Iran Escalates Attacks on Israel
Millions of Israelis spent the night in bomb shelters as Iran launched a new wave of missile and drone attacks. The strikes are a direct response to last week's killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, bringing daily life in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to a standstill and prompting a nationwide mobilization of emergency services.
For decades, Iran and Israel have been engaged in a "shadow war," attacking each other's interests indirectly through proxy forces, assassinations, and covert operations. This undeclared conflict has been a defining feature of Middle Eastern geopolitics, with both nations seeking to weaken the other without triggering a full-scale direct war. The roots of this animosity are complex, dating back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, which transformed the two nations from allies to adversaries. Before the revolution, Israel and Iran under the Shah maintained close political, economic, and security ties, viewing Arab states as a common threat. A key element of Iran's strategy has been its support for an "axis of resistance," a network of allied militias and militant groups across the Middle East. This includes significant military and financial aid to groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories, which have been involved in numerous conflicts with Israel. While direct military confrontations were historically rare, recent years have seen a significant escalation. In 2024, the conflict moved out of the shadows with a series of direct missile and drone strikes exchanged between the two countries, signaling a new and more dangerous phase of their long-running enmity.
