Dr. Khaled Shneikat, President of the Jordanian Association for Political Science, warned that Israel could push the ongoing regional conflict to unprecedented levels, reflecting an expansion of military and economic targets.

Speaking to Radio Al-Balad 92.5, Dr. Shneikat explained that Israel has targeted key oil and gas fields in the region, prompting retaliatory strikes by Iran, including in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. “This is evidence of escalation,” he said, noting that Israel appears determined to take advantage of what it perceives as a historic opportunity, aiming to maximize the conflict’s impact.

He emphasized that Israel’s strategy goes beyond simply weakening Iran, targeting strategic economic, military, and political infrastructure. “The goal is systemically altering Iran’s capacities,” Shneikat said, “potentially causing chaos and destruction inside the country.”

Dr. Shneikat contrasted Israeli objectives with U.S. policy, noting that Washington focuses on weakening Iran rather than regime change. He also highlighted Iran’s strategic responses, such as threatening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital economic artery, which has already contributed to unprecedented spikes in global oil and gas prices.

“The Iranian population is aware and historically resilient,” he added, stressing that Israel’s strategy could backfire as it overestimates internal opposition. He criticized the Israeli approach as relying on unrealistic assumptions about popular uprising in Iran.

According to Dr. Shneikat, the conflict’s economic and military dimensions are intertwined. “Repeated strikes on vital infrastructure create ripple effects on global markets, while also draining Iran’s capacities,” he said, warning that the situation may continue to escalate unless diplomatic interventions succeed.

The political analyst concluded that while the U.S. has occasionally intervened to moderate Israeli actions, Israel’s pursuit of broad objectives risks heightening instability across the Middle East.