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

What started as covert operations from Israel have resulted in a possible full-scale war in the middle east

Israel begins precise strikes on Iran IDF Middle-East tension
Representative image: Israel launches strikes on Iran Photo: X/@ktrhnews
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On June 13, as the citizens in Jerusalem were ending their day, a volley of ballistic missiles바카라seemingly 100s바카라 crashed down on to the city. Air바카라raid sirens shattered the night바카라s 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. 

Israel바카라s Iron Dome and the US Patriot batteries off the shore of the Jewish State intercepted a large number of Iran바카라s 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 Israel바카라s firing on June 12, just the day before. Israel had targeted the Islamic republic바카라s uranium enrichment plant in Natanz and killed several senior Revolutionary Guard officers. Israel바카라s Prime Minister had then directly addressed the Iranian people, telling them to overthrow the current regime. 

Iran바카라s Nuclear Program

To understand the depth of these latest attacks, in 1979 after Iran바카라s 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 Israel바카라s discontent is Iran바카라s nuclear programme. Israel바카라s 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. Israel바카라s 바카라Operation Rising Lion바카라 was aimed to stop this advance.

Although Israel has never admitted it, the Jewish State바카라s nuclear capability is considered the world바카라s 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 State바카라s commercial shipping capabilities. Iraq바카라s militia factions also shelled U.S. and coalition bases. This leaves all eyes on the middle east region, which has once again become a multi바카라front tinderbox awaiting a flashpoint before erupting into a full-scale war. 

Unusual Bedfellows United By Iran

In Israel, Iran바카라s assault has resulted in an unusual political alignment. Opposition leader Yair Lapid, a vociferous critic of Netanyahu, has publicly endorsed the state바카라s campaign, saying it바카라s important to act 바카라in 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 missile바카라defence 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 on바카라June 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.

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