Islamic State has avoided direct clash with Israel despite having forces close to two of Israel's borders
Date
11/16/2015 11:10:08 PM
(MENAFN- Asia Times) Israeli Army troops
'Daesh (another name for the Islamic State) hasn't opened a front against us because they would simply get hurt' he said in an interview on Israel Radio.
One of the Islamic State's most formidable affiliates exists inEgypt's Sinai Peninsula abutting southernIsrael. Before pledging allegiance last year to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the Egyptian Jihadi group had operated under the name of Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis. Since joining the Islamic State its aggressiveness has increased and its tactics have become more sophisticated. It has also wielded advanced arms including Russian-made anti-tank weapons.
In its previous incarnation the Sinai group had staged incursions into the Israeli Negev and fired rockets periodically at the southern resort of Eilat. Since becoming part of the Islamic State it has not staged incursions and rocket attacks have been few. The group's efforts have been directed almost entirely to battles with Egyptian security forces which have been unable to suppress them.
The Sinai Jihadists have recently threatened to stage a major incursion intoIsraeland to renew rocketing but have thus far refrained from doing so.Israelhas reportedly been providing intelligence to the Egyptian army battling the Jihadists in Sinai but Israeli forces have not crossed the border to engage the Jihadists directly.
HoweverIsraelis closely monitoring their activity. This became evident after a Russian airliner with 224 passengers went down over Sinai two weeks ago after taking off from the resort of Sharm al-Sheikh. The crash was first believed due to a technical malfunction. According to foreign intelligence sources it wasIsraelwhich first indicated that the plane had been downed by a bomb smuggled aboard this on the basis of radio intercepts.
The other border that would appear to invite the Islamic State's attention is at the other end ofIsraeltheGolan Heights. Although the Islamic State is concentrated in northern and eastern Syria and in Iraq small IS contingents engaged in the Syrian civil war are reportedly in southern Syria as well not far from the Golan border. But there has been no reported attempt by them to approach it. In his radio interview Defense Minister Ya'alon said thatIsrael has succeeded in deterring any such move.
The forces across the Golan border would be part the core Islamic State army under the direct command of al-Baghdadi. Referring to the Islamic StateinSyria Ya'alon said 'We are following its presence there.' Deterred or not the Islamic State is still a threat.
In a video released last month directed atIsrael the narrator speaking in Hebrew warnedIsraelthat the war with it has not yet begun. 'Everything you have experienced so far has been child's play. We promise youthat soon not one Jew will be left alive inJerusalemor acrossIsraeland we will continue until we eradicate this disease from the world.' Read more
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