A dark war in Israel is quietly underway around Iran's nuclear facilities. According to exclusive information from the Jerusalem Post and American Radio and Television, Israel launched a precise and swift retaliation against Iran in the early hours of Friday morning, shortly after Iran issued a strong warning. Although there has been no official confirmation from Iran, multiple sources have pointed out that this action is likely to have taken place.
Loud explosions were heard in the early hours of the morning in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, which is home to Iran's nuclear facilities. At the same time, explosions were reported in the southern Syrian province of Suweida, the Iraqi province of Babylon and the Baghdad region. This series of bombings seems to point to the same source - Israel's retaliation.
Iran has repeatedly stated that it will retaliate at any cost if its nuclear facilities are attacked, and may even seek nuclear weapons as a means of self-defense. Israel, which is regarded as a military power in the Middle East, has maintained a high degree of vigilance and suppression of Iran's nuclear program.
So, does Israel really dare to touch the "red line" of Iran's nuclear facilities?
To answer this question, we have to go deep into the complex relationship between Israel and Iran. Israel has long viewed Iran as the greatest threat in the region, and its nuclear program has put Israel on pins and needles. Coupled with the pro-Iranian tendencies of neighboring countries such as Syria and Lebanon, the confrontation between Israel and Iran is not limited to the two countries, but also affects the attitude of the entire Arab world towards Israel.
As things stand, the U.S. stance toward Israel's attack on Rafah appears to have softened, which could mean that the U.S. wants Israel to exercise restraint in retaliating against Iran. However, Israel's contingency drills for mass casualty events and its preparedness for a possible larger military strike by Iran show that Israel has not given up on retaliation.
As for Iran, it seems that they are also demonstrating their military capabilities to Israel through this attack on Israel itself. The precise strike of Iranian missiles on Israeli air bases is undoubtedly sending a clear signal to Israel that if Israel dares to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, then Iran also has the ability to carry out precision strikes against Israel's important targets.
Moreover, if Israel really decides to risk bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, then an air confrontation between the two countries will be inevitable. And at the moment, we know very little about Iran's air defense. Israel, with the help of the West, has built a relatively complete air defense system, but it is still unknown whether Iran will be able to successfully intercept an Israeli missile attack.
In this complex game, the attitudes of all parties are also worth paying attention to. Russia, as an ally of Iran, will undoubtedly side with Iran. Western countries, led by the United States, have decided to impose new sanctions on Iran, and it is clear that they are more inclined to support Israel. This kind of game between major powers has undoubtedly added more uncertainty to the situation in the Middle East.
So, is the issue of face really that important to Israel? The answer is yes. Israel has built up a formidable military deterrent through successive wars in the Middle East, and it is clear that they do not want to see that deterrent undermined by their tolerance of Iran. Therefore, Israel's retaliatory actions against Iran are not only in response to Iran's attacks, but also to maintain its military deterrence and regional influence in the Middle East.
How exactly will this retaliation develop, and will it lead to a larger conflict? These questions remain open.