https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68799234 In the wars within wars of this grievous Gaza crisis, the most explosive of all is the searing official enmity between Israel and Iran.
It's now at its most perilous point.
And this region, and many capitals beyond, are watching and waiting with bated breath to see what Iran does next.
It's Tehran's move after the airstrike on its diplomatic compound in the heart of the Syrian capital, Damascus on 1 April, which killed senior commanders in its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Israel never admits carrying out such attacks, but everyone knows it was its doing.
And since the Israel-Gaza war erupted six months ago, Israel has ramped up its targeting of Iran, not just destroying arms supplies and infrastructure in Syria, but assassinating senior IRGC and Hezbollah commanders.
"We will make them regret this crime and other ones like it, by God's will," warned Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
His vow triggered an immediate Israeli retort in an escalating war of words. The two regional powerhouses have been at daggers drawn ever since Iran's 1979 revolution made hostility towards the "Zionist regime" a core tenet of its doctrine. For many years, Israel has conducted targeted killings, mounted cyber operations, and sounded alarm bells about the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions as well as its backing for militias, including Hamas, who threaten Israel's destruction.
"If Iran attacks from its territory - Israel will respond and attack in Iran," declared Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz in a post on X, formerly Twitter, tagging the Supreme Leader, a most modern of way to communicate for countries with no diplomatic ties.
Anonymous
Then the United States - Israel's staunchest ally and Iran's most powerful adversary - weighed in, putting Iran on notice that it could also face the wrath of the world's mightiest army. "We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed," US President Joe Biden proclaimed, hinting that US intelligence was indicating an attack "sooner rather than later".
Anonymous
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The ailing 84-year-old Supreme Leader assumed his mantle in 1989, one year after the punishing Iran-Iraq war which took the lives of as many as 200,000 Iranians. It still casts a long dark shadow.
Anonymous
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In January, after a suspected Israel airstrike in Syria killed IRGC military advisors, Iran did respond directly. But it chose what were seen as "soft targets" less likely to provoke a major retaliation: ballistic missiles fired into northern Iraq against what was described as a base of Israel's Mossad spy agency; and missile and drone launches against Baloch separatists operating across its border in neighbouring Pakistan in another show of force to show its readiness to act. Both sparked outrage and, in Pakistan's case, a retaliatory airstrike from a traditional ally, but tensions soon eased.
Anonymous
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Iran seized a commercial ship with links to Israel early on Saturday morning, but Mr Zimmt said Tehran is unlikely to consider this an "appropriate response", adding: "It could afford it additional time to reconsider its next course of action."
Anonymous
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Israel, and countries across this region, are on high alert for something to happen somewhere.
Anonymous
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>>1286787 >We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed," US President Joe Biden proclaimed, hinting that US intelligence was indicating an attack "sooner rather than later". Of course Biden is going to drag us into another war
I'm not even surprised
Anonymous
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>>1286786 This is like World War 7 by now if you;'re being technical
Anonymous
>>1286786 >If Iran attacks from its territory - Israel will respond and attack in Iran," Israel now not going to do this
Womp Womp.
I'm not really sure what Israel was expecting. You can't just bomb another country's embassy and expect to get away with it. Israel know it fucked up and has accepted the consequences. Iran said the matter is concluded now that it has re-established its deterrent. History goes back to be frozen.
a lot of questions & few answers
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>>1286878 Does Iran have a nuke up it's sleeve?
Have they been in contact with N.Korea?
Have these 2 outsmarted the CIA?
Did Israel know about Oct 7 before hand and then allowed it to happen as an excuse to ethnically cleanse the Gaza?
Or was Israel clueless and if so, maybe Iran and North Korea have a nuke up their sleeve
Anonymous
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>>1286878 Of course they knew that, they just thought the USA would come to their defense.
The whole point is preventing the US from normalizing relationships with other Middle East powers, because as soon as they do, Israel loses monopoly on a lot of military support.
