Recently, a container ship named SYMI was attacked by a suspected Iranian suicide drone in the Indian Ocean. According to eyewitness accounts, the "triangular drone" is similar in shape to the Iranian Witness-136 drone. The drone uses a low-horsepower gasoline engine, so it is nicknamed the "air scooter", and is capable of flying more than 1,500 kilometers. As we all know, the Russian army has widely used Witness-136 drones on the battlefield in Ukraine, launching dozens or even hundreds of them every day, focusing on attacking targets in the depths of western Ukraine, causing huge losses to Ukrainian military facilities. Yemen's Houthi rebels have also attacked Israeli cargo ships, so it is likely that they were behind the drone attack. However, there are still many doubts about how to accurately search for a freighter in the vast ocean and how to guide the drone to the target.
It is worth mentioning that the Symi cargo ship is operated by the French company CMA CGM, but it is actually controlled by the Eastern Pacific Shipping Company, and the company's headquarters are located in Singapore, so it can be said that the ship is controlled by the Israelis. The SYMI will be in operation in 2022 and will be able to carry 15,400 TEUs, and its most striking feature is that it uses natural gas as a fuel, which has the advantage of being low-carbon and environmentally friendly. Previously, the SYMI sailed mostly in the Indian Ocean and arrived at the port of Dammam in Saudi Arabia in July this year, becoming the first port on the country's east coast to receive LNG-powered vessels. The attack came as no surprise, given that the SYMI was controlled by the Israelis and was the target of public criticism in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
When the Symi docked at Dubai's Jeari port in early November, it had already received threats to attack it. As a result, the SYMI took some precautions, such as turning off the automatic tracking transmission system, which is able to report the position and status of the vessel to shore in real time, so that assistance can be quickly called in case of danger. However, if this navigational information leaked out, the attackers could use it to launch an attack, so the system was shut down shortly after the SYMI left port. But even so, the cargo ship still could not evade the attack, probably because the cargo ship was relatively slow, and the drone has the characteristics of fast flight speed and wide coverage, and if it is searched in enough time, it is possible to lock on to the target and launch an attack.
It is worth adding that at the same time as the attack on the SYMI, the Houthis warned another oil tanker that was about to attack the Red Sea, asking it to change course or face an attack. On 19 November, the Houthis announced that they would launch attacks on Israeli vessels in the Red Sea and detained an Israeli cargo ship, which remains on the coast of Yemen. Although the direct damage caused to Israel by these actions is limited, their impact cannot be ignored. First of all, this shows that the countries of the Middle East are forming a united front against the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which has exerted heavy external pressure on Israel. Second, attacks on Israel's economy will exacerbate the pressure of domestic mobilization and increase the commitment of young people to military service, further dragging down the country's economy. And another major blow to external traffic would make Israel's situation even worse. In the longer term, Israel will need to face an increasingly modern adversary and increase its investment in defense, which will require a lot of human and material resources. For a small country like Israel, this is undoubtedly a heavy burden.
Over time, other Middle Eastern countries or armed groups may also acquire long-range attacks such as ballistic missiles, large-calibre guided rockets, and long-endurance drones**. In the past, Israel was free to strike at other countries and the other side was unable to fight back, but this situation will no longer exist. Therefore, the two countries that Israel is most worried about are Iran, which has a highly developed industrial system, and Pakistan, which has a nuclear **. Iran has high-tech ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones**, which pose a great threat to Israel. Pakistan, on the other hand, is the only Islamic state with nuclear weapons, posing a mortal threat to Israel. Therefore, the core of Israel's foreign policy is the ** Middle Eastern countries, rapprochement with Saudi Arabia and joining forces against Iran in order to prevent the formation of a united front in the Middle East. Israel actively helps India and suppresses Pakistan by providing advanced military technology.
However, at the beginning of 2023, Israel's foreign policy has taken a major blow. Saudi Arabia's rapprochement with Iran has sparked a wave of reconciliation in the Middle East, which has put Israel under enormous strategic pressure. At the same time, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out again, and Israel carried out indiscriminate attacks on Gaza, which triggered accusations from all countries in the Middle East and even other countries, and made Israel's external environment unprecedentedly bad. Therefore, Israel now needs to adjust its foreign policy and engage in dialogue and cooperation with neighboring countries in order to reduce tensions. In addition, Israel needs to strengthen its own defense capabilities and improve its defense capabilities against air and drone attacks. This includes increasing anti-aircraft missile systems, improving intelligence gathering and surveillance capabilities, and increasing the ability to innovate military technology.
In addition, Israel can seek the support and assistance of the international community through diplomatic channels to alleviate the external pressure it faces. Israel can strengthen ties with the United States and European allies to rally their support for Israel in the international arena. In addition, Israel can also strengthen economic and technological cooperation with Asian countries in order to enhance its own economic strength and technological level.
In short, Israel faces external pressure and threats from many quarters, especially against the backdrop of the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the uncertainty in the Middle East reconciliation process. However, Israel, as a powerful country with innovative military technology and strong defense capabilities, should be able to meet these challenges and protect its own interests and security. At the same time, Israel should also seek to reduce tensions through diplomatic and economic cooperation and to enlist the support and understanding of the international community.