Tensions Between Israel and Iran Reach a Boiling Point
Tensions have been escalating between arch-rivals Israel and Iran since the start of the war in Gaza, following an unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The situation has been further exacerbated by a series of violent incidents and retaliatory strikes between the two countries.
The latest development came on October 1, 2024, when Iran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel in response to the killings of Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. The attack marked the first-ever direct assault on Israeli territory by Iran since the establishment of its Islamic Republic in 1979.
The chain of events began on October 8, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi quickly condemned the attack, accusing Israel of "endangering the security of nations in the region." He also raised banners in central Tehran showing solidarity with the Palestinians.
On December 25, 2023, Iran blamed Israel for an attack in Syria that killed Razi Moussavi, a senior officer in the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Weeks later, Israel struck a Revolutionary Guards compound in Damascus, killing five members, including the group’s intelligence chief for Syria and his deputy.
In response, Iran launched a wave of missiles and drones at Israel on April 13, 2024. Israel and other nations, including the US, intercepted most of the projectiles, but Israel vowed to retaliate. On April 19, explosions were reported in central Iran, with US media quoting officials saying Israel had carried out revenge strikes.
The cycle of violence continued with the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in an overnight strike in Iran on July 31. Iranian media reported that he was killed by an air-launched missile while attending the swearing-in of the new President Masoud Pezeshkian. Israel declined to comment on the strike, which came after it struck a Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut, killing a senior commander of the Lebanese militant group.
The situation escalated further with the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on September 27. Nasrallah was killed alongside an Iranian general in the Revolutionary Guards in an Israeli strike on a Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut. Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that Nasrallah’s death "will not be in vain."
The latest Iranian attack on Israel on October 1, 2024, came the day after Israel announced limited ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari warned that the Iranian attack "will have consequences. We have plans, and we will operate at the place and time we decide."
The escalating tensions between Israel and Iran have raised concerns about the potential for further violence and instability in the region. The situation is closely being watched by the international community, with many countries urging restraint and diplomacy to resolve the conflict.
