In recent days, the perennial conflict between Israel and Iran has been compounded with the direct involvement of the United States in the bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran amid threats of further escalation. However, it appears that it’s all a game of deterrence and not necessarily a prelude to Armageddon. ONWUKA NZESHI reports
The conflict between Israel and Iran is a longstanding rivalry fueled by ideological, political and racial differences. There has been no love lost between the two nations since the creation of the State of Isreal in 1948.
The rivalry between Israel and Iran intensified after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which overthrew the pro-Israeli Shah of Iran. Iran’s current government, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, adopted an anti-Israel stance, supporting various militant groups in the region.
Successive leaderships in Israel have never forgotten the open threat allegedly made by the Iranian authorities to wipe Israel out of the map of the Middle East.
For many decades, Iran’s progress on its nuclear programme has been a major concern for Israel. Israel views a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat and has taken steps to sabotage Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The conflict also plays out through proxy groups. Iran supports Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, which are in constant clashes with Israel. These proxy wars contribute to the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran.
In recent weeks, both nations have launched attacks and counter-attacks against each other, inflicting varying degrees of damage to human lives and critical infrastructure.
Cycle of reprisals
The latest cycle of retaliatory attacks began when Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched a missile attack on Israel in response to the killings of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Iran perceived these actions as aggression and felt compelled to retaliate.
Capturing Israel’s reason for attacking Iran and why world leaders must follow suit, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, told the UN Security Council, during the week, that Iran is a threat to the entire world. According to him, one many occasions, Iran has “pronounced death to the United States, death to Isreal and death to Britain. In 2024, Iran said that the Zionists must be eliminated and it will.”
Given Iran’s nuclear capability especially since its missiles can travel as far as 2,000 kilometres and is currently targeting 4,000 km, Iran, therefore, is not just a threat to Isreal, but to the entire world, must be decimated.
He said Iran’s move is to remake the world order. Quoting the German Chancellor, Metz, Danon said “by attacking Iran, Israel is doing the world’s dirty job.” Iran is building its nuclear site deep under the ground and fires cluster munitions.
The Ambassador stated that “Iran’s hatred is not limited by reason or geography, nor its ambition limited by geography. Iran is arming Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamaz in Gaza, extremist groups in Syria, Shiite Muslims Iraq, Houthi criminal networks Yemen and Latin America, exporting weapons and thousands of drones daily.
On the modus of Israel’s attacks on Iran, Danon said “Operation Building Lion launched by the Israeli Defence Force is designed to neutralize existential threats. Drones are sent in compliance with international laws on arm conflict, including principle of proportionality, precaution in attacks and military action carried out on the basis of reliable intelligence.”
But while the world watched the crossfire between Israel and Iran with bated breath, the United States suddenly joined the conflict through a series of well-coordinated military actions.
On June 21, 2025, US President Donald Trump authorized direct airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites namely, Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, using B-2 stealth bombers. Trump announced the operation as “very successful”.
Trump claimed that the attack code-named Operation Midnight Hammer, inflicted “monumental damage” on Iran and that its nuclear programme was “completely and totally obliterated.”
Tweeting on his TRUTH Social handle @realDonald Trump, the US President said ‘a full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site, Fordow’ before launching deadly air strikes on two other sites. He saluted the U.S. military for its gallantry and added: ‘There is not another military in the world that could have done this’.
The post read thus:
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran’s air space.
“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow, all planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the world that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
About a week before the US bombs landed on Iran, the Israeli military confirmed that its Operation Rising Lion which involved 200 fighter jets had struck more than 100 targets across Iran, including the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz.
Middle East and global trade
While both US and Israel have been prevaricating on the latent reason for the attack on Iran, they have argued that regime change in Iran was not in the picture, though could not be ruled out, if the need be. However, international relations experts are of the view that global trade and peace might be threatened.
“The gulf region is essential for international trade, because scores of ships pass through the region daily, at about 20 nautical miles in the Iranian area. The ships travel as far as China, Russia, US, Africa and Europe. This explains the presence of US military bases in the axis to checkmate activities of extremists that might disrupt international trade.
“Besides, Iran’s non-compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the move to decimate Iranian Nuclear facility was designed to ensure undisrupted flow of oil from the Middle East to all parts of the world and inflow of gas to Europe and import and export from and to Africa are major considerations” the expert said.
The US has claimed to have inflicted “monumental damage” in last weekend’s attack on three Iranian Uranium Enrichment Plats in Nataz, Fordow and Isfahan. US President Donald Trump said the programme was “completely and totally obliterated” in an attack code-named Operation Midnight Hammer.
But Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini, had Friday praised the Iranian Army for its success. Khamenei claimed the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities didn’t achieve anything significant and described statements made by President Donald Trump were “showmanship” and “exaggeration”
While Israel and the US want Iran to surrender and hand over its Uranium enrichment programme to Israel and the United States, Khomeini retorted “…surrender will never happen; our nation is powerful.” To him, calling for Iran’s surrender is a huge joke.
Unflinching solidarity
It could be recalled that the US had always supported Israel in its conflicts with its Middle East neighbours. It was therefore not a surprise that a former US President, Joe Biden pledged support for Israel’s defense after Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and hundreds taken hostage.
The US began moving military assets to the region and coordinating with regional allies. As the conflict escalated with Hezbollah attacking northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas, the US responded to attacks on its personnel and interests by conducting airstrikes on Iran-backed facilities in Iraq and Syria.
Expectedly, the Iranian authorities have retaliated as much as they could to the latest US bombing given the fact that its airspace had been largely compromised by Israeli Defence Forces.
Experts have speculated that Iran’s full response to the US bombing of its nuclear sites may manifest in the coming days and weeks.
Iran might target the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway, crucial for global oil shipments, using fast-attack boats, naval mines, or missiles. This could disrupt international oil supplies and escalate tensions.
It could launch missile attacks on US interests or allies in the region, aiming to demonstrate its military capabilities and resolve. Iran might direct its proxy groups, such as Hezbollah or Hamas, to launch attacks on Israel or US interests. All these potential actions, if activated, could further aggravate the instability in the Middle East region.
The motivations
This triangular conflict is not without some reasons. Each actor is motivated by certain fundamental factors to respond to the actions of the others in a particular manner. For obvious reasons, Israel and Iran are sworn enemies, always ready to engage each other at the slightest provocation. However, at every point, both countries aim to deter each other from future attacks. Israel’s military responses are designed to demonstrate its capability and willingness to defend itself, while Iran’s attacks aim to show its resolve and military strength.
According to the Israeli Defence Forces, Brig Gen. Effie Defrin the Israeli military targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories, and top military commanders in a bid to halt its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons.
In the same vein, the US aims to deter Iran’s aggression, protect its interests, and support Israel’s security. At the moment, the situation remains volatile, as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that US involvement would be “very, very dangerous for everyone”.
Diplomatic solution?
Experts believe that a diplomatic solution cannot be ruled out as Iran seems to be ready for negotiations. A diplomat at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, (NIIA) said from all indications, with the recent killing of over 40 Iranian statesmen, including Generals, the Iranian leader has been shaken to reality, hence is disposed to a diplomatic solution.
According to him, Iran has expressed readiness to allow inspection into 12 per cent of its nuclear site, stating that its nuclear enrichment is for economic purposes, but can it be trusted? This is because Iran has been seen as the bully to all Arab countries, including the Organisation of Islamic Countries.
“There could always be reproachment. But beyond that, there are some issues which have to be resolved before any of these. Let’s see how long this ceasefire can last. Let’s see the role America will play, because up till now, it has been playing the role of the Devil’s advocate. The problem is that both leaders of Iran and Israel are errant, but the issues can be addressed.”
Interestingly, world leaders, including the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Gutteres have condemned the action of the US and called for restraint and diplomacy to prevent further escalation. Across the world, many people had expected Russia, China and perhaps North Korea to join the fray after the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites but none did up till this moment. It’s such a big relief to those who feared that a third world war was imminent.
