Hindi English Translation || Editorial || On the edge: On West Asia and the danger of a wider war

On the edge: On West Asia and the danger of a wider war

While protecting Israel, the West must also rein in (नियंत्रण करना) Netanyahu

The killings of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander, in Beirut, and Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of Hamas, in Tehran, within hours on July 30 have taken West Asia to the brink of a wider war. Israel has claimed the strike (हमला) on Beirut that killed Shukr, but has neither confirmed nor denied its role in the assassination (हत्या, कत्ल) of Haniyeh, a standard approach about its operations inside Iran. Israel’s northern border with Lebanon has remained tense (तनावपूर्ण, चिंतित) ever since the Gaza (a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Strip is a self-governing Palestinian territory surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Egypt) war broke out last year with Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces exchanging fire. After Shukr was killed, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Israel had breached (उल्लंघन करना, तोड़ना) a red line (boundary, limit), and the group has launched dozens of rockets over the past week, heightening (बढ़ाना, तीव्र करना) the tensions (तनाव). A bigger risk is the expected Iranian retaliation (प्रतिशोध) against Israel. When Israel bombed (attack, blow up, pound, bombard, shell) Iran’s embassy (An embassy is larger and more important than a consulate and is described as a permanent diplomatic mission, which is generally located in a country’s capital city. An embassy is responsible for representing the home country, for handling major diplomatic issues (such as negotiations), and for preserving the rights of its citizens abroad) complex in Damascus (the capital of Syria) on April 1, Iran launched hundreds of drones (unmanned aircraft/missile) and cruise and ballistic missiles (a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile) towards Israel, most of which were shot down by a U.S.-led coalition (गठबंधन, संघ). If Iran carried out such an attack in response to (के जवाब में) an Israeli strike on its embassy in a third country, it is unlikely (असंभावित, संदिग्ध) to ignore a direct Israeli attack on its capital that killed an ally (सहयोगी, मित्र) who was in Tehran to attend the presidential inauguration (उद्घाटन, शपथ ग्रहण).

To be sure (निश्चित रूप से), by killing Haniyeh in Tehran, Israel has demonstrated its capabilities to pull off (पूरा करना, सफल होना) sophisticated (modern, advanced, highly developed, the latest, futuristic) operations (military operation(s), offensive, attack, manoeuvre(s), engagement) even in hostile (antagonistic, aggressive, confrontational, belligerent, combative, unfriendly) territories and exposed (reveal, disclose, lay bare, unveil, show, display, exhibit, manifest, highlight, pinpoint) Iran’s security and intelligence ((military/political) information, facts, details, particulars) vulnerabilities (weakness, defencelessness, unprotectedness, susceptibility). Israel has also sent a strong message to Hamas (Hamas is an Islamist militant group based in Gaza), which carried out the October 7, 2023 attack, that none of its leaders is safe. Yet, this unchecked (unrestrained, unconstrained, uncontrolled, unrestricted, unbridled, uncontainable, rampant, runaway) militarism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could turn out (transpire, happen, occur, emerge, come out, end up) to be counterproductive (harmful, damaging, dangerous/destructive) for Israel in the long run. It is now apparent (obvious, evident, noticeable, palpable, striking, glaring) that Mr. Netanyahu is not serious about peace. The killing of Haniyeh has come at a time when both Israel and Hamas were making progress in talks (dialogue, discussion, deliberation, consultation, parley, negotiation) for a hostage-ceasefire deal. Haniyeh, who was living in exile (banishment, expulsion, deportation; a person who lives away from his/her native country) in Doha, was a relatively (comparatively, somewhat, reasonably, in a certain degree, more or less) moderate (non-extreme, non-radical, non-reactionary, equitable, impartial) voice within Hamas who pushed for (pressurize, ask for, urge, force; request, demand) a ceasefire. By taking him out, Mr. Netanyahu is telling the world that he wants the war to continue. And, by carrying out the attack in Tehran, which is a flagrant (shockingly noticeable, evident, glaring, blatant, obvious, conspicuous, transparent, palpable, disgraceful) violation (contravention, infringement, breach, breaking, lack of compliance with, non-observance, defiance) of Iran’s sovereignty (independent, supreme power or authority jurisdiction, supremacy), Mr. Netanyahu is practically (almost, nearly, virtually, more or less, in effect, basically) challenging the Islamic Republic (a sovereign state in the form of a republic that is officially ruled by Islamic laws (e.g. Iran)) to retaliate (hit back, counterattack, take revenge, take vengeance for, avenge, settle a score, hit back at someone, pay someone back, get even). If a direct war breaks out between Israel and Iran, the U.S. could be dragged into it, which is what Israel wants. The Biden administration (government, regime) avoided such a disastrous outcome (consequence, end result, effect, aftermath, conclusion) in April by reining in Israel after Iran’s retaliation. But that did not stop Israel from launching another provocative (inciting, agitating, fomenting, troublemaking, inflammatory, agitational) attack against Iran, taking the region back to the brink again. As West Asia braces for Iran’s retaliation, the U.S. and its allies should work together to make sure that the impact of its response on Israel would be minimal, and then put in place (set up, established, ready, in order, arranged, all set) new rules of the game (the standards of behaviour that most people accept and follow or that really operate in a specific area of life) for Israel so that it does not threaten regional security again as it did on April 1 or July 30.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.rein in (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - नियंत्रण करना
English Meaning - to control, restrain, restrict, limit someone/something.

2.strike (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हमला
English Meaning - attack.

3.assassination (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हत्या, कत्ल
English Meaning - murder, killing.

4.tense (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - तनावपूर्ण, चिंतित
English Meaning - on edge, edgy, nervous, strained, stressed.

5.breach (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उल्लंघन करना, तोड़ना
English Meaning - break, contravene, violate, infringe, flout, fail to observe, fail to comply with, defy, disobey.

6.tension (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तनाव
English Meaning - strained relations; strain, stress, pressure, unease.

7.heighten (verb)

Hindi Meaning - बढ़ाना, तीव्र करना
English Meaning - increase, intensify, exacerbate, amplify, deepen, aggravate, worsen, make worse.

8.retaliation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिशोध
English Meaning - revenge, vengeance, counter-attack.

9.coalition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गठबंधन, संघ
English Meaning - alliance, association, union, bloc, partnership.

10.in response to (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के जवाब में
English Meaning - in relation to something, in respect of something.

11.unlikely (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - असंभावित, संदिग्ध
English Meaning - not likely, doubtful, improbable, questionable, debatable.

12.ally (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सहयोगी, मित्र
English Meaning - partner, friend, colleague.

13.inauguration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उद्घाटन, शपथ ग्रहण
English Meaning - swearing-in, introduction, admission, initiation, induction, appointment (of someone officially to a post/office).

14.to be sure (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - निश्चित रूप से
English Meaning - without doubt; certainly

15.pull off (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - पूरा करना, सफल होना
English Meaning - achieve, succeed, fulfil, accomplish, bring about, perform, carry out.

16.on the edge (of) (phrase)

English Meaning - on the brink of, on the verge of a situation; at a crucial or critical point.

17.the West (noun)

English Meaning - The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America.

18.Hezbollah (noun)

English Meaning - Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political party and militant group based in Lebanon, where its extensive security apparatus, political organization, and social services network have fostered its reputation as “a state within a state.” Founded in the chaos of the fifteen-year Lebanese Civil War, the Iran-backed group is driven by its opposition to Israel and its resistance to Western influence in the Middle East.

19.Hamas (noun)

English Meaning - Hamas is an Islamist militant group based in Gaza.

20.Gaza (noun)

English Meaning - a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Strip is a self-governing Palestinian territory surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Egypt.

21.break out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - flare up, begin suddenly, start suddenly, erupt, burst out.

22.Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) (noun)

English Meaning - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are the armed forces of Israel, comprising the Israeli army, navy, and air force. it is was established in 1948 and commonly known in Israel by its Hebrew acronym Tzahal.

23.exchange fire (phrase)

English Meaning - shoot at each other.

24.red line (noun)

English Meaning - boundary, limit.

25.bomb (verb)

English Meaning - attack, blow up, pound, bombard, shell.

26.embassy (noun)

English Meaning - An embassy is larger and more important than a consulate and is described as a permanent diplomatic mission, which is generally located in a country’s capital city. An embassy is responsible for representing the home country, for handling major diplomatic issues (such as negotiations), and for preserving the rights of its citizens abroad.

27.Damascus (proper noun)

English Meaning - the capital of Syria.

28.drone (noun)

English Meaning - unmanned aircraft/missile.

29.missile (noun)

English Meaning - a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile.

30.cruise missile (noun)

English Meaning - it is a guided missile that flies with constant speed to deliver a warhead at specified target over long distance with high accuracy.

31.ballistic missile (noun)

English Meaning - a missile, which is shot from the ground, takes a long distance to travel well outside the atmosphere and falls to the earth to explode on its target (due to the gravity).

32.shoot down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - bring down something (missile) by shooting it.

33.sophisticated (adjective)

English Meaning - modern, advanced, highly developed, the latest, futuristic.

34.operations (noun)

English Meaning - military operation(s), offensive, attack, manoeuvre(s), engagement.

35.hostile (adjective)

English Meaning - antagonistic, aggressive, confrontational, belligerent, combative, unfriendly.

36.expose (verb)

English Meaning - reveal, disclose, lay bare, unveil, show, display, exhibit, manifest, highlight, pinpoint.

37.intelligence (noun)

English Meaning - (military/political) information, facts, details, particulars.

38.vulnerability (noun)

English Meaning - weakness, defencelessness, unprotectedness, susceptibility.

39.unchecked (adjective)

English Meaning - unrestrained, unconstrained, uncontrolled, unrestricted, unbridled, uncontainable, rampant, runaway.

40.militarism (noun)

English Meaning - the belief or the desire of a government or a people that a state should maintain a strong military capability and to use it aggressively to expand national interests and/or values.

41.turn out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - transpire, happen, occur, emerge, come out, end up.

42.counterproductive (adjective)

English Meaning - harmful, damaging, dangerous/destructive.

43.in the long run (phrase)

English Meaning - eventually, in the end, ultimately.

44.apparent (adjective)

English Meaning - obvious, evident, noticeable, palpable, striking, glaring.

45.talks (noun)

English Meaning - dialogue, discussion, deliberation, consultation, parley, negotiation.

46.hostage (noun)

English Meaning - a person captured or held as security for the fulfilment of certain conditions/terms.

47.ceasefire (noun)

English Meaning - a negotiated agreement that will be accompanied by other associated commitments to de-escalate the fighting; a temporary stoppage of a war, truce, armistice.

48.exile (noun)

English Meaning - banishment, expulsion, deportation; a person who lives away from his/her native country.

49.relatively (adverb)

English Meaning - comparatively, somewhat, reasonably, in a certain degree, more or less.

50.moderate (adjective)

English Meaning - non-extreme, non-radical, non-reactionary, equitable, impartial.

51.voice (noun)

English Meaning - opinion, view, attitude, feeling.

52.push for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - pressurize, ask for, urge, force; request, demand.

53.take out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - kill, murder, assassinate, put to death.

54.flagrant (adjective)

English Meaning - shockingly noticeable, evident, glaring, blatant, obvious, conspicuous, transparent, palpable, disgraceful.

55.violation (noun)

English Meaning - contravention, infringement, breach, breaking, lack of compliance with, non-observance, defiance.

56.sovereignty (noun)

English Meaning - independent, supreme power or authority jurisdiction, supremacy.

57.practically (adverb)

English Meaning - almost, nearly, virtually, more or less, in effect, basically.

58.Islamic Republic (noun)

English Meaning - a sovereign state in the form of a republic that is officially ruled by Islamic laws (e.g. Iran).

59.retaliate (verb)

English Meaning - hit back, counterattack, take revenge, take vengeance for, avenge, settle a score, hit back at someone, pay someone back, get even.

60.drag into (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - involve someone in an (inappropriate or unnecessary) situation.

61.administration (noun)

English Meaning - government, regime.

62.outcome (noun)

English Meaning - consequence, end result, effect, aftermath, conclusion.

63.provocative (adjective)

English Meaning - inciting, agitating, fomenting, troublemaking, inflammatory, agitational.

64.brace for (verb)

English Meaning - prepare oneself for something difficult/unpleasant that is imminent.

65.ally (noun)

English Meaning - a country/state with an alliance with another one in which they promise to support each other militarily and to defend each other.

66.in place (phrase)

English Meaning - set up, established, ready, in order, arranged, all set.

67.rules of the game (phrase)

English Meaning - the standards of behaviour that most people accept and follow or that really operate in a specific area of life.