Israel ‘Targets’ Iran and Syria

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• Why has Israel Carried Out Strikes Now?
• What are the Ground Reports from Iran and What the US is Saying?
• Israel Strikes Syria Too
• Countries Issues Advisory for their Citizens
• What Needs to be Done to Deescalate Confrontation in the Middle East?

Why in News?

• Conflicts in the Middle East deepened as Israel “launched attacks” on targets in Syria and Iran.

Why has Israel Carried Out Strikes Now?

• Israel’s latest strike follows Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile attack on Israel after it blamed Tel Aviv for an airstrike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus on April 1.
• For context, Israel has accused Iran of supporting the Palestinian Hamas militant group which carried out the October 7 attack on the Jewish nation and triggered months of Israeli invasion and offensive in Gaza.

What are the Ground Reports from Iran and What the US is Saying?

• Though Israel did not confirm the strike, an Iranian official said that three drones over the central city of Isfahan had been shot down and that there are no reports of a missile attack for now.
  • Several flights, including those of Emirates and FlyDubai, were diverted around western Iran.
• A US official had confirmed the strike and said that the retaliation would be limited in scope and that nuclear and civilian locations were clearly not among the targets.
• According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there was no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites in an alleged attack by Israel on Iran.

Israel Strikes Syria Too

• Israel carried out a missile strike in Syria too. The state-run SANA news agency, quoting a military statement, said that Tel Aviv targeted an air defense unit in its south and caused material damage.
• That area of Syria is directly west of Isfahan (Iran), some 1,500 kilometers away, and east of Israel.

Countries Issues Advisory for their Citizens

• The US Embassy in Jerusalem restricted US government employees from travel outside Jerusalem, greater Tel Aviv and Beersheba.
• Australia asks citizens to evacuate from Israel, as there’s a high threat of military reprisals and terrorist attacks against Israel and Israeli interests across the region.
• The Indian Ministry of External Affairs advised all Indians not to travel to Iran or Israel till further notice.

All those who are currently residing in Iran or Israel are requested to get in touch with Indian Embassies there and register themselves.

What Needs to be Done to Deescalate Confrontation in the Middle East?

• It is imperative that coordinated international action be taken to stop such an escalation in light of its grave consequences on the region and the globe.
• The United States, Russia, China, and the European Union - each with significant strategic interests and influence in the region - must prioritise diplomacy and collective action.
• The goal should be not merely crisis management but the establishment of a durable framework for peace that addresses the core issues driving hostility and competition in the region.
• The big and powerful countries, often seen as competitors vying for dominance, need to recognise that in a globalised world, stability in one region contributes to global stability.
• Additionally, the role of international organisations like the United Nations in facilitating dialogue and negotiations is crucial.
• However, the UN’s effectiveness rests on the unity and cooperation of its member states, particularly the Security Council’s permanent members.

Therefore, they must overcome their rivalries to prevent the catastrophic loss of regional unity that would result from a conflict.

Q.1. How does the UN better solve conflicts between countries?

The UN deploys peacekeeping operations to reduce tensions in troubled areas, keep opposing forces apart, and create conditions for sustainable peace after settlements have been reached.

Q.2. Why are Israel and Iran fighting?

Israel believes that Iran poses an existential threat as evidenced by Tehran's rhetoric, its build-up of proxy forces in the region including the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah that are sworn to Israel's destruction, and its funding and arming of Palestinian groups including Hamas.