DAILY MAIL COMMENTARY: Israel must guard against total war with Iran

The world had been waiting with deep anticipation to see how Tehran would respond to Israel’s airstrike on its consulate in Damascus, killing two Iranian generals and five other soldiers.

Now we know. More than 300 drones, cruise and ballistic missiles fired at Israeli targets from bases in Iran.

It was an unprecedented attack, and not just in the sheer amount of hardware.

Iran usually hides behind paid proxies to pursue its bloody feuds – Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, the Houthi rebels and, of course, Hamas.

This was the first attack on Israel from its own soil and signals a chilling escalation in the Middle East conflict. The question is: Can it be kept?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hardly known for moderation, and officials warned that Iran would ‘pay the price’ for its aggression.

But while there is certainly reason for retaliation, now might be a good time to pause for breath. This would not be weakness, but common sense.

For the first time in months, Israel has regained the sympathy of the international community.

After widespread criticism of the death and destruction in Gaza, it is now under attack.

The US has offered Israel ‘iron-clad’ support, as shown by US jets – along with British and Jordanian fighter jets – helping to intercept missiles and drones launched on Saturday.

Thanks to that and Israel’s own highly effective air defenses, the attack caused limited damage and no apparent deaths.

Tehran has also said its revenge on Damascus is complete (although the ayatollahs are hardly a trustworthy bunch).

The G7 nations were unequivocal in their condemnation of Iran yesterday and ‘unwavering’ in their commitment to Israel’s right to self-defence.

But they also called for ‘maximum restraint’ from all parties. Separately, President Biden warned that America will not assist Israel in any offensive campaign against Iran.

So, with the battle for Gaza still raging, would it really be a good idea for Mr Netanyahu to wage all-out war on another front, with the added risk of alienating his allies and emboldening regional support for Iran?

In The Art of War, the Chinese soldier/philosopher Sun Tzu advises that victory depends on more than military might: ‘He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight,’ he writes. Nowhere is that advice more well-considered than in the boiling cauldron of the Middle East today.

Curious Keir

Sir Keir Starmer’s apparent lack of curiosity about the scandal engulfing his deputy is becoming more implausible by the day.

Angela Rayner was allegedly registered on the electoral roll at the former town hall she owned in Vicarage Road, Stockport, for several years while actually living in her husband’s house with their children.

Sir Keir Starmer’s (pictured) apparent lack of curiosity about the scandal engulfing his deputy is becoming more implausible by the day.

Angela Rayner (pictured) was allegedly registered on the electoral roll at the former town hall she owned in Vicarage Road, Stockport, for several years while actually living in her husband’s house with their children

As well as breaching electoral law, if Vicarage Road was not her main property, she may have avoided capital gains tax on the £48,500 profit she made by selling it in 2015.

She says ‘expert’ legal advisers have exonerated her, but refuses to publish their advice. Sir Keir says he has not seen it, although members of his staff have.

Sir Keir is a former Director of Public Prosecutions. The deputy leader of his party is under police investigation and may have broken the law.

Can we honestly believe that he is disinterested in casting a cursory glance at her legal advice? Or is he deliberately distancing himself from this embarrassing affair?