A Dangerous New Front

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Representational Photo

Israel's reckless airstrikes on Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure, and Tehran's vow of“bitter revenge,” threaten to pull the entire region into an unpredictable spiral of escalation. And this would be too much to take for a region already exhausted by the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Although, Israel has earlier also attacked Iran, the direct, large-scale strikes deep inside Iranian territory, killing top military commanders and nuclear scientists seems to have crossed a dangerous threshold. This has left Iran no option to back down, putting the entire region on the edge of a precipice.

The conflict has already led to a rise in oil prices, shutdown of regional airspace, and dipping of global stock markets on fears of a broader conflict. Iraq, Jordan and Israel have all sealed their skies in anticipation of missile and drone attacks. Iran sees America's unwavering military support for Israel as an endorsement of the strikes. This perception almost guarantees that US military bases in Iraq, Syria or the Gulf could become targets if Tehran decides to retaliate beyond Israel's borders, as Iran has itself made it clear.

The Middle East is already in the middle of several conflicts, most visible of them being the Israel's 20 month long assault and siege of Gaza, which has killed close to sixty thousand Palestinians so far and by and large levelled the place. Israel has also put restrictions on the supply of aid to this tiny strip of land, housing over two million people. The United Nations has now called Gaza, the hungriest place on earth. Then there are conflicts in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, with Israel involved in each of them. The new front with Iran opened by Israel threatens to reignite and worsen these conflicts. This can draw Israel and the US deeper into a regional war that no one can truly win.

Amid this, the nuclear question looms large. Iran, which denies pursuing a bomb, is now more likely than ever to double down on its enrichment programme, arguing that only nuclear deterrence can protect it from existential threats. The collapse of trust and the death of diplomacy will push the region further from dialogue and closer to disaster.

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The world must recognise that this is not just an Israel-Iran feud; it is a spark that could engulf an entire region. Regional leaders, major powers, and international organisations must act urgently to halt the slide towards all-out war. Failure to do so will deepen instability, inflame sectarian divides, disrupt global energy markets, and condemn millions more to the misery of endless conflict. The Middle East cannot afford another war. Neither can the world.

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