In just 72 hours, Israel has successively taken action against many countries in the Middle East. On the afternoon of September 8 local time, Israel dispatched fighter jets to open fire on Lebanon. According to Israel, the attack hit the arsenal and military facilities of Hezbollah in Lebanon. That night, Israeli fighter jets launched another attack on Syria, attacking a military camp in Syria.
In the early morning of the 9th, a ship heading to Gaza to provide assistance was attacked by Israeli drones in Tunisian waters. On the same afternoon, Israel sent another fighter jet to bomb Doha, the capital of Qatar, across borders, with the target directed at the top Hamas in Doha. On the 10th local time, the Israeli army launched a new round of air strikes on the Yemeni capital, and the Israeli army increased its attack on the Gaza Strip. It can be said that Israel bombed six countries in three days, which can be regarded as the real "one-one-stop six".
In fact, since the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in 2023, Israel has taken turns to attack Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Iraq and other places. And Qatar in the Middle East has always been a special existence. This is not only the location of the United States' largest military base in the Middle East, but also the permanent residence of mediators. In other words, Doha has long maintained a delicate balance between the parties through flexible diplomacy, but this time Israel directly covered firepower to Qatar, which is equivalent to turning a "safe house" into a battlefield.
Trump's attitude is more intriguing. He had just visited Doha in a high-profile manner, signed a trillion-dollar agreement, and obtained a luxury Boeing 747 to be converted into "Air Force One". Qatar also agreed to invest huge sums of money to upgrade US military bases, all of which is clearly to deepen cooperation with Washington. But unexpectedly, it was attacked by Israeli airs in a blink of an eye. Trump condemned a few words, but in fact he still let Israel take action, it was like "back-pricking" his Middle Eastern allies naked.
In this case, Qatar's anger is understandable. It has been trading energy exports for diplomatic chips for the past few decades, relying on funds and platforms to gain a place in regional affairs. But what about now? Within three months, it was first fired by Iranian missiles and then named by Israeli fighter jets. The result is right in front of you: as long as you rely on the United States for safety, it is normal not to fight back when you are beaten. This situation not only made Qatar itself feel heartbroken, but also made neighboring countries understand that the so-called "alliance" status of the United States may be sacrificed at any time.
As for Israel's abacus, it is also very clear. Everyone still remembers the "12-day War" that broke out between Israel and Iran in June this year. At that time, Israel hoped to take the opportunity to completely provoke the US-Iran war and tie the United States into the quagmire of war. Trump also initially gave the green light, allowing Netanyahu to take action as much as possible. But as the situation got out of control, the United States had to come forward and ended with a statement announcing that Iran's nuclear facilities were destroyed, and the matter was suppressed. But anyone with a discerning eye knows that the conflict did not change the fundamental pattern. Iran did not surrender, nuclear negotiations remained the same, and the axis of resistance remained. Israel did not achieve substantial results, but just once again forced the United States to provide guarantees for it.
The attack on Qatar this time is actually similar. Israel does not see hope for a quick victory in Gaza. Hamas is still resisting tenaciously, and the hostage issue is delayed, and the post-war arrangements are still unresolved. The Netanyahu government urgently needs a "breakthrough", so it set its sights on Qatar. It is both a safe haven for Hamas' top leaders and a mediator. Catching up with Qatar can not only create a deterrence, but also add bargaining chips to negotiations. More importantly, the US will end more easily by checking in Tarz than to directly provoke Iran "risk controllable".
But what about the effect? Israel fought, but the "beheading" failed, and the Hamas leadership was still there. Qatar protested angrily, Gulf countries raised support, European countries verbally condemned, and Trump continued to play the old routine of "giving the green light, ending, and seizing responsibility." The only difference is that this time, Qatar's identity is too special. It is both the base camp of the United States and the Middle East mediation center, which has magnified Washington's embarrassment to the extreme.
After all, the United States' strategic dilemma in the Middle East is being exposed. It is neither willing to abandon Israel completely nor to be deeply trapped in it. Trump's style is even more contradictory: on the one hand, he likes to create a sense of presence through big moves, and on the other hand, he is afraid that a large-scale war will really break out. So today's situation emerged: allies were bombed and the United States was selectively silent; when public opinion questioned, Trump came out to accuse Israel of a few more words, but there was no substantial action. Over time, the United States' credibility in the Middle East will only get worse.
In contrast, China's attitude is quite clear. In this chaotic conflict, China's position remains firm. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press conference on the 12th that China is deeply concerned about the escalating situation in the Middle East and opposes violations of the sovereignty and security of relevant countries in the Middle East. Lin Jian also emphasized that violence cannot bring safety, and force cannot bring peace. Call on all parties concerned to achieve ceasefire negotiations as soon as possible, rather than the other way around.
It becomes clearer when the two are compared: Israel has repeatedly broken through the red line, and the United States has been indulging in a while, and the allies are frightened. China's attitude is clear and its position is coherent. Because of this, more and more Middle Eastern countries are beginning to consider diversification on security issues, and no longer bets on Washington.
Overall, the "1-choose 6" within 72 hours temporarily created momentum, but further intensified the contradictions. Trump's "backstab" behavior has disappointed his allies and damaged the United States' prestige in the Middle East. The experience in Qatar is a wake-up call, indicating that relying on a single protector will only bring more passiveness. How the situation in the Middle East will go to the future depends largely on whether countries can truly break out of the "backer thinking" and find a new way of multilateral cooperation.
