Context

• India has instructed its citizens not to travel to Iran or Israel until further notice in view of the "prevailing situation in the region". Apart from India, five countries including the USA have issued travel advisories for their citizens.
• All countries have advised their citizens to avoid travelling to these two countries. Apart from India and America, Britain, Russia, France and Germany have also issued similar advisories.

Key Points

• It is noteworthy that tension between the two rival powers is increasing after the killing of Iranian generals in the explosion at the Iranian Consulate in Syria.
• Recently Israel's Foreign Minister threatened that if the Islamic Republic launched an attack against Israel from its territory, the country's military would directly attack Iran.
• The tension between the two countries has increased to such an extent that American Army officers have reached Israel.
• Despite all this, if Iran retaliates, Israel may have to fight a war on two fronts simultaneously.

Background

• If we talk about the relations between Israel and Iran, Iran had recognized Israel in 1948 itself.
• In the year 1948, a new Jewish state named Israel was formed in place of Palestine in the Middle East.
• Most Muslim countries in the Middle East refused to recognize Israel.
• At this time, Iran was the second Muslim nation after Turkey, which accepted it as a country in 1948 itself.
• At the same time, America overthrew the elected government in Iran and started a puppet government by making Shah Reza Pahlavi the President.
• America's puppet government in Iran had good relations with Israel. During the Shah's rule, Iran was Israel's main oil supplier. During this period, Israel had no relations with other Arab countries.
• After Israel and Turkey, Iran was the third country in the Middle East where the number of Jews was highest. About one lakh Jews lived in Iran.
• Apart from this, relations between the two countries were so good that Iran's intelligence agency SAVAK received training from Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.

Beginning of hostility between Israel and Iran

• There was a change of power in Iran by the people of Iran through the Islamic Revolution of 1979. This revolution took place under the leadership of Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini against the Pro America & Israel policies  of Iranian President Shah .
• In April 1979, Khomeini declared Iran an Islamic country. Under the leadership of Khomeini, Islamic state was established in Iran and Sharia law was implemented.
• The new government of Iran, led by Ayatollah Rohollah Khomeini, broke all relations with Israel.
• After the Islamic Revolution, people of the two countries, which had been friends since 1948, could no longer visit each other.
• The air route between the two was closed. The Israeli embassy in Tehran was converted into the Palestinian embassy.

How did the current situation arise?

• Let it be known that Iran and Israel have been fighting proxy war with each other for a long time. However, there has never been a direct major war between the two countries.
• Iran is accused of often carrying out attacks on Israel or its embassy through organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah.
• At the same time, Israel responds to these attacks by directly attacking Hamas, Hezbollah or Iranian targets.
• The Israeli army's airstrike near the Iranian Embassy in Syria on April 1, 2024 was part of this proxy war.
• In this, 13 people including two top army commanders of Iran were killed. After this, Iran has threatened to take revenge from Israel.

Israel's allies

• America has announced that if Iran attacks Israel directly, it will support Israel.
• Apart from this, Britain and Saudi Arabia can support Israel.

Iran's allies

• Muslim countries like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan etc. can openly support Iran.
• Russia has already been a military ally of Iran
• Apart from this, Russia can also mobilise its friendly countries China and North Korea in favour of Iran.
• In such a situation, the possibility of Third World War appears to be emerging.

Important Facts For Exam

Iran

• Capital: Tehran
• Official language: Persian
• President: Ebrahim Raisi
• Supreme leader: Ali Khamenei

Israel

• Capital: Jerusalem
• Official language: Hebrew
• Continent: Asia