The recent hostilities between Israel and Iran may be seen as an unprecedented escalation in their long-standing conflict, which dates back to the inception of the Islamic Republic in 1979.
The regional arch-rivals have long been engaged in a shadow war, which has unfolded through cyber warfare, attacks through proxies, limited direct assaults and most recently, the air war.
From proxy war to direct conflict
Hostilities have simmered for decades, tied to Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution and its perceived campaign to destroy Israel. The two nations have also clashed through proxies over the years, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Palestinian group Hamas. Some of the confrontations included limited tit-for-tat rocket exchanges and assassinations and cyber sabotage, such as Stuxnet, a program that was used by Israel to intercept nuclear centrifuges in Iran.
By 2024, these proxy hostilities transformed into direct military exchanges. Israel, in offensives it said were linked to its war in Gaza after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks, carried out assassinations and attacked Iranian interests in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.
A suspected Israeli air strike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus killed seven IRGC officers, including two senior commanders. Iran responded with a barrage of drones and missiles in a direct attack on Israel in April. Later in October, Iran fired missiles again after Israeli attacks on Iranian territory.
June 13: Israel launches strikes ‘Operation Rising Lion’
Israeli attacks catch Iran off-guard:
- Israel sent more than 200 aircraft to attack Iran on June 13, including F‑35 stealth fighters, as part of its Operation Rising Lion. More than 330 strikes hit approximately 100 nuclear, military and strategic locations across Iran, including Natanz, Isfahan, Tehran and Parchin. Several senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists were killed along with dozens of civilians as Tehran was caught off-guard .
- Sabotage by Mossad reportedly disabled Iranian air defences, paving the way for deep strikes.
- Israel claims its main objective is to take down the Iranian nuclear programme.
Iran immediately responds:
- Launching its retaliatory operation, True Promise III, Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at central Israel, aiming for Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Beersheba. Israel’s Iron Dome defences intercepted most, but several strikes caused civilian injuries and inflicted damage.
Through the following week, the exchange left at least 24 Israeli civilians dead, scores injured, while Iranian casualties reached the hundreds, amid widespread destruction and civilians fleeing major cities.
June 14- 21 : Retaliatory attacks continue
- Israel continued air raids on Tehran, Isfahan, Natanz, and parts of Iran − several of them nuclear enrichment sites. The air campaign destroyed oil and gas installations, intelligence buildings,more missile bases and airports. Some of these strikes were also carried out in densely populated civilian areas such as Tehran.
- Satellite images released by Maxar and Planet Labs PBC began to show the level of destruction of harder-to-reach military and nuclear energy sites across the country.
- Equally, Iran’s missile barrages persisted, breaching Iron Dome defences, striking cities such as Tel Aviv, oil complexes in Haifa and hospitals in the south.
June 22: US enters with Midnight Hammer
On June 22, after hints and warnings of American intervention from President Donald Trump, the conflict reached a new level:
- US B‑2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles struck Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear plants as part of Operation Midnight Hammer. Mr Trump described the attacks as “very successful” - although Iran downplayed their impact.
- The US intervention marked a significant shift in the scale of the war, but domestically, Mr Trump’s decision drew bipartisan criticism for bypassing Congressional authorisation.
June 23 : Regional impact as Iran strikes US base in Qatar
- What followed was a characteristic yet shocking retaliation. Iran fired missiles at the US military base in Qatar. One landed, causing no casualties; all others were intercepted. Meanwhile, Israel continued air raids on Tehran and western Iran.
- Regional airspace in one of the world's busiest aviation routes was disrupted. Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and other Gulf carriers suspended or rerouted dozens of flights
June 24 : A sudden ceasefire?
- A sudden ceasefire was announced by Trump overnight.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has agreed to the truce proposal, and later Iranian state TV reported that the ceasefire had begun.
- Israel then ordered strikes on Tehran after accusing Iran of violating the truce – an allegation rejected by Iran.
