John O’Connor explores the relationship between Israel and Iran as tensions between the two states seem to spiral further towards open conflict.
On August 25, an exchange of missile strikes occurred between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia paramilitary group. The launch was initiated by the Israeli military as part of a pre-emptive strike on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, in anticipation of a greater incursion by Hezbollah into Israel.
Following the October 7 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel, incursions and retaliatory strikes have increased in both number and scale. With the deterioration of Iranian-Israeli relations, the two states have resorted to a destructive and expensive shadow war with countless attacks from both sides. Both states frequently deny responsibility and accuse the other of having escalated the conflict.
In this proxy conflict between the two nations, Iran has consolidated a network of allies, including Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the Houthis in Yemen. These groups openly possess an animosity for Israel and challenge both US and Israeli interests in Western Asia. Hezbollah, the most powerful of these groups, and receiving the most Iranian support, possesses up to 120,000 missiles, which it uses to fire at Israeli targets. Iran has been arming Hezbollah by channelling arms through Syria since 2013.
The Israel-Hezbollah conflict has displaced more than 30,000 Lebanese civilians in an attempt to flee the strike zones. Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel further intensified following Israel’s latest assault on Gaza, with a senior Hezbollah official stating; “Our hearts are with you. Our minds are with you. Our souls are with you. Our history and guns and our rockets are with you.”
Throughout July and August, Israel targeted senior members of Hezbollah and Hamas in an attempt to dismantle both groups’ command structures. On July 30, Israel conducted an airstrike on an apartment building in the Lebanese capital of Beirut which resulted in the killing of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr. On August 31, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in his accommodation in the Iranian capital of Tehran.
Following the assassination of Haniyeh, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamene stated “With this action, [Israel] prepared the ground for harsh punishment for itself, and we consider it our duty to seek revenge for his blood as he was martyred in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran”. Khamene ordered a direct attack on Israel in response to the assassination.
The growing conflict has affected nations contributing to the peacekeeping operation in south Lebanon.
On August 10, a United Nations (UN) Patrol vehicle carrying six Irish UN peacekeepers was struck during an Israeli airstrike against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Tánaiste Micheál Martin confirmed that all “Irish personnel serving in UNIFIL have taken shelter in secured bunkers overnight, all are safe and accounted for.” The Israeli strike was a response to Hezbollah drone strikes in Israel as retaliation for the killing of Fuad Shukr.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has maintained a strong stance against Israel, cutting all official ties. Its opposition to the Israeli state forms one of the core tenants of the Iranian government. The former president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, previously stated that the state of Israel is a “disgraceful blot” which should be “wiped off the face of the earth.”