Alwaght- Since October 17 when the operation to liberate� Mosul from the ISIS terrorist group started by a coalition of Iraqi forces, the developments of the operation not only took the attention of many regional and international powers.


Actually, these countries are closely and seriously watching the process of Mosul liberation operation, and are striving after securing interests and advantages out of this decisive battle. The best example of this opportunistic approach can be seen clearly in the behavior of actors such as the US, Saudi Arabia, and specifically Turkey, a country whose leaders are attempting to join the operation despite firm opposition by the Iraqi officials and people.


Meanwhile, the Israeli media as well as the military and security analysts are following very closely the developments associated with Mosul liberation operation.


A look at the Israeli media over the past few days shows that they are vastly covering the process of military operation to retake the northern Iraqi city from the terrorist group as it rolls on. This means that the Israeli news networks along with many newspapers published inside the Israeli regime have a close and accurate monitoring of developments of the anti-ISIS offensive in the second-largest Iraqi city.


Here a question presents itself: why are the present Iraqi developments and particularly the operation to recapture the strategic city of Mosul from ISIS are significant for the Israelis?


Optimism about partition of Iraq


What is noticeable in relations of Tel Aviv and the Iraqi Kurdistan region is the support offered by the Israeli regime to the Kurds in their struggle to build their independent state. Despite opposition from the central Iraqi government, the Israelis are pressing ahead with efforts to conclude the project of Iraq split.


The relations between Kurdistan regional government and the Israeli regime are not restricted to symbolic political ties or Tel Aviv�s backing for Erbil, rather, they include economic ties. According to a report by Financial Times, the Israeli regime imports 75 percent of its crude oil from Iraq�s Kurdistan region. The report also reveals that in June 2014, Tel Aviv received first oil supply from Kurdistan region through an oil pipeline built by the Kurdish government from its territory to the Israeli Ashkelon Port despite the frequent warnings by the central Iraqi government.


Taking military advantages of Mosul battle


At the time being, what is more important than any other thing and catches the attention of the military analysts in the Israeli regime is the operation to reclaim Mosul. The Israeli analysts suggest that Tel Aviv can take advantage of the currently used military tactics against ISIS in Mosul for its future wars with Lebanon�s Hezbollah and Hamas in Gaza because there are a lot of similarities between Mosul�s fight and the wars Israeli wages against the non-state groups and resistant movements. Tactics such as digging tunnels, using snipers, clashes in city environments, and with the militants are all issues that the Israeli regime will likely face in its future wars. So, to guarantee success in its prospective wars with the resistant movements, it tries to collect as much as possible data from Mosul fighting process.


Ron Ben-Yishai, an Israeli military analyst in an analysis in the Israeli daily of Yedioth Ahronoth emphasized that Mosul liberation operation is a unique opportunity for the Israelis to watch closely the military methods that ISIS uses in fight against the classic armies. The analyst adds that Tel Aviv can take advantage of the current operation's tactical achievements in its future wars against Hezbollah and Hamas, an operation that started just several days ago and for which no definite ending date can be set.


Ben-Yishai continued that constructing what are called offensives tunnels, figuring out the significance of the special forces to take control of residential districts, and setting up huge fires to block vision of the surveillance drones that fly to collect intelligence from the terrorist-held areas all are tactics that take place both in Mosul battle and the possible wars that the Israeli regime will have.


By Alwaght