Why this War?

ISRAEL has hit nuclear centrifuges and military sites in Iran as confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the wake of escalated conflict between the two West Asian countries that has reportedly resulted in deaths of at least 585 people in Iran, including 239 civilians and injuries to 1,300 people.

- Trisha Majumder)

The recent conflict began on June 13 when Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear sites and military sites killed top army generals and nuclear scientists leading to retaliatory attacks by Iran with fighter jets and warplanes hitting Israel's ‘Iron Dome’ air defence among other places.

On the 6th day of this conflict, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected the United States’ calls for surrender with the stern warning, “Americans should know that any military involvement by the US will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage to them.”

But this rivalry between Iran and Israel with the involvement of the United States is not a recent development. It can be termed a ‘war in the making’.

Israel-Iran Ties

1948

The ties between Iran and Israel dates back to 1948 when West Asia was not open to accepting Israel as a new country. But Iran under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was an exception after it became a close ally of the United States during the Cold War. Both Iran and Israel required help from the United States to stay afloat and the then Prime Minister of Israel David Ben Gurion, with the goal of becoming an ally of non-Arab countries became closer to Iran.

According to reports, the two countries were involved in trade deals, arms sales, crude oil sales, and even shared intelligence information.

1957-1979

Iran and the United States signed a nuclear cooperation deal and 10 years later in 1967, the United States provided Iran with a nuclear reactor and enriched uranium fuel, which led to Iran signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that allowed it a civilian nuclear programme instead of a military one. Later, in 1970, Iran ratified the deal, which barred it from using the programme to build an atomic bomb.

1979