A look back at decades of tensions between the Hebrew state and Iran

Targeted attacks such as the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, former Hamas political leader, in Tehran, have raised fears of escalation between Iran and the Jewish state. The rivalry between the two countries dates back to the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979. “When he came to power, Ayatollah Khomeini made hatred of Israel a state fashion”explains Menahem Merhavy, professor at the Truman Institute.

The pro-Iranian axis includes Bashar al Assad’s Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza, pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, and the Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen. Faced with this threat, Israel displays its military superiority over Iran, notably thanks to the almost unwavering support of the United States. The Hebrew state is also improving its relations with the Arab countries of the region: Egypt, Jordan, then Sudan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. This does not prevent Iran from launching unprecedented attacks on Israel. On April 13, 300 missiles and drones were intercepted in time by Israel and its allies. Despite the high tensions, the escalation has been under control so far.