The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has become one of the most serious challenges to peace and stability in the Middle East. Tensions between the two nations have grown over the years, but recent events have pushed them closer to a full-scale confrontation.

The situation is complex, involving not just military threats, but also regional rivalries, political alliances, and deep-rooted historical grievances. This conflict has raised concerns around the world, especially as it threatens to involve other countries and trigger wider unrest across the region.

At the heart of the issue are fears over Iran’s influence in the region and Israel’s determination to protect its security. Both nations have exchanged strong words and taken aggressive actions, either directly or through their allies and proxies.

The danger is that a misstep or misunderstanding could quickly escalate into open war, with serious consequences for civilians and neighbouring countries. Understanding the causes, the players involved, and the international response, is essential for making sense of what lies ahead in this fast-changing situation. The United States plays a major role in this issue as a powerful country with strong ties to Israel and a long history of conflict with Iran.

The tension between Israel and Iran began after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Before that, Iran under the Shah had good relations with Israel. But after the revolution, the new government led by Ayatollah Khomeini took a strong anti-Israel stance.

Iran no longer recognised Israel as a country and began supporting groups that oppose it. These include Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Iran sees itself as a leader of the Muslim world and claims it supports the Palestinian cause. However, Israel views Iran’s actions as threats to its security.

One of the main concerns for Israel is Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran says its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes such as energy production and medical research. But Israel and many Western countries believe that Iran may be secretly working to develop nuclear weapons. If Iran were to succeed, it would change the balance of power in the region.

Israel fears that a nuclear-armed Iran could encourage more aggression or even a future attack. As a result, Israel has carried out cyberattacks, sabotage missions, and even airstrikes to slow down Iran’s nuclear programme.

The most well-known example is the Stuxnet virus attack in 2010, which damaged Iran’s nuclear equipment and was reportedly carried out by Israel and the United States together.

Apart from the nuclear issue, Iran’s support for armed groups near Israel’s borders is another concern. Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, has many rockets that can reach deep into Israeli territory. Hamas, in Gaza, also receives financial and military support from Iran.

These groups have fought several wars with Israel and continue to fire rockets into Israeli cities from time to time. Iran claims that it is simply helping fellow Muslims resist Israeli occupation, but Israel sees it as a strategy to surround and pressure the country from all sides.

In recent years, Israel has carried out many air strikes in Syria targeting Iranian military positions and supply routes. Iran has been using Syria as a base to transfer weapons to Hezbollah and to establish its presence near the Israeli border.

These Israeli strikes are usually not officially acknowledged but are widely reported by the international media and local sources. Sometimes, they result in the deaths of Iranian military officers or members of Iran-backed militias. This back-and-forth violence adds to the risk of a wider war.

The United States is closely connected to this conflict because of its close relationship with Israel and its longstanding opposition to the Iranian government. Since the end of the World War II, the US has supported Israel both financially and militarily.

The US gives billions of dollars in military aid to Israel each year, helps it develop advanced defence systems like the Iron Dome, and often defends Israel’s position at the United Nations. The US sees Israel as a key ally in a region, where it has many enemies and challenges.

At the same time, the US has had a difficult relationship with Iran for over 40 years. After the 1979 revolution, Iranian students took over the US embassy in Tehran and held American diplomats’ hostage for more than a year. This event led to the breaking of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Since then, there have been many ups and downs in the US-Iran relations, but mistrust remains strong. The US has imposed several rounds of economic sanctions on Iran to weaken its economy and limit its ability to develop nuclear weapons or support armed groups.

One major effort to reduce tensions came in 2015 when Iran and several world powers, including the US, signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal. Under this agreement, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities and allow international inspections in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

Israel strongly opposed the deal, saying it did not go far enough and that Iran could still find ways to cheat. In 2018, the US under President Donald Trump pulled out of the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran, which led to an increase in tensions. Iran also began reducing its commitments under the deal and expanded its nuclear activities again.

The situation has remained tense ever since. Under President Joe Biden, the US tried to restart talks with Iran to revive the nuclear deal, but progress has been slow and difficult. At the same time, Iran’s regional activities have continued, including its support for the militias in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon.

In response, the US has sometimes carried out air strikes on Iran-linked targets, especially when American forces or interests are attacked. This shows that the US is still actively involved in trying to manage the threat from Iran, both directly and through its support for Israel.

While the US tries to prevent a full-scale war, it also makes clear that it will defend Israel if necessary. American officials regularly visit Israel, take part in joint military exercises, and share intelligence. In moments of crisis, the US often sends warships or fighter jets to the region to show its strength and send a message to Iran.

This was seen in several cases when there were attacks on oil tankers, drone strikes, or other signs of rising tension. The US hopes that by showing its military power, it can discourage Iran from taking aggressive actions.

However, the US also faces a challenge in keeping a balance. On the one hand, it wants to support Israel and protect its allies in the region, and on the other, it wants to avoid another war in the Middle East, especially after long and costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

American people and politicians are often divided on how involved the US should be in foreign conflicts. Some believe the US should focus on diplomacy and avoid military action, while others believe strong action is needed to stop threats like Iran.

Another issue is that the strong US support for Israel often causes anger in other parts of the Muslim world. Many countries see the US as taking sides and ignoring the rights of the Palestinians. This has led to protests, diplomatic tensions, and even attacks on US interests in the region.

It also makes it harder for the US to act as a neutral player or to bring both sides to the negotiating table. Yet, the US continues to say that it supports peace in the region and a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, although real progress on that front has been limited.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, it has maintained a balanced yet principled stance on the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, often guided by its historical alignment with Muslim solidarity and regional stability.

While Pakistan does not recognize Israel and continues to support the Palestinian cause, it has also expressed concern over the growing hostilities between Israel and Iran, particularly the implications such conflict could have for the broader Muslim world.

Pakistan has consistently called for restraint and dialogue, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution rather than escalation. It views the Israel-Iran confrontation as not only a bilateral issue but also a threat to the entire region’s security, which includes critical Muslim countries and key global trade routes.

At the same time, Pakistan has shown a degree of diplomatic support for Iran, especially in the context of Israeli aggression and Western pressure. Islamabad values its relationship with Tehran, particularly in areas of economic cooperation, border security, and shared cultural ties. Pakistani officials have frequently condemned targeted airstrikes and violations of sovereignty, particularly when such actions further destabilize the region.

However, Islamabad has also refrained from directly entering the conflict or taking sides militarily, instead urging the international community — including the United States — to engage in constructive diplomacy. This cautious and calibrated approach reflects Pakistan’s broader foreign policy of maintaining strategic autonomy while supporting the unity and rights of the Muslim Ummah.

Meanwhile, the Israel-Iran conflict is a dangerous and complex issue that continues to affect the peace and stability of the Middle East. It involves not just two countries, but a wider web of alliances, rivalries, and historical grievances.

The United States plays a major role in this conflict, both as a supporter of Israel and as an opponent of Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional actions. The challenge for the US is to manage its relationships in the region, prevent a major war, and encourage diplomacy wherever possible. Until a peaceful solution is found, the risk of violence remains high, and the people of the region continue to suffer the consequences.

The writer is a seasoned journalist and a communications professional.He can be reached at tariqkik@gmail.com