Retired Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Daniel L. Davis has said that there is "no quick end" to the war in the Middle East, after Iran fired 200 missiles at Israel on Tuesday.
Israeli officials stated that around 180 ballistic missiles were fired, with a large number intercepted by Israeli and U.S. defences.
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel L. Davis, speaking to GBN America, offered insights into Iran's strategy.
He suggested that Iran signalled their attack in advance, using slower drones and older missiles, knowing they would be intercepted.
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel L. Davis said there will be no end to the conflict
GBNA
Speaking to Patrick Christys on GBNA he said: "Iran wanted to avoid a war. They don't want a war because they know that they would suffer a lot from it.
"So they had that one reaction that they knew would get shot down using their older missiles and slower drones."
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He added: "Neither country can invade the other. Iran to Israel or Israel and the other place, because you have so much space in between, they can't do it.
"So there's no knockout blow that either could do.
"And if you get into this long range strike, you're literally having lots of people and innocent people and cities on both sides getting destroyed.
"But there's no quick end to this. All you're going to get is probably this thing dragging on, possibly for years."
Israel was struck by a missile attack from Iran as conflict in the Middle East intensifiesReutersDavis also addressed the historical context of the conflict, highlighting the complex perspectives involved.
He noted that while Israel views groups like Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorists, these organisations see themselves differently.
"They view themselves as resistance against the Israeli aggression and especially against the Palestinian people, which of course goes back decades long before October 7th," Davis explained.
He pointed out that the Palestinian perspective includes grievances about long-standing issues, such as the lack of a two-state solution.
Israeli officials stated that around 180 ballistic missiles were fired
GBNA
"Even if we disagree with them, and most in the West do, from their perspective, they're responding to what Israel has been doing to their people for a long time," Davis added.
The current situation remains tense, with both sides on high alert. Israel's Airports Authority closed the country's airspace, redirecting incoming flights. Neighbouring Jordan and Iraq also temporarily closed their airspace due to security concerns.
Despite the scale of the attack, Israeli officials reported no fatalities. The IDF's Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated: "We carried out many interceptions.
"There are a few impacts in the centre and some more in the south. At this stage, we are assessing the situation."