Israel-Iran escalation risks global calamity
The fierce exchange of attacks between Iran and Israel, following Israel's illegal airstrikes on Iran in the early hours of June 13, is pushing the Middle East and the world towards a dangerous precipice. Reportedly, during the early hours of Sunday, both sides launched fresh waves of attacks on key cities, fuelling fears of a full-scale, protracted war, with heavy exchanges now entering a third consecutive day. Iranian missiles struck northern Israel late on Saturday and into Sunday, killing at least three people and wounding 13 others, according to Israeli media. In response, Israel targeted the Iran's defence ministry headquarters in Tehran. According to Iranian officials, the Shahran oil depot, located northwest of Tehran, was also hit by Israeli strikes.
On June 13, under the codename Operation Rising Lion, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Mossad damaged key nuclear sites and military installations in Iran, reportedly killing several of the country's top military leaders. Iranian civilians, including women and children, were also killed in the assault—the largest on Iran since the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. Worse still, the attacks came just days before the US and Iran were scheduled to begin the sixth round of nuclear talks in Oman on June 15. Clearly, Israel's objective was to sabotage the negotiations. And so far, it appears to have succeeded as Iran has reportedly suspended the talks.
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Israel's attack on Iran also comes at a time when its European allies were finally beginning to express unease over its food blockade and mass starvation strategy against Palestinians in Gaza. As such, this attack has once again allowed Israel to deflect attention from its most recent war crimes against the Palestinian people.
Since 2003, Israel has repeatedly attacked Iran in violation of international law, accusing the country of attempting to acquire nuclear weapons. Allegations that Iran is building a nuclear arsenal—frequently raised by the US, the EU, and Israel—have been thoroughly investigated by the International Atomic Energy Agency and found to be unsubstantiated. Despite these findings, Israel has now launched its fiercest attack on Iran to date, one that appears to be on the verge of spiralling out of control.
Sadly, instead of restraining Israel, its Western allies once again appear to be offering it full support. It is precisely this support—despite Israel's grave violations of international law—that has emboldened the country to continue its genocidal campaign against the Palestinians and its repeated violations of the sovereignty of other countries in the Middle East.
Under the circumstances, the international community must urgently bring all parties to the negotiation table and ensure an immediate end to the escalation. It is high time the international community also took a serious look at the series of international law violations Israel has committed against its neighbours in the Middle East, particularly Iran and the Palestinians. Unless and until Israel is held to account, it will continue to stoke the flames of conflict in the region—which could, at any moment, escalate into a broader global conflict.
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