▲ From left, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran's 2nd Rakhbar Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Source: News24 Hindi)

While the Gaza War, which began with the invasion of Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, has entered its sixth month, the spark of the war has spread to Iran and Israel, long- time adversaries in the Middle East. Until now, Israel, alliance with the United States, has not directly hit Iran, which supports Hamas and rebels against Israel. Iran has also indirectly confronted Israel by supporting the Resistance Axis, a coalition of anti- Israeli armed groups, including Hamas, Lebanon, and Syrian government forces. The term "axis of resistance" was coined by Islamic media in response to the "Axis of Evil" created by the United States. Initially, it referred to countries that oppose or resist the U.S. and its alliance, but gradually it began to be used to refer to Iranian-backed anti-Israeli armed groups.

The situation of the war changed when the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) bombed the Damascus consulate, Iran's consulate in Syria, on April 1st. The attack killed 13 people, including two high- ranking commanders of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Brigadier General Reza Zahedi, 63, who was a military adviser to Syria, was the highest- ranking commander. The IRGC, an affiliate of Iran's regular military, is considered the centerpiece of security, theocracy, and economic power in Iran. Among them, Zahedi was a hero- class general of Iran, who has been in charge of the IRGC's overseas operations. Iran said in a statement by the IRGC on the 6th that the attack on Israel is a national demand and effectively declared war, "It will inflict maximum damage to the enemy (Israel) and make them regret their actions."

Iran's retaliatory airstrikes were carried out between the night of the 13th and the early morning of the 14th, firing a total of 300 drones, including missiles, on the mainland of Israel. The attacks included 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and at least 110 ballistic missiles. Israel said it intercepted about 99% of the attacks that went out of or into its airspace, and that some ballistic missiles fell on the southern Nebatim Air Base, but there was no significant damage. On the day of the operation (14th), Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdolahyan had a telephone conversation with Turkiye’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Hakan Fidan, to the effect that "Iran's retaliatory operation against Israel has ended, and we will not engage in new military operations unless Iran is attacked." It indirectly stated to the international community that it would not carry out any further attacks.

However, the Israeli Wartime Cabinet confirmed its military retaliation on 15th through the local media outlet Israel Channel 12, saying, "We have decided to make clear and painful counterattacks against Iran in ways that our allies, including the United States, do not oppose." As a result, it launched an attack on a military base in Iran's Isfahan region early 19th morning. Isfahan is home to Iran's nuclear infrastructure, including its military facilities such as the Iranian Army Air Corps base and its Natanz uranium facility. The exact extent of the damage caused by the airstrike is unknown, and the Iranian authorities have even appeared to reduce the scale of the attack.

Amid the tense confrontation between the two countries, the international community has imposed sanctions as concerns grow over the possibility of a conflict leading to a fifth Middle East war. The United States, a long- time ally of Israel, announced sanctions on Iran's drone manufacturing and steel and automobile industries through the Ministry of Finance's Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) on April 18. The targets include individuals and companies that enabled the production of drones that attacked mainland Israel, as well as those involved in Iran's largest steelmaker Fujestan Steel Company, and automobile manufacturer Bachman Group. The additional sanctions announced on the 25th targets more organizations and individuals involved in Iran's drone sector- related procurement and military activities, Britain and Canada joining the regulation. The unstable situation in the Middle East is raising international tensions. We hope that smooth relations between the two countries will be coordinated as soon as possible to prevent civilian carnage.

By Kim So-ha, reporter  lucky.river16@gmail.com

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