Iran vs Israel: Shadows of History, Firestorms of Today

Israel and Iran's war erupts after decades of proxy conflict, raising fears of nuclear escalation and regional destabilization in the most dangerous Middle East clash yet.

- SHRUTI DASGUPTA

Israel's Operation The Rising Lion faces off with Iran's Fury; the world wonders if they are stepping closer to a Nuclear Holocaust! This is the first time that the Iran-Israel conflict is a full-fledged war! Conventionally, both nations fight in a silent blaze that rages across the Middle East through proxies, sabotage, cyberattacks, and intelligence wars since the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

What began as an ideological hostility has evolved into one of the world's most perilous rivalries, now culminating in open conflict in 2025. The latest conflict in the Middle East is a classic case of nuclear diplomacy failures that ensured both nations crossed the threshold into direct warfare.

ROOTS OF ENMITY

Until 1979, Iran and Israel shared quiet diplomatic and intelligence relations under the Shah of Iran. Israel purchased oil from Iran and supported its regime as a regional bulwark against Arab nationalism. Under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Israel was the largest supplier of arms to Iran. However, the Islamic Revolution reversed that dynamic overnight.

Ayatollah Khomeini labeled the Jewish state of Israel the "Little Satan," the USSR became the "Lesser Satan," and the USA was crowned the "Greater Satan."

And these words became the foundation of the new Iran's foreign policy. Soon after gaining political power, Ayatollah Khomeini began a massacre of communists and opposition leaders in the nation. Reportedly, the blood of close to 30,000 stained the hands of the Ayatollah regime in the first year itself. Apart from ensuring a stranglehold on the voice of the people's representatives, the Islamic revolution of Iran enacted a policy of "exporting the revolution" - including arming, funding, and training Hezbollah and Hamas.