Israeli relentless warmongering and expansionism

A tentative ceasefire appears to be holding in southern Syria after a brutal week marked by deadly clashes and escalating tensions. Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the truce on Saturday, yet the underlying realities on the ground reveal a much deeper and more troubling story.

The clashes, which erupted in the province of Suwayda on July 13, involved armed Druze groups and Bedouin tribes — communities tragically caught in the crossfire of broader regional power struggles.

Under the guise of protecting the Druze minority, Israel launched a series of aggressive and unprovoked strikes across southern Syria and even targeted the capital, Damascus, on Wednesday. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports that the death toll from violence has now tragically surpassed 1,000 people.

This staggering human cost starkly exposes Israel’s relentless warmongering and expansionist ambitions in West Asia. Since its devastating assault on Gaza in October 2023, Israel has escalated its campaign of violence, targeting not only Gaza but also Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. These military actions are part of a calculated strategy to impose Israeli dominance and destabilize entire nations.

Israel justifies its attacks with convenient narratives: defending the Druze minority in Syria, neutralizing Hezbollah in Lebanon, dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, or responding to attacks from Yemen’s Ansarullah. Yet these explanations serve as thin veils masking a pattern of aggressive intervention that violates sovereignty and inflames regional tensions.

Despite the high death toll and widespread suffering, Israel’s military ventures have failed to achieve their stated goals. In Gaza, Israel has killed tens of thousands of civilians, including women and children, yet Hamas remains resilient.

In Lebanon, the Lebanese resistance refuses to bow to Israeli pressure.

Iran has dealt significant blows to Israel in recent confrontations.

Ansarullah movement in Yemen continues to resist Israeli aggression steadfastly.

Israel’s recent strikes in Syria follow the same aggressive pattern. They aim to fragment Syria and extend Israeli control over more territory, escalating a dangerous trend since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December last year.

Although the Syrian government under Ahmed al-Sharaa has so far refrained from direct military confrontation, popular anger against Israel’s occupation is rising sharply.

History shows that Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon in the early 1980s triggered widespread resistance and ultimately costly conflicts for the occupying forces. Syrians today are increasingly ready to form resistance groups and rise up against Israel’s incursions.

While the Syrian government has mainly limited itself to denouncing Israel’s aggression in statements, the growing anti-Israel sentiment among the Syrian population could open a new front of resistance. This serves as a stark reminder that occupation and aggression only sow seeds of conflict and instability.

The world must recognize that Israel’s unchecked military aggression is not about defense—it is a deliberate policy of domination, suffering, and division. The ongoing violence in southern Syria is a tragic symptom of this larger, dangerous strategy that endangers peace across the entire region.

 

US must promise not to attack Iran before talks begin

The United States must rule out any further strikes on Iran if it wants to resume diplomatic talks, Tehran's deputy foreign minister told the BBC.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi says the Trump administration has told Iran through mediators it wants to return to negotiations, but had "not made their position clear" on the "very important question" of further attacks while talks are taking place.

Israel's military operation, which began in the early hours of June 13, scuppered a sixth round of mainly indirect talks set to take place in Muscat two days later.

The US became directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran last weekend when it targeted three Iranian nuclear sites in a bombing raid.

Takht-Ravanchi also said Iran will "insist" on being able to enrich uranium for what it says are peaceful purposes, rejecting accusations that Iran was secretly moving towards developing a nuclear bomb.

He said Iran had been "denied access to nuclear material" for its research program so needed "to rely on ourselves".

"The level of that can be discussed, the capacity can be discussed, but to say that you should not have enrichment, you should have zero enrichment, and if do you not agree, we will bomb you — that is the law of the jungle," the deputy foreign minister said.

Israel began its attacks, targeting nuclear and military sites as well as assassinating commanders and scientists, in Iran on June 13, claiming Tehran was close to building a nuclear weapon.

Iran responded by attacking Israel with missiles. Hostilities continued for 12 days, during which the US dropped bombs on three of Iran's nuclear sites: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.

The extent of the damage caused to Iran's nuclear program by US strikes has been unclear, and Takht-Ravanchi said he could not give an exact assessment.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the strikes caused severe but "not total" damage, while US President Donald Trump declared that Iran's nuclear facilities were "totally obliterated".

Grossi also said Iran had the capacity to start enriching uranium again in "a matter of months". In response, Takht-Ravanchi said he did not know if that would be the case.

Iran's relationship with the IAEA has become increasingly strained. On Wednesday, its parliament moved to suspend cooperation with the atomic watchdog, accusing the IAEA of siding with Israel and the US.

Trump has said he would "absolutely" consider bombing Iran again if intelligence found that it could enrich uranium to concerning levels.

Takht-Ravanchi said no date had been agreed upon for a possible return to talks and he did not know what would be on the agenda, after Trump suggested discussions could take place this week.

Iran's deputy foreign minister said "right now we are seeking an answer to this question: are we going to see a repetition of an act of aggression while we are engaging in dialogue?"

He said the US had to be "quite clear on this very important question" and "what they are going to offer us in order to make the necessary confidence required for such a dialogue".

Asked if Iran could consider rethinking its nuclear program as part of any deal, possibly in return for sanctions relief and investment in the country, Takht-Ravanchi asked, "Why should we agree to such a proposal?"

He reiterated that Iran's program, including enriching uranium to 60%, was "for peaceful purposes".

Under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran was not permitted to enrich uranium above 3.67% purity — the level required for fuel for commercial nuclear power plants — and was not allowed to carry out any enrichment at its Fordo plant for 15 years.

However, Trump abandoned the agreement in 2018 during his first term as president, saying it did too little to stop a pathway to a bomb, and reinstated US sanctions.

Iran retaliated by increasingly breaching the restrictions — particularly those relating to enrichment. It resumed enrichment at Fordo in 2021 and had amassed enough 60%-enriched uranium to potentially make nine nuclear bombs, according to the IAEA.

Pressed on European and Western leaders having a lack of trust towards Iran, Takht-Ravanchi accused some European leaders of a "ridiculous" endorsement of US and Israeli strikes.

He said those who are criticizing Iran over its nuclear program "should criticize the way that we have been treated" and criticize the US and Israel.

He added, "And if they do not have the guts to criticize America, they should keep silent, not try to justify the aggression."

Takht-Ravanchi also said Iran had received messages through mediators that the US did "not want to engage in regime change in Iran" by targeting the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on Iranians to "rise for their freedom" to bring down the clerical rule of Khamenei, but, after last week's ceasefire was reached, Trump said he did not want the same.

Takht-Ravanchi insisted it would not happen and the idea "tantamount to a futile exercise".

He said although some Iranians "might have criticism of some actions by the government, when it comes to foreign aggression they would be united to confront it".

The deputy foreign minister said it was "not quite clear" if the ceasefire with Israel would last, but Iran would continue to observe it "as long as there is no military attack against us".

He said Iran's Arab allies in the Arabian Gulf were "doing their best to try to prepare the necessary atmosphere for a dialogue". Qatar is known to have played a key role in brokering the current ceasefire.

He added, "We do not want war. We want to engage in dialogue and diplomacy, but we have to be prepared, we have to be cautious, not to be surprised again."

Israel planned a false flag operation in US

There is a loud discussion going on that Israel had planned a destructive explosion on US soil intended to be attributed to Iran. The false flag operation sought to fabricate evidence, implicate Iran, and provide a pretext for a full-scale US war against the country. The plan was aimed at manipulating American public opinion and legitimizing military aggression. Iran reportedly sent warnings to American officials, leading to the plan’s disruption.

Although the US played a highly active role in Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, the operation was designed to fully draw Washington into the conflict by replicating the shock and political consequences of the September 11 attacks.

In an analysis, Sobh-e-No highlighted Israel’s history of breaching agreements and lack of commitment to ceasefires and the need for Iran to remain fully ready for violation of the ceasefire that went into effect on June 25. It wrote, “Despite the official declaration of a ceasefire between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Zionist regime, historical evidence shows that the Israeli regime often does not commit to agreements. This ceasefire agreement has seemingly created hope for a temporary halt to attacks. The Islamic Republic of Iran must continue to maintain its vigilance at the highest level. Complete defensive and operational readiness, along with strengthening defense and intelligence systems, is necessary to deal with any betrayal or re-attack by the Zionist regime. At the same time, the country's diplomatic apparatus must reflect the regime's repeated violations of international rules and inform the global public opinion of the unreliable nature of Israel. In the current circumstances, trusting the Zionist regime's commitment to a ceasefire without deterrent measures and full readiness would be nothing more than naivety. This regime has repeatedly shown that it does not adhere to any of international rules and regulations. Therefore, staying prepared and alert is the only way to protect the country's national security”.

In a note, Donya-e-Eqtesad addressed Iran's intelligent silence towards the West and wrote, “The ceasefire that was recently agreed between Iran and Israel with Washington's mediation was not out of moral concern or for peace, but to prevent the spread of tension to energy markets and America's global competition with China. America's military involvement in the recent war was limited and calculated. Trump has adopted an ambivalent position. In response to the recent conflict, he said, "Both Iran and Israel violated the agreement, and I am not happy with either of them." This artificial neutrality is precisely a reflection of the same cost-oriented view of the region. Therefore, now that neither Washington has an incentive to continue sanctions nor Tel Aviv - consciously or unintentionally - has maintained the image of a threat, Iran should not rush to prove that it is a danger. The best response at this moment is an intelligent silence. In politics, you don't always have to speak for yourself. Sometimes it is enough to wait for the other party to speak your language without knowing it, and make others doubt”.

Theorists of “Strategic Solitude” believe that Iran can never be part of the orbit of the great coalitions of world powers, not because of political mistakes, but because of the country’s particular characteristics, such as the Persian language, the Shiite religion, and its specific geographical location. From their view, the great powers of the region do not consider Iran as part of their strategic team. As a result, Iran is forced to rely on itself and follow the path of authority from within, by strengthening internal power and increasing popular legitimacy. Contrary to the common perception of strategic solitude, Iranian analysts see it as an opportunity for independent action in the region. They believe that Iran’s historical experience has been filled with the betrayal of great powers, from Russia and Britain to today’s America and China. According to this view, Iran can never rely on others, because others always make and break agreements in line with their preferences. Iran's strategic solitude is the result of its political system, prevailing discourse, and the Islamic Republic’s deliberate orientation in foreign policy. This perspective views the phenomenon not as inherent, but as a political and discursive construct.

 

Iran likely to attack US bases in Middle East

More than 40,000 US service members and civilians — as well as billions of dollars in military equipment — are in the Middle East, spread out across bases in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Those working in countries closest to Iran, including Iraq and Kuwait, would conceivably have only minutes to prepare for an incoming Iranian strike. The Hill suggests, President Donald Trump should order the US military to join Israel’s bombing campaign.

Israel, last week unleashed a barrage of airstrikes on Iran that set off the largest conflict ever between the two regional adversaries, with Tehran responding with its own attacks.

Trump has not yet decided on possible US military action against Iran, telling reporters through his top spokesperson that he would make his decision within two weeks.

In response, Iran has threatened to directly attack US forces should they enter Israel’s war campaign, with the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning Wednesday, “Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.” 

Tehran’s threats aren’t idle, as the country has retaliated against Washington in the past, most notably in January 2020, when Trump in his first term ordered an airstrike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force.

The strike, which happened as Soleimani traveled to Baghdad, prompted a swift response from Iran, which days later hammered Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq and another US base in Erbil with 13 ballistic missiles. While no Americans were killed in the largest ballistic missile attack ever against US forces abroad, more than 100 were later diagnosed and treated for traumatic brain injuries.

Reportedly, Trump is considering using the GBU-57 — known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator or so-called bunker buster bomb — to damage Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility, a similar attack from Tehran can’t be ruled out. Iran has the ballistic missiles ready to go, those strikes could happen in less than 15 minutes.

 

Israel launches new wave of airstrikes on Iran

Intense Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s capital, Tehran, early on Wednesday. The Israelis earlier warned they could strike a neighborhood south of Mehrabad International Airport, which includes residential buildings, military installations, pharmaceutical companies and industrial firms.

The attacks come just a day after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran's residents to evacuate and demanded the country’s unconditional surrender.

Israel has yet to successfully target Iran's Fordo facility, which lies deep within a mountainside. Hitting Fordo would require the US to get involved militarily and deploy B-2 stealth bombers to drop its bunker-busting bomb. The 14,000 kg GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets.

Israel announced a new wave of strikes on Tuesday evening as explosions and anti-aircraft fire boomed throughout Tehran, shaking buildings. The Israeli military said its warplanes had targeted 12 missile launch sites and storage facilities.

Israel's military warned the population to stay close to shelters as Iran fired a new barrage of missiles, but officials said most were intercepted.

Sirens sounded in southern Israel, including in the desert town of Dimona, the heart of Israel's never-acknowledged nuclear arms program.

Early on Tuesday, downtown Tehran saw a significant decrease in activity, with numerous shops closed, including the historic Grand Bazaar, which typically shuts its doors only during periods of crisis, such as the 2022 anti-government protests and the coronavirus pandemic.

Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with around 10 million residents, roughly equivalent to Israel's entire population.

Iran asserts that its nuclear program is peaceful, while the United States and other nations have determined that Tehran has not engaged in a systematic effort to develop a nuclear weapon since 2003.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities have delayed the nation's nuclear program by a "very, very long time”,

Israel has yet to successfully target Iran's Fordo facility, which lies deep within a mountainside. Hitting Fordo would require the US to get involved militarily and deploy B-2 stealth bombers to drop its bunker-busting bomb. The 14,000 kg GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets.