Israel’s Strikes on Iran Were Years in the Making/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel launched a massive strike on Iran on June 13, 2025, citing imminent nuclear threats. Decades of hostility after Iran’s 1979 revolution and a weakened Axis of Resistance set the stage. A diplomatic window and failing nuclear talks eroded barriers, prompting preemptive military action.
Why Israel Hit Iran: Quick Looks
- Existential threats: Tehran’s nuclear advances and hostile proxies alarmed Israel.
- Axis collapse: Hamas and Hezbollah losses weakened Iran’s regional defense network.
- Diplomatic deadline: Looming U.S.–Iran nuclear talks created an operational window.
- Recent provocations: UN censure and Iran’s new enrichment site triggered urgent action.
Israel’s Strikes on Iran Was Years in the Making
Deep Look
Background to Bitter Enmity
After Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, it declared hostility toward the U.S. and Israel—viewing both as legacies of the Shah. Israel, in turn, accused Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons program. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Western intelligence say Iran once had a secret weapons program until 2003. Today, Tehran enriches uranium near weapons-grade levels, citing peaceful intentions—but Israel views this as existential danger.
Prime Minister Netanyahu explicitly linked Iran’s nuclear rhetoric with threats to wipe out the Jewish state, invoking Holocaust comparisons. To Israel, any nuclear-capable Iran equates to genocide risk .
The Collapse of the Axis of Resistance
Iran’s regional network—Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, various Iraqi and Syrian militias—was designed to counter Israel. But since Hamas’ October 2023 attack and Israel’s multi-front campaign, those proxies have been dramatically weakened. Hezbollah is reeling, Syria’s Assad fell last December, and Iran’s air defenses were already degraded after previous strikes .
That erosion undermined Iran’s deterrence—and with stakes rising, Israeli military planners saw a rare strategic opportunity.
A Window Opens: Why Now?
According to Netanyahu, Iran had crossed a “point of no return” toward weaponization. Diplomatic pressure escalated in June 2025: the IAEA censured Tehran for non-cooperation—the first such rebuke in 20 years—prompting Iran to expand centrifuges and develop a new enrichment site.
A sixth round of nuclear negotiations in Oman was set to begin—but to Israeli officials, these talks risked giving Iran more time to enrich uranium while lifting sanctions. Reports suggest former President Trump privately warned against military action, though he backed Israel publicly.
The Attack: Operation Rising Lion
During pre‑dawn hours on June 13, 2025, approximately 200 Israeli jets struck around 100 targets across Iran—including nuclear facilities at Natanz, Khondab, and Khorramabad, missile bases, air-defense nodes, and homes of senior military and nuclear-scientific figures.
High-profile casualties reportedly include IRGC commander Hossein Salami and senior general Mohammad Bagheri, along with key nuclear scientists such as Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi. An unprecedented element: Israeli commandos—with Mossad and drone teams—were operating inside Iran to guide precision strikes.
Iran retaliated by launching over 100 drones targeting Israel, many intercepted, raising fears of a larger multi-front conflict
Regional & International Fallout
The attack’s scale—unlike anything since the 1980s—sparked immediate global alarm. The U.S. denied direct involvement and evacuated some personnel; it called for “maximum restraint.” The UN Secretary-General urged both sides to de-escalate .
Market watchers noted noticeable oil-price spikes. Western governments offered mixed reactions: some supported Israel’s stance on Iran’s nuclear threat, while others condemned the decision’s timing—just ahead of nuclear diplomacy .
The Path Ahead: Conflict or Containment?
Israel vows this “preemptive strike” will continue “as many days as it takes.” Yet the risks loom large: Iran may target U.S. bases or civilians, widen attacks across the region, or drag in Hezbollah and Gulf actors
Diplomatic avenues appear cut short: Iran has rejected further nuclear talks amid its media blackout and heightened military postures. With retaliation underway and the proxy war still smoldering, analysts warn the Middle East teeters on the brink of all‑out war.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.