After walking a tightrope for almost a year amid Israel’s unrestraint attack on its backed militias, ever since the Hamas fired thousands of missiles from the Gaza Strip into Israel on October 7 last year, Iran did what many feared by firing more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1, nearly six months after the first attack on the country in retaliation for the bombing of its embassy in Damascus. The latest attack came amid Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon, just days after Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps brigadier general Abbas Nilforoushan were killed in Israeli strikes and more than a month after Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran. There was tremendous pressure on Iran to retaliate as top leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah were assassinated. So, it was not surprising when Tehran launched a massive attack at Tel Aviv earlier this month. It warned of a “more crushing and destructive” response in case of a retaliation, while Israel threatened to retaliate with its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying that “Iran made a big mistake tonight and will pay for it”. With the two countries trading threats of more attacks, the conflict could enter a perilous phase. West Asia, which is a major supplier of the world’s oil and natural gas, is on the brink of an all-out war. In such an event, the repercussions will be colossal, not just on the warring parties but the world.
With the warring parties not showing any sign of deterrence despite the obvious consequences of a tit-for-tat strategy. The Hamas, Hezbollah, Israel, and now Iran have all crossed the red line. While the Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel was condemnable by all measures, the latter’s continued air and ground assault that killed thousands of civilians in the process is inhumane. Ceasefire attempts and calls for restraint fell on deaf ears. Tel Aviv then started a ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon amid fears of civilian casualties. Now, if Israel continues with its unrestraint provocations and retaliates, an all-out war with Iran is inevitable. The collapse of deterrence in the region is a matter of serious concern and the world will pay a heavy price if it is ignored. The Israel-Hamas war has already killed tens of thousands of people, mostly women and children. The outcome of a full-blown war between two nations, backed by their allies, will be catastrophic. The world community, especially the major powers, should do all in their power to prevent such an outcome. It’s not time to wait and watch.