Iran and Israel Trade Major Strikes
The Middle East is on edge after Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks on Israeli cities, forcing millions into shelters in response to the assassination of Supreme Leader Khamenei. In a rapid counter-attack, Israel and the U.S. bombed Iranian ballistic missile sites and naval assets near Tehran, aiming to degrade its strike capability.
The current direct conflict between Iran and Israel is a dramatic escalation of a decades-long shadow war. For years, the two nations have engaged in proxy conflicts, with Iran backing groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, while Israel has been accused of conducting covert operations within Iran. This long-standing animosity follows a period of close ties between the two countries, which ended with the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. The assassination of Supreme Leader Khamenei is the latest in a series of targeted killings of high-profile Iranian figures. In January 2020, the U.S. killed Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, in a drone strike in Iraq. Additionally, at least five Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated between 2010 and 2020, with Iran consistently blaming Israel for the attacks. The United States and Israel share a deep and long-standing military alliance. Washington provides Israel with billions of dollars in military aid annually, and the two countries have numerous bilateral defense agreements in place. This includes a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding committing to $38 billion in security assistance from 2019 to 2028. The U.S. also maintains a significant military presence in the region, with bases in several Gulf states. In response to the recent strikes, Iran has a range of potential military options beyond direct missile attacks. These could include deploying swarms of attack drones, initiating cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, and utilizing its proxy forces across the Middle East to target U.S. and Israeli interests. During a 12-day conflict in June 2025, Iran launched an estimated 550 ballistic missiles and over 1,000 drones. The international community has reacted with a mixture of condemnation and support for the U.S. and Israeli actions. Russia and China have voiced their support for Iran, while nations like Canada and Australia have backed the U.S. and Israel. Many world leaders have expressed alarm and called for immediate de-escalation to prevent a wider regional war. The recent attacks have also resulted in the deaths of other high-ranking Iranian officials. Reports indicate that Iran's Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were among those killed in the strikes. This direct confrontation marks a significant departure from the previous proxy warfare. Following an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian consulate in Damascus in April 2024, Iran retaliated with its first-ever direct attack on Israel. The current exchange of major strikes signifies a new and more dangerous phase in the long-running conflict between the two regional powers.
