Why Israel attacked Iran, and what to watch for next
After decades of tension, the conflict between the Jewish state and Islamic Republic burst into sporadic warfare after missile exchanges in April last year. A shift to open warfare is now possible.
Israeli rescuers evacuate a wounded woman from a site struck by a missile fired from Iran, in Haifa, northern Israel. AP
The conflict between Israel and Iran has shaped the Middle East for decades. It was largely on a low boil as the two sides attacked each other — mostly quietly and in Iran’s case often by proxy — while avoiding a full-blown war.
The hostilities stepped up a gear following the outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, which is backed by Iran, in October 2023. The countries exchanged fire on each other’s homelands in isolated incidents using missiles and drones.
