Second, Israel has just fired the most spectacular strategic missile strike yet on Iran. This is one of the most serious escalations in regional conflict that we have seen in decades. The tornado attack reportedly killed the commanders of Iranian air, naval, and ground forces. This greatly ratcheted up tensions just days ahead of anticipated nuclear agreement negotiations between U.S. and Iranian negotiators. Iran opened the drone-bombing campaign on the homeland of our ally Israel. This brazen act has sharply escalated the already volatile reality on the ground in the region.
Said strike delivered by Israel early Friday morning came as no surprise. This move ignited the first large-scale military conflict since the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had initially hailed the operation as “very successful.” He underscored its precision in looking to hit specific persons and important sites connected to Iran’s nuclear program.
“We struck the senior command, we struck senior scientists that advance development of nuclear weapons, we struck nuclear installations,” – Benjamin Netanyahu
In response, Iran sent over 100 drones in the direction of Israel early Friday morning. Iranian state media outlet Tasnim reported that fresh Israeli strikes targeted a military airport in Tabriz, highlighting the ongoing conflict. This rapid progression of these attacks represents a troubling new phase in the already tense conflict between the two countries.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed a heavy response to Israel’s actions, stating that “the powerful arm of the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces won’t let them go unpunished.” He noted that Israeli strikes had already taken out a number of key commanders and scientists. He did it all with the utmost confidence that their successors would continue their work unabated.
“That [Zionist] regime should anticipate a severe punishment. By God’s grace, the powerful arm of the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces won’t let them go unpunished.” – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
The timing of Israel’s military action raises concerns as it coincides with crucial diplomatic discussions regarding Iran’s nuclear program. U.S. and Iranian officials were set to start the sixth round of negotiations. Their shared aim? That would mean trying to revive an original nuclear deal that has faced its own share of obstacles.
Firas Maksad, a former Middle East analyst at the State Department, took to Twitter to applaud the strikes. He warned they could be seen as the beginning of a broader Israeli plan.
“My sense is, from what we can tell in this early hour — and the assessment of the damage is going to have to go on for days — is that this is probably still the opening salvo,” – Firas Maksad
Maksad further cautioned that should Iran fail to reengage in talks, more military strikes could follow.
“If Iran does not come back to the negotiating table, as the U.S. has already called on it to do … then I think, and I fear, that Israel will have to take successive rounds of action to take out what’s left of Iran’s nuclear program,” – Firas Maksad
The implications of this conflict go beyond military capabilities. Fuel price increases The escalation has caused a spike in oil prices, with global benchmarks rising sharply. Brent crude oil prices jumped up as high as 13% on the news before moving down to around $75.38 per barrel. At the same time, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude jumped as well, reaching around $74.11 a barrel.
That’s why markets reacted with such fervor to the disarray that was unfolding. As of early Friday morning, Dow futures were indicating a drop of over 500 points. Investors are definitely spooked by a renewed prospect of long-term war in the area. We have heard, without exception, their worry about how this might impact global energy supplies.
Former President of the United States Donald Trump went straight to social media to condemn actions. He called on Iran to engage in talks while there is still time. He expressed frustration over Iran’s previous opportunities for a deal, emphasizing that despite his administration’s attempts at diplomacy, they did not yield results.
“I gave Iran the opportunity to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest terms, ‘Just do it.’ But no matter how hard they tried, and how close they got, they just couldn’t do it,” – Donald Trump
For Trump’s part, the message was clear that he shares the concerns that Israeli civilians have. Beyond missile defense, he recommended they get used to extended shelter-in-place scenarios due to expected Iran retaliatory strikes.
“They may have to spend far longer periods in shelters than we were accustomed to until now.” – Donald Trump