The bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria on 1st April 2024 by Israel as alleged that killed a top Iranian commander and some others has begun a new turning point in the relationship between Iran and Israel. If the allegation of Iran is true, then it is the first time that these two countries have entered into direct armed conflict. So far before this, both Iran and Israel have been using their proxies and other hidden assets against each other. Iran responded to the attack on its embassy in Damascus with a massive attack on Israel on 13th April using about 300 drones and missiles. However, the Iranian attack was very well defended by Israel and its allies. In response to the Iranian attack, Israel attacked Isfahan and a few other cities in Iran on 19th April 2024. Isfahan is strategically a very crucial location where the nuclear facilities of Iran are located. Both Iran and Israel have downplayed the impact of the attack on their soil.


It appears that Israel wanted to instigate Iran to attack Israel and test its power. Therefore, Iran was compelled to retaliate and it did so by attacking Israel to save its prestige especially among its follower and Islamic world. In warfare, two things play an important role - one is the willpower of top leadership and the other is the availability of war resources in terms of quality and quantity. As far as Iran is concerned, its population is almost ten times that of Israel, and the size of the fighting force of Iran is large. The positive point with Israel is that its civilian population is well trained to take up arms in need of hours. As far as the Army and Navy of Iran are concerned it has an edge over Israel in terms of manpower and capital assets. However, the Air Force of Israel has an edge over Iran in terms of weapons, equipment, and platform. The superiority of the air power of Israel may overpower the superiority of the Army and Navy of Iran. Moreover, Israel has possessed a very advanced weapon system compared to Iran. Therefore, this war game shifts in favour of Israel, and realising this, Israel is more in offensive mode. However, realizing the military superiority of Israel, Iran does not want to escalate the war. As far as Israel is concerned, the U.S. is putting pressure on Israel not to escalate the war. This is perhaps due to the forthcoming Presidential election in the U.S. that the U.S. does not want to get involved in the two-front indirect war with Russia and Iran. 


If overt war between Iran and Israel further escalates, realignment of power in the Middle East may take place leading to regional conflict. If this regional conflict escalates then the U.S. and NATO will be dragged into this war leading to a third world war. If large-scale war erupts in the Middle East, mainly supply of energy and many other resources will be adversely affected leading to an economic crisis in many parts of the world. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the countries of the Middle East to ensure that this conflict between Israel and Iran could not become a regional war crippling the global economy. Therfore, it is in the interest of entire world including Iran and Israel that Iran and Israel stop this conflict. And if it is not possible they can revert back to proxy war which is less detrimental.