The Iran–Israel Proxy Conflict: A Shadow War in the Middle East
The Iran–Israel conflict, often dubbed a "shadow war", is not a conventional war marked by direct military confrontations, but a long-running geopolitical rivalry played out through proxies, covert operations, cyber warfare, and regional influence. At the heart of this conflict lies a deep ideological, religious, and strategic antagonism that has shaped the modern Middle East for decades. Historical Roots and Ideological Divide: Iran and Israel were once allies during the reign of the Shah. However, the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran radically altered the political landscape. The new Islamic Republic, under Ayatollah Khomeini, adopted a fiercely anti-Zionist stance, branding Israel as an illegitimate entity and a "cancerous tumor" in the Muslim world. This ideological enmity—rooted in Iran’s theocratic identity and support for the Palestinian cause—has since defined Iran’s foreign policy. Israel, for its part, views Iran’s regional ambitions and nuclear program as ...