{"text":[[{"start":8.23,"text":"The killing of Yahya Sinwar should mark a turning point in Israel’s more than year-long campaign to debilitate Hamas and secure the release of its hostages held in Gaza. "},{"start":17.059,"text":"Ever since the militant group’s horrific October 7 attack, killing the ruthless architect of the assault and decapitating Hamas’s leadership has been a prime Israeli objective. "},{"start":26.064,"text":"Israel has now taken out most of Hamas’s top commanders in Gaza, its political leader Ismail Haniyeh and severely degraded the group. "}],[{"start":34.230000000000004,"text":"It was a moment for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take his military wins, reach a deal to end the Gaza war and save the hostages. "},{"start":42.122,"text":"Instead, Israel’s offensive grinds on, deepening the catastrophe for Palestinians trapped in the enclave and prolonging the agony for the families of hostages. "}],[{"start":51.040000000000006,"text":"The scenes in northern Gaza over the past week have been horrific. "},{"start":54.732000000000006,"text":"Scores have been killed in the days since Sinwar’s death — the toll from Israel’s onslaught is nearing 43,000 people, according to Palestinian officials. "},{"start":62.89900000000001,"text":"Thousands have been forced from their homes. "},{"start":65.167,"text":"Even the US took the unprecedented step of warning Israel it would suspend arms sales if it did not do more to ease the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe. "},{"start":73.37200000000001,"text":"Israel has also intensified its assault on Hizbollah, wreaking havoc in Lebanon as its bombs flatten buildings — including non-military targets — while its forces push on with an invasion in the south. "}],[{"start":84.84,"text":"Netanyahu is also preparing his retaliation for Iran’s missile attack on Israel three weeks ago. "},{"start":90.65700000000001,"text":"The region will then wait anxiously for the next round of escalation. "},{"start":94.137,"text":"Hizbollah, meanwhile, weakened by the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, continues to fire missiles into the Jewish state. "}],[{"start":102.10000000000001,"text":"Israel, it seems, is locked in endless wars on multiple fronts. "},{"start":106.667,"text":"The suspicion is that Netanyahu has bet that with the Biden administration focused on the US election, he has a window to strike hard against Israel’s foes and ignore international pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza or with Hizbollah. "},{"start":118.13400000000001,"text":"He is likely to be calculating that a victory for Donald Trump, who during his first term gifted Netanyahu a number of pro-Israeli policies, would give him even greater licence to strike against Israel’s foes and the Palestinians. "}],[{"start":130.05,"text":"Yet the Biden administration seems to be dancing to Netanyahu’s tune: despite calling for a ceasefire in Lebanon one minute, it supports Israel’s goal of degrading Hizbollah the next. "},{"start":139.979,"text":"None of this serves the stability of the Middle East — or Israel’s long-term security interests. "},{"start":144.89700000000002,"text":"Hamas and Hizbollah can be decapitated and devastated but will not disappear. "},{"start":149.27700000000002,"text":"Many Hamas fighters are believed to be orphans of previous conflicts as cycles of violence breed new generations of militants. "},{"start":155.71900000000002,"text":"When one leader is killed, another takes over. "},{"start":158.59900000000002,"text":"When a group’s military capacity is debilitated, it reverts to guerrilla tactics. "}],[{"start":164.13,"text":"Military history — including Israel’s past experiences in Lebanon — is littered with the follies of mission creep; of technically superior occupying armies becoming bogged down by insurgencies, often with radical forces filling the void when they depart. "}],[{"start":177.89,"text":"US President Joe Biden must end the year-long cycle of death and destruction. "},{"start":182.40699999999998,"text":"The threat of a full-blown Middle East war grows by the day. "},{"start":185.712,"text":"It is in the west’s — and the region’s — interest to pressure Netanyahu to take the diplomatic off-ramps that are available. "},{"start":191.879,"text":"An all-out regional conflict risks drawing American forces into conflict with Iran and its proxies. "},{"start":197.23399999999998,"text":"It would put the Gulf’s oil infrastructure at risk, threaten more disruption to shipping through vital trade routes and fuel more extremism. "}],[{"start":205.08999999999997,"text":"Biden has the tools to rein in Netanyahu. "},{"start":207.96899999999997,"text":"He must halt the offensive arms sales to Israel that enable its relentless bombing of Gaza and Lebanon. "},{"start":213.36199999999997,"text":"He can do so without breaking Washington’s commitment to Israel’s defence, including providing air-defence systems. "},{"start":219.36699999999996,"text":"But Biden’s message should be clear: the bombing must stop and the day after must begin. "},{"start":224.15899999999996,"text":"If not, the devastation and suffering in the Middle East will come back to haunt the west. "}],[{"start":228.62999999999997,"text":""}]],"url":"https://creatives.ftmailbox.cn/album/177511-1729933941.mp3"}