Israel is approaching a new phase of the war: will the occupation of Gaza be a strategic mistake for Netanyahu – Rezazade
The Israeli government has approved a plan that paves the way for a potential occupation of Gaza, including military control of Gaza. This came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a loud statement in an interview with Fox News, where he publicly announced his intention to take control of the entire Gaza Strip.
However, as follows from the official summary from the Prime Minister’s Office, the approved plan does not fully correspond to his rhetoric. The Security Cabinet did not support an alternative option, which, according to Netanyahu, would guarantee neither victory over Hamas nor the return of Israeli hostages.
Commenting on the events, international expert and first vice president of the Iranian opposition in Washington, Ali Reza Rezazade, notes:
“Netanyahu’s decision is not only a military strategy, but also a deeply political move. It is designed to satisfy the far-right coalition partners who have long demanded a full occupation of Gaza. At the same time, it is a way to pressure Hamas to return it to the negotiating table.”
According to Rezazade, the risks outweigh the benefits:
“A full occupation will require months of heavy fighting, huge human and political losses. The Israeli government already claims control over 75% of the territory, but the military leadership — including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir — opposes a full occupation. Zamir warns directly: it threatens the lives of the 20 hostages who are still believed to be alive, and the exhausted reservists who have been serving for more than 22 months.”
The military’s position suggests an alternative approach — intensive strikes, blockades, and psychological pressure on Hamas, without directly capturing densely populated areas, including refugee camps in the center of the sector.
Rezazade emphasizes:
“Netanyahu is looking for a way out of the political trap. His government has experienced a breakdown in negotiations, and the war is becoming increasingly toxic for Israel on the international stage. Therefore, a demonstration of “determination” is not only a message to Hamas, but also an attempt to strengthen power within the country.”
At the same time, the UN warns: any expansion of the operation could lead to catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians and complicate the situation with the hostages.
No final decision has been made yet on the full occupation of Gaza. But the very fact of adopting the corresponding plan signals the readiness of the Israeli leadership to go beyond the limits of a local military operation — with all the risks that this entails.

По теме
Statements by the Pentagon leadership about the end of the era of “politically correct wars” indicate a possible change in the United States’ approach to military operations in the Middle East. At the same time, Washington continues to deploy additional forces to the region, which increases tensions around Iran.
Заявления руководства Пентагона о завершении эпохи «политкорректных войн» могут свидетельствовать о смене подходов Соединённых Штатов к военным операциям на Ближнем Востоке. Параллельно Вашингтон продолжает перебрасывать дополнительные силы в регион, усиливая напряжённость вокруг Ирана.
An Iranian drone attacked the international airport in Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan), causing a fire. This is the first case of the use of such UAVs to strike the territory of the country, which creates a dangerous precedent for the entire region.
Иранский беспилотник атаковал международный аэропорт в Нахичевани (Азербайджан), в результате чего был зафиксирован пожар. Это первый случай применения подобных БПЛА для удара по территории страны, что создаёт опасный прецедент для всего региона.
The New York Times has published satellite images of destroyed facilities, which, according to the publication, were used by Iran to store and produce ballistic missiles. According to the newspaper, the elimination of Iran's missile potential has become one of the key goals of President Donald Trump in the framework of the military campaign against Tehran.
The New York Times опубликовала спутниковые снимки разрушенных объектов, которые, по данным издания, использовались Ираном для хранения и производства баллистических ракет. По информации газеты, ликвидация иранского ракетного потенциала стала одной из ключевых целей президента Дональда Трампа в рамках военной кампании против Тегерана.
The statement by US special representative Steve Witkoff that during the first day of negotiations the Iranian delegation openly reported the presence of 460 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% and the potential possibility of creating 11 nuclear warheads caused a serious international resonance.
Заявление специального представителя США Стива Виткоффа о том, что в первый день переговоров иранская делегация открыто сообщила о наличии 460 килограммов урана, обогащённого до 60%, и потенциальной возможности создания 11 ядерных боезарядов, вызвало серьёзный международный резонанс.
США и Израиль планировали нанести удар по Ирану ещё 21 февраля, однако операция была отложена из-за погодных условий, уточнения разведывательных данных и координационных причин.
The US and Israel planned to strike Iran on February 21, but the operation was postponed due to weather conditions, clarification of intelligence data and coordination reasons.
Новости «Новости мира»
Statements by the Pentagon leadership about the end of the era of “politically correct wars” indicate a possible change in the United States’ approach to military operations in the Middle East. At the same time, Washington continues to deploy additional forces to the region, which increases tensions around Iran.
Заявления руководства Пентагона о завершении эпохи «политкорректных войн» могут свидетельствовать о смене подходов Соединённых Штатов к военным операциям на Ближнем Востоке. Параллельно Вашингтон продолжает перебрасывать дополнительные силы в регион, усиливая напряжённость вокруг Ирана.
An Iranian drone attacked the international airport in Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan), causing a fire. This is the first case of the use of such UAVs to strike the territory of the country, which creates a dangerous precedent for the entire region.
Иранский беспилотник атаковал международный аэропорт в Нахичевани (Азербайджан), в результате чего был зафиксирован пожар. Это первый случай применения подобных БПЛА для удара по территории страны, что создаёт опасный прецедент для всего региона.