When Iran finally did retaliate on June 13 with a stand-off airstrike retaliation, the shockwaves were felt throughout the region. This attack was launched in retaliation for what Israel branded its biggest military assault on Iran. The incident, which unfolded late Friday night, has alarmed observers with its potential to increase hostilities between the two deeply entrenched long-time adversaries. News reports claimed that such explosions could be heard in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel’s largest and second largest cities, respectively.
The air raid sirens were sounding all over Israel, and Israeli officials were telling their people to get to shelter. The alarming alerts emphasized the seriousness of the event and forced many residents to act quickly to ensure their safety. Eyewitness accounts confirmed that explosions resonated throughout the capital city of Jerusalem, while similar reports emerged from Tel Aviv, where residents experienced the shock of the strikes.
The Israeli military is obviously responding just as quickly, having intercepted a number of incoming missiles launched from within Iran, as pictured from Tel Aviv. This aggressive defense maneuver reasserts military power of both countries and their willingness to go to war. This increase in military activity represents a new chapter in the volatile arms race between Israel and Iran.
U.S. President Trump welcomed the developments by calling on Tehran to stop its suicide bombing spree. He elevated the prospect of negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran even as tensions have increased sharply in recent weeks. Trump’s statements, in the context of soaring tensions and fireworks displays, illustrate how thin the veneer of stability can be in East Asian geopolitics.
The first military strike by Israel was on a massive scale, pushing the Iranian military to respond. The situation is still fluid, with both countries on high alert and possibly waiting to retaliate again. Analysts are following these developments as they happen, looking beyond the short term effects to their lasting impact on regional stability.