When Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Moscow on Wednesday for talks with President Vladimir Putin, he could have done little more to curry favour.
The Israeli Prime Minister attended the Victory Day parade in Red Square — as much a celebration of Russia’s modern military might as a remembrance of World War II. He sported a St George’s ribbon, a symbol also associated with Russian nationalism and pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine.
He had a more serious purpose than solidarity, however. He was also forewarning Moscow of the nature of the response Israel would make to an expected attack by Iran. That attack came quickly, with an exchange of missiles in the early hours of Thursday. Everything about the attack — including Mr Netanyahu’s visit — was carefully calibrated.
Israeli strategists decided last week that the Golan Heights were the most obvious target for an Iranian attack, itself a response to strikes last month on a Syrian base that killed seven revolutionary guards.
Read the article by Tom Parfitt, Richard Spencer in The Australian and The Times.