round of protests that it crushes with brute force, the next one spreads. In the latest demonstration, around 1,500 people were killed by security forces, including, according to Reuters: “At least 17 teenagers and about 400 women, as well as some members of the security forces and police.”
Iran Briefing | News Press Focus on Human Rights Violation by IRGC, Iran Human Rights