Iran said it was prepared for any new Israeli attack. File
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United Nations, United States:

The UN’s special coordinator for Middle East peace warned Tuesday that the region was at its “most dangerous juncture” in decades, as the war between Israel and Iran-backed groups risked spiraling into a broader conflict.

“We have now entered the second year of this horrific conflict, and the region is on the verge of yet another serious escalation,” Tor Wennesland told the Security Council.

His remarks come just days after Israel carried out air strikes on military sites in Iran in response to Tehran’s October 1 missile attack, itself retaliation for the killing of Iran-backed militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guards commander.

“Every effort — by all of us — must be made to de-escalate the situation and establish a different trajectory toward greater peace and stability in the region,” he said.

Over a year after Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel prompted the devastating war in Gaza, which has now extended to Lebanon, deadly violence “shows no signs of abating,” Wennesland said.

“We are witnessing not only a horrific humanitarian nightmare, but a rapidly accelerated unraveling of the prospects for a sustainable resolution to this conflict.”

He said that he had visited Gaza last week, where he saw “the sheer magnitude of the devastation this war has inflicted on the population.”

“I saw the immense destruction — of residential buildings, roads, hospitals and schools. I saw thousands living in makeshift tents, with nowhere else to go as winter approaches.”

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 43,020 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, which the United Nations considers reliable, triggering warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe.

During the October 7 attack, Palestinian militants seized 251 hostages, including soldiers and civilians, of whom 97 are still in Gaza. The Israeli military says 34 of them are dead.

The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

And in Lebanon, according to an AFP tally based on official figures, at least 1,700 people have been killed since September 23, when the fighting escalated as Israel launched an air and ground offensive against Hezbollah, which had been carrying out rocket attacks in support of Hamas.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Syria expressed its “solidarity” with Iran.

Does the highly volatile situation in West Asia put a premium on multipolarity? This question needs to be addressed beyond the foreign policy of America. For John Mearsheimer, a leading political scientist, the battle between Democrats and the Republicans is akin to a choice between “Tweedledum and Tweedledee”. It is the deep state that operates the American foreign policy, with the primary intent of maximising power and being a global hegemon. It is what has been articulated by Samuel Huntington in his Clash of Civilizations, where he warned that the inability of the West to adapt to the increasing power and influence of other civilisations will bring about the decline of its own power and influence, and will be the greatest threat to world peace.

The global order had largely been unipolar since the Cold War, until Russia put its foot down in Damascus during the Syrian Civil War following the Arab Spring. Since then, this world order has been constantly challenged. With the rise of the Global South, today’s world order has upended the hegemonic power structure and is ostensibly shuffling towards multipolarity. The Tehran-Beijing-Moscow Axis poses a formidable challenge to American global ambitions. 

India and China have emerged as the two key contenders for leadership in the Global South. However, the nature of their approach varies significantly. While China presents a direct conflict to the Global North, India has a more accommodating approach. 

As understood by analysts, these gradual yet changing realities are also visible in the American deep state. As the Balance of Power theory suggests, Washington has chosen to bank behind and strengthen New Delhi’s position. The renewed excitement for the Quad and I2U2 groupings and its further extension into the building of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) are examples. However, herein lies the key challenge to the Indian foreign policy, which has to juggle its various priorities—in the Global South, in managing its regional geopolitical compulsions, and in its strategic partnership with prominent members of the Global North.

Peace Was Not To Be

The churn in the politics of West Asia predates the ongoing war. Since the Arab Spring, when the United States decided to withdraw and pivot towards East Asia, the regional regimes gradually abandoned their ‘clienthood’ to explore other options. Over the years, the region had started seeing some semblance of settlement with Syria back in the Arab League, a peace process initiated between Damascus and Ankara, and the Abraham Accords formally facilitating the normalisation of ties with Israel. If not for a Chinese-brokered deal between Riyadh and Tehran, the final closing picture could have been a handshake between Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an American President in the centre. 

However, Hamas’s October 7 attack upset all this. Washington, which had seen its share of misadventures in Ukraine, has also been pulled back into the turmoil in West Asia.
Further, Israel’s disregard for the rules of war and the observation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and United Nations (UN) Resolutions has forced even Riyadh to publicly denounce Tel Aviv and pause any talks for normalisation until the establishment of a Palestinian State.

India Will Have To Chart Its Own Path

As India continues to expand and enhance its labour-trade-energy engagement with West Asia, it’ll have to be careful on the diplomatic front. Considering its geo-strategic importance, it needs to recalibrate its position in Iran and be cautious about its relations with the United States in the region. Iran’s October 1 attack on Israel and an imminent response from the latter has opened a pandora’s box. A possible escalation will profoundly alter the balance of power in the region and threaten India’s strategic interests. 

Further, the Central Investigation Agency’s (CIA) alleged involvement in India’s friendly neighbour, Bangladesh, its secondary sanctions on Indian entities for doing business with Russia, and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s recent remarks on India’s import policy are only the latest examples of the intricate nature of American foreign policy. Therefore, non-alignment will continue to be a key component of India’s foreign policy, even if just as pragmatic strategic autonomy. 

Also, India’s world image is crucial for its leadership ambitions in the Global South. Though India supports the two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict, her decision to abstain from the United Nations General Assembly Resolution asking Israel to withdraw from Palestinian territories may impact its position.

Regarding competition with China, the popular discourse is largely misplaced. India is not in a state of competition with China in Middle East, primarily because their interest varies in the region. India, unlike China, is not looking to be the United States’ power alternative. To argue that the IMEC will challenge the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is also inaccurate and unfounded. 

In brief, foreign policy is not a zero-sum game. Beyond America and China, New Delhi has its own case in the Middle East and the Global South.

[Mohammad Gulrez, former VC and PVC of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), is a Professor of Political Science at the Dept. of West Asian & North African Studies, AMU]

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

Jerusalem:

Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system has intercepted thousands of rockets since it went into operation in 2011, providing the country with crucial cover during times of conflict.

It has been heavily relied upon to protect military and civilian sites from frequent barrages of rockets fired from Gaza and Lebanon in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

Israel’s air defences were in operation on Tuesday night when Iran fired missiles at Israel in what it said was a response to Israel’s killing of Tehran-backed militant leaders.

Israel’s military chief Herzi Halevi said Tuesday that the Iranian barrage had been blunted partly by “a very strong aerial defence array”.

The system had also intercepted more than 200 drones and missiles launched by Iran on April 13.

Israel initially developed the Iron Dome alone after the 2006 Lebanon War and was later joined by the United States, which has provided its defence know-how and billions of dollars in financial support for the program.

The system has an interception rate of around 90 per cent, according to Israeli defence firm Rafael, which helped design it. 

Here’s how it works:

Three-part system

The Iron Dome is one part of Israel’s multi-tiered missile defence systems and is designed to intercept short-range rockets at a distance of up to 70 kilometres (43 miles). 

Each Iron Dome battery is made up of three main sections: a radar detection system, a computer to calculate the incoming rocket’s trajectory, and a launcher that fires interceptors if the rocket is deemed likely to hit a built-up or strategic area.

It sits alongside other missile defence systems like the Arrow, which counters ballistic missiles, and David’s Sling, for medium-range rocket or missile attacks.

How much does it cost?

Each Iron Dome interceptor costs $40,000 to $50,000 to produce, according to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

The think tank estimated that a complete system, including the radar, computer and three to four launchers — each containing up to 20 interceptors — costs around $100 million to produce. 

Israel has 10 such systems in operation, according to Raytheon, which helps manufacture the Iron Dome. Other estimates have put the figure slightly higher. 

Bipartisan US support

The Iron Dome is one of the strategic pillars of the US-Israeli alliance that has been followed by successive Democratic and Republican administrations.

In August 2019 the US Army signed a contract to purchase two Iron Dome batteries to enhance its own short-range missile defence capabilities.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Iran has fired missiles at Israel and all civilians in the country are in bomb shelters, the Israeli military said on Tuesday. The attack comes amid Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon to target Hezbollah and days after the militant outfit’s commander Hassan Nasrallah and a top official from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in Israel strikes in Beirut.  

The Israeli foreign ministry also cited the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and said at 10.08 pm IST that the missiles were fired a “short while ago”. Confirming the attack, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it was in response to the killing of Nasrallah, Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh and its own senior commander Abbas Nilforoushan. Reuters quoted Israeli media as saying that as many as 100 missiles had been launched.

Videos showed debris from missiles intercepted by Israel’s famed Iron Dome and Arrow defence systems raining down on Tel Aviv. The Israeli defence forces also confirmed that blasts had been heard in “Jerusalem and elsewhere”. There have been no reports of any casualties so far. 

“Iran’s attack is continuing. You are requested to remain in a protected space until further notice. The explosions you are hearing are from interceptions or fallen projectiles,” the army said in a statement to Israelis, a report by news agency AFP said. 

All Israeli civilians are in bomb shelters as rockets from Iran are fired at Israel. pic.twitter.com/bKXPdqMsBr

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 1, 2024

“A short while ago, missiles were launched from Iran towards the State of Israel. Israelis are instructed to remain alert and precisely follow the Home Front Command’s instructions,” the Israeli foreign ministry’s handle said in a post on X. 

“In the last few minutes, the Home Front Command has distributed life-saving instructions in various areas across the country. The IDF is doing and will do everything necessary to protect the civilians of the State of Israel,” it said.

The news of the missiles being launched came shortly after reports of a suspected “terror” shooting in Israel’s commercial capital Tel Aviv. Police in the city said at least four people were killed. 

New Delhi:

In a direct address to the people of Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a clear and forceful message on Monday. The Israeli leader’s speech, delivered in English and subtitled in Persian, conveyed both a warning to the Iranian regime and an assurance to its citizens. The message comes amidst Israel’s escalating actions against Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East.

Netanyahu condemned Iran’s leadership for allegedly prioritising regional conflicts over its own people’s welfare. “Every day, you see a regime that subjugates you make fiery speeches about defending Lebanon, defending Gaza,” Netanyahu said, adding that the Iranian government was “plunging the region deeper into darkness and deeper into war.”

Referring to Iran’s support for Hezbollah and Hamas, groups that have been engaged in violent conflicts with Israel, Netanyahu said that Iran’s proxies were being systematically targeted. “Iran’s puppets are being eliminated,” he said. adding that there was “nowhere we will not go to protect our people.”

“With every passing moment, the regime is bringing you – the noble Persian people – closer to the abyss,” he said. “The vast majority of Iranians know their regime doesn’t care a whit about them. If it did care, if it cared about you, it would stop wasting billions of dollars on futile wars across the Middle East. It would start improving your lives.

“Imagine if all the vast money the regime wasted on nuclear weapons and foreign wars were invested in your children’s education, in improving your health care, in building your nation’s infrastructure, water, sewage, all the other things that you need. Imagine that.”

Netanyahu predicted a future where Iran is free from theocratic rule, envisioning a new era of peace between Israel and Iran. He expressed confidence that change would come “a lot sooner than people think.” According to Netanyahu, a post-regime Iran would enjoy prosperity through global investments, tourism, and technological advancements. 

“When Iran is finally free – and that moment will come a lot sooner than people think – everything will be different,” he said. “Our two ancient peoples, the Jewish people and the Persian people, will finally be at peace. Our two countries, Israel and Iran, will be at peace.

“When that day comes, the terror network that the regime built in five continents will be bankrupt, dismantled. Iran will thrive as never before: Global investment; massive tourism; brilliant technological innovation based on the tremendous talents that exist inside Iran. Doesn’t that sound better than endless poverty, repression and war?”

This direct message comes in the wake of Israel’s intensified operations against Iranian proxies. Days before Netanyahu’s statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) executed a major airstrike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah at the group’s headquarters in Beirut. The strike also reportedly took the life of a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official. Nasrallah’s death has been met with celebration by anti-regime Iranians worldwide.

“You deserve better. Your children deserve better. The entire world deserves better. I know you don’t support the rapists and murderers of Hamas and Hezbollah, but your leaders do. You deserve more. The people of Iran should know – Israel stands with you. May we together know a future of prosperity and peace,” Netanyahu added. 

Following Nasrallah’s assassination, reports surfaced that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was moved to a secure location amid fears of further Israeli action.

The tension between Israel and Iran reached new heights earlier this year when Iran launched over 300 missiles and drones at Israel in retaliation for an alleged Israeli strike in Syria that killed several high-ranking IRGC officers. The vast majority of those missiles were intercepted by Israeli defence systems, with the support of a US-led coalition. Israel responded to Iran’s actions with a limited drone strike targeting a nuclear research centre in Isfahan.

Nasrallah’s assassination also came amid Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has seen frequent cross-border attacks against Israel, allegedly in solidarity with Hamas during its ongoing war with Israel in Gaza. Israel has steadily escalated its strikes on Hezbollah targets, leading to significant losses within the group’s leadership. Earlier in the month, mysterious explosions attributed to Israel destroyed Hezbollah’s communication devices, injuring thousands and intensifying the ongoing conflict.
 

New Delhi:

Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah and Israel both announced large-scale military operations against each other today. According to a statement from Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, “more than 320” Katyusha rockets were launched, targeting key Israeli military sites.

In response to the threat, the Israeli military initiated pre-emptive strikes on targets in Lebanon. The IDF announced these strikes early Sunday, stating that they had detected preparations by Hezbollah for “large-scale” attacks on Israeli territory. Israeli Air Force fighter jets have been deployed to neutralise these threats, focusing on Hezbollah positions that posed an immediate danger to Israeli civilians.

Israel said its fighter jets attacked thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers in south Lebanon that were aimed at northern and central Israel.

“Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets … struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were located and embedded in southern Lebanon,” an Israeli military statement read. “Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel.”

This escalation comes after weeks of growing tension, with Hezbollah and its regional ally, Iran, vowing to avenge the assassination of its military commander Fuad Shukr last month. The group has called the attack on its commander as a direct provocation and an act of war.

READ | Abraham Alliance vs Axis Of Resistance: Who’s Fighting Israel-Iran War

“In the context of the initial response” to the killing of Shukr, Hezbollah said it “began an air attack with a large number of drones” targeting deep into Israel. Hezbollah also targeted “a number of enemy positions and barracks and Iron Dome platforms… with a large number of rockets”, it said, adding that “military operations will take some time to complete”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened a security cabinet meeting at 0400 GMT today. According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has declared a state of emergency across the country for the next 48 hours. This “special situation on the home front,” as it is officially termed, grants the IDF Home Front Command expanded authority to impose restrictions on the civilian population.

READ | “Self-Defence”: Israel Says Fired On Lebanon To Prevent Hezbollah Attack

“The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) identified the Hezbollah terrorist organisation preparing to fire missiles and rockets toward Israeli territory. In response to these threats, the IDF is striking terror targets in Lebanon,” the Israeli military said in a statement. “Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jets are currently striking targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization that pose an imminent threat to the citizens of the State of Israel.’

As a precautionary measure, Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport announced delays and diversions of flights early Sunday. Emergency services have also raised their level of readiness, anticipating potential large-scale attacks from Hezbollah.

Responding to the heightened tensions in the region, the United States said it would “keep supporting Israel’s right to defend itself’. According to US National Security Council Spokesperson Sean Savett, “At President Joe Biden’s direction, senior US officials have been communicating continuously with their Israeli counterparts. We will keep supporting Israel’s right to defend itself, and we will keep working for regional stability.”

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has seen near-daily exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October. This latest flare-up has intensified fears of a full-scale conflict in Lebanon.

The current escalation follows increasing hostilities that began after Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has led to the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. 
 

New Delhi:

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a warning against any form of retreat or compromise, invoking the concept of “divine wrath”. This comes in the wake of growing tensions between Iran and Israel following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of Hamas, who was killed last month during an official visit to Tehran.

Khamenei’s remarks condemned what he described as “enemy psychological warfare” aimed at pressuring Iran to reconsider any plans for retaliation against Israel. The 86-year-old said that any retreat, whether it be military, political, or economic, would invite severe divine punishment.

Haniyeh’s death, which Tehran attributes to Israeli intelligence, has since placed Iran in a precarious position as it deliberates over the timing and nature of its response.

“Governments that yield to the demands of today’s dominant powers, regardless of their nation’s size or strength, can defy these pressures if they draw on the strength of their people and accurately assess their adversaries’ true capabilities,” Khamenei said, as quoted by Iran International. 

The Ayatollah also criticised the longstanding tendency to exaggerate the power of enemies, citing historical examples of US, British, and Israeli attempts to undermine Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Despite the heated rhetoric, Iran has refrained from immediate retaliation, a move seen by some analysts as a strategic pause. However, Iranian officials have dismissed Western calls for restraint, with the Foreign Ministry criticising Western nations for their perceived double standards. Iran has accused these nations of turning a blind eye to what he described as Israel’s “genocidal” actions in Gaza while expecting Iran to forgo its right to retaliate for Haniyeh’s killing.

Irann’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has publicly aligned himself with Khamenei’s hardline stance, although reports suggest he may have privately expressed concerns about the potential fallout from further escalation.

Israel has made it clear that any direct aggression from Tehran will be met with a forceful response. Israeli officials have reportedly warned both the US and European nations that an Iranian strike on Israeli territory would trigger a swift and decisive Israeli retaliation.