Why did Israel decide to attack Iran?
The attacks, which began early Friday, were carefully targeted at Iranian military and government sites
Israel has launched its long-anticipated strikes on Iran with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating the operations will continue "as long as necessary."
The attacks, which began early Friday, were carefully targeted at Iranian military and government sites, reports Al Jazeera.
High-ranking officials, including the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, and military chief Mohammad Bagheri, were reportedly killed. Some prominent Iranian nuclear scientists also died in the strikes.
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These strikes happened while the US — Israel's key ally — was in talks with Iran over its nuclear programme. This timing has led many to believe Israel's move was part of a broader strategy to pressure Iran.
The US plays a critical role in supporting Israel, both militarily and diplomatically, often shielding it from criticism in forums like the United Nations.
Still, attacking Iran — a powerful country with allies throughout the region — poses serious risks.
Both Israel and the US now brace for possible retaliation.
Was Iran an immediate nuclear threat?
Israel views Iran's potential to develop nuclear weapons as a major threat because it would undermine Israel's regional advantage, especially since Israel is believed to possess nuclear arms (though it has never confirmed this).
Netanyahu claims Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in just months. Israeli military sources say Iran already has enough enriched uranium for multiple bombs.
What do other countries say?
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently criticised Iran for failing to meet its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran rejected the claim.
The IAEA also noted Iran's lack of cooperation, though it did not state that Iran currently has nuclear weapons.
Back in 2015, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program under a deal with global powers in exchange for sanctions relief. That deal collapsed in 2018 when then-President Trump pulled the US out and reimposed sanctions.
As of March, US intelligence assessments still found that Iran was not actively pursuing nuclear weapons.
Are there other reasons for the attack?
Netanyahu has long portrayed Iran as the main force behind anti-Israel groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis — a network sometimes called the "axis of resistance."
Since the Gaza war began in late 2023, Israel has managed to significantly weaken both Hamas and Hezbollah, eliminating many of their top leaders.
Encouraged by the limited retaliation from Hezbollah, some Israeli officials believe they now have a rare opportunity to strike Iran and reshape the regional power balance.
Some even speculate that regime change in Iran could be a long-term goal — though such a campaign would require much more time and resources than Israel may have.
Importantly, until Israel's latest strikes, there had been no direct hostilities between Israel and Iran or its allies since the previous year — only the threat of retaliation if Israel made the first move.
