Iran and Israel on the Verge of War

The Middle East finds itself yet again in a precarious position with Iran and Israel likely to engage in a confrontation following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The United States also seems to be rebuilding its presence in the area foreseeing the conflict that is about to unfold.

Background

According to Gaza health officials, at least 40000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel-led attacks in the Gaza strip. This series of offences by Israel began after a Hamas-led attack on Southern Israel on 7th October 2023. In April of 2024, Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel. This happened in less than two weeks since two Iranian generals were killed in what seemed to be an Israeli strike in Syria. It was the first time Iran has attacked Israel directly with a military force, after decades of animosity stemming from the Islamic Revolution of 1979. 

The death of Haniyeh is not an isolated event, it is part of a series of ongoing assassinations against Hamas leaders as the Gaza conflict completes 11 months. Iran and Hamas have together blamed Israel for Haniyeh’s assassination despite no claim or denial of responsibility from Israel. Iran has vowed to seek revenge as part of the ongoing Gaza conflict. Iran does not recognise Israel as a legitimate country and even provides material and immaterial support to Anti-Israel organisations.

Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia and political group in Lebanon, has time and again expressed his support and solidarity for the people of Palestine. As a response to the Israeli attack on Palestinian villages in Gaza, Hezbollah announced that it has targeted the new Israeli settlement of Beit Hillel with rockets. 

Image Source: Middle East Monitor

The situation at hand

Iran has declared that after the assassination of Haniyeh, it has the “legal right” to respond and seek revenge. The Foreign Minister also said that Iran is not looking to escalate regional tensions but feels the need to “punish” Israel to avoid further instability. Iran refuses to share any detailed warnings on the forthcoming attacks the way it did in April which may prove to be troublesome for Israel. 

Israel also conspires that Iran may be joined by other allies in the neighbourhood following the growing anti-zionist sentiments in the region, especially after the assassinations. If that is the case then a full blown war is likely to break out in the Middle East, also inviting key players like the United States to also join in. The United States had forged a coalition with the United Kingdom, France, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia which it intends to revive but it seems unlikely because of the growing anti-Israel sentiment.

Several countries including India, Canada and the United States have advised its citizens to not travel to the area and to maintain precautionary safety protocols.