The Business of Power In The Middle East: Iran, Iraq and Israel

On June 13, as the citizens in Jerusalem were ending their day, a volley of ballistic missiles바카라�seemingly 100s바카라� crashed down on to the city. Air바카라�raid sirens shattered the night바카라�s silence in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Both cities바카라� citizens braced themselves, filming how their defence dome fired up in an attempt to intercept the rain of fire. 

Israel바카라�s Iron Dome and the US Patriot batteries off the shore of the Jewish State intercepted a large number of Iran바카라�s projectiles, many crashed into residential districts in Rishon LeZion and Ramat Gan, and killed at least eight and injured dozens. 

Iran had launched its missiles in retaliation to Israel바카라�s firing on June 12, just the day before. Israel had targeted the Islamic republic바카라�s uranium enrichment plant in Natanz and killed several senior Revolutionary Guard officers. Israel바카라�s Prime Minister had then directly addressed the Iranian people, telling them to overthrow the current regime. 

Iran바카라�s Nuclear Program

To understand the depth of these latest attacks, in 1979 after Iran바카라�s Islamic Revolution, it had severed ties with the West. This set it on a collision course with Israel. Over the last few decades, the two states have indulged in a shadow war바카라� with Iran cultivating a network of proxy militia like the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The idea, appears to be, to keep Israel on edge at all fronts while avoiding a direct conflict. This seems to have worked 바카라� the 2006 Lebanon War and Syrian skirmishes are attestations to it.  

At the heart of Israel바카라�s discontent is Iran바카라�s nuclear programme. Israel바카라�s covert attack on June 12 comes within months of Tehran achieving 60 per cent uranium purity, bringing it one step away from being able to produce weapons grade uranium and completing its nuclear program. Israel바카라�s 바카라�Operation Rising Lion바카라� was aimed to stop this advance.

Although Israel has never admitted it, the Jewish State바카라�s nuclear capability is considered the world바카라�s worst kept secret. As a result, the region is on fire바카라� every analyst has warned of nuclear war. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Hezbollah launched rockets across the northern border of Israel, claiming solidarity with Iran, and Houthi vessels have gathered around the Red Sea threatening the Jewish State바카라�s commercial shipping capabilities. Iraq바카라�s militia factions also shelled U.S. and coalition bases. This leaves all eyes on the middle east region, which has once again become a multi바카라�front tinderbox awaiting a flashpoint before erupting into a full-scale war. 

Unusual Bedfellows United By Iran

In Israel, Iran바카라�s assault has resulted in an unusual political alignment. Opposition leader Yair Lapid, a vociferous critic of Netanyahu, has publicly endorsed the state바카라�s campaign, saying it바카라�s important to act 바카라�in the face of existential peril, unity is our strongest armour.바카라� 

Meanwhile, the United States is faced with its own catch-22 here. America is already defending American troops and interests across the Levant. While the Biden administration had urged restraint even as it deployed additional missile바카라�defence batteries to Jordan and the Persian Gulf, the Trump administration has flip-flopped, speaking out against Iran in one moment, trying to make deals with its regime the next. 

At its heart, the US is interested in avoiding a larger war that might draw in Russia, allied with Tehran, and cause untold upheaval to the oil-market, which would take a toll on the American and global economy. 

As dawn broke over the region on바카라�June 14, presidents and diplomats scrambled for a truce. However,  neither Iran nor Israel seem interested and have called any talks with Trump to be useless. 

So now, the world watches as the Middle East teeters on the brink once more.