Why Did Israel Attack Iran?
American intelligence agencies had been warning since February that Israel would likely attempt attacks on facilities crucial to Iran's nuclear program this year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly advocated for a military option to stop Iran’s nuclear program, CNN reports, according to N1.
Recent reports from U.S. intelligence services state that Israel is trying to take advantage of the chaos following its October bombing of Iranian missile production facilities and air defense systems.
Overall, Israel still aims for a broader goal – regime change in Iran, according to one such intelligence report.
Israel sees Iran as an existential threat: for years, Israel has claimed it stands to lose the most if Iran, which refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist, develops a nuclear bomb.
Israel and Iran have been waging a “shadow war” for decades, using proxies and secret operations. Tehran supports regional armed groups that have clashed directly with Israel, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen.
Since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza, attacks by Iran-backed groups have escalated in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Netanyahu is facing serious domestic issues: opposition to a new military draft law has caused a political deadlock, and the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, held a session to discuss its possible dissolution, which could lead to early elections that Netanyahu, according to polls, would not win.
On Wednesday, parliament rejected the vote to dissolve, giving Netanyahu additional time to resolve the crisis.
Tehran responded by announcing it would boost its nuclear activities, warning that it “has no choice but to respond.”
Uranium is nuclear fuel which, when highly enriched, can be used to make a bomb. Iran insists its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes.
