Why Israel attacks Iran

The shadow war between Israel and Iran is in its fifth decade, with Tel Aviv ratcheting up attacks against Iranian interests across the Middle East in recent years.

In the latest act against Tehran, Tel Aviv bombed part of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, capital city of war-scarred Syria, earlier this week, killing senior Iranian military and intelligence officials.

The two countries have shied away from war at full throttle despite heavy losses on both sides. But the bombing suggests the shadow war is likely to intensify in the coming weeks. Iran has vowed retaliation.

So why does Israel keep attacking Iran, which isn’t its immediate neighbour and doesn’t maintain official relations with the Zionist state that boasts 14 times higher average income per capita?

‘Little Satan’

The Israel-Iran shadow war dates back to 1979 when the Iranians toppled the government of the Shah of Iran, a strong ally of Israel, and established an Islamic Republic.

The new government led by Khomeini immediately took a hostile position against Israel, calling for the destruction of the ‘Little Satan’.

That single act paved the way for a state of permanent hostility between the two countries for decades to come.

Existential threat

Israel accuses Iran of harbouring ambitions to develop nuclear weapons even though Tehran insists that its nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes such as power generation and other domestic operations.

But Tel Aviv insists that Iran’s nuclear capability will pose an existential threat to Israel, a red line in the eyes of the Israeli political and military establishment.

Muscle-flexing for regional influence

Israel sees Iran as a threat that needs to be neutralised partly because of the latter’s alleged attempts to compete for dominance in the Middle East.

Iran has increased its footprint under cover of proxy militias in countries like Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq – a fact that unnerves Tel Aviv because of Tehran’s long-held anti-Israel stance.

Israel believes Tehran is attempting to set up a “Shia crescent” which will stretch from Iran to the Mediterranean at the cost of Tel Aviv.

Game of proxies

The shadow war between Israel and Iran is often played out through proxies, which involve a third party acting on behalf of either of the two nations openly hostile to each other.

For example, the Iranian officials who were killed in the latest Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus were accused of being “deeply engaged for decades in arming and guiding proxy forces” in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Similarly, Israel accuses Iran-backed Hezbollah of launching cross-border attacks from Lebanon. In response, Israel has conducted repeated military attacks in Lebanon, including a full-fledged war in 2006, to weaken Hezbollah and counter Iran’s regional dominance.

Politics of red lines

Israel has long engaged in preemptive strikes to protect its interests within the country and beyond. For example, it has hit Iranian targets preemptively whenever it believed Tehran was getting closer to acquiring nuclear weapons.

It’s against this background that Israel launched on different occasions a number of air strikes targeting Iranian weapons shipments, saying these were destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon or Iranian-backed groups in Syria.

Bigger alliances for regional control

Israel has carefully managed old alliances and weaved new coalitions in the region and beyond to isolate Iran and minimise its influence.

Israel normalised ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in 2020 in part to fortify a united front against what it deems Iran’s expansionist agenda.

Moreover, Tel Aviv has traditionally maintained close diplomatic, economic and military relations with the United States, which has often provided it intelligence to counter Iranian influence in the region. Iran has been at odds with most of the new and old friends of Israel.

All politics is local

Domestic politics also plays a central role in sustaining Israel’s constant aggression against Iran. Israeli politicians tend to blow Iranian nuclear aspirations out of proportion for the votes.

Looking uncompromising and resolute in dealing with external threats like Iran bolsters the credibility and popularity of political leaders, especially those belonging to hawkish parties.

On the other hand, Iranian politicians are also known for indulging in tough talk, further fanning the flames of the shadow war. Two of every three Iranians consider Israel to be a threat to their country, according to a 2022 survey.