Recent months have been a period of unprecedented challenges for Israel, when the shadow of war with Iran and its allies has become a reality that threatens national security. From Israel’s point of view, the current situation is the culmination of a longstanding confrontation with Tehran, which is not only arming proxy groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, but is also increasingly moving to direct attacks. Based on the facts as of 9 March 2025, let’s look at how Israel sees these events and what they mean for the country.
Timeline of escalation
The conflict with Iran intensified after 7 October 2023, when Hamas, partially supported by Iran, attacked Israeli territories, killing nearly 1,200 people. Since then, Israel has faced a multifaceted threat: “Hezbollah has been shelling the north of the country from Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen have been attacking Israeli ships in the Red Sea, and Iran itself has launched direct attacks on Israel twice in 2024. In April 2024, Tehran launched more than 300 drones and missiles in response to an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, where high-ranking officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed. In October of the same year, Iran fired 181 ballistic missiles at Israeli cities, forcing 10 million citizens to take refuge in bomb shelters.
Israel responded with “targeted and deliberate” strikes on 26 October 2024 against Iran’s military facilities, destroying some of its air defence systems and missile production plants. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We have significantly weakened Iran’s defence capabilities and its ability to produce missiles. Whoever strikes us will get a response.” For Israel, these actions were not only an act of self-defence, but also a signal that the country would not tolerate direct attacks on its territory.
The Israeli perspective
From Israel’s perspective, Iran is an existential threat. Tehran not only supports the “Axis of Resistance” – a network of anti-Israeli forces in the region – but is also moving towards the development of nuclear weapons. Recent reports indicate that Iran has increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a level that Israeli intelligence estimates could be sufficient to produce one bomb in a few months. This forces Israel to act decisively, even if it means risking a wider war.
The recent IDF operations in Lebanon, where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and key weapons depots were destroyed, as well as strikes on Iranian bases in Syria, demonstrate Israel’s strategy: to weaken Iran’s proxies before they can coordinate a large-scale offensive. In Gaza, the war against Hamas continues, but Israel believes that without Iranian support, the group would have long since lost its fighting capacity.
Challenges and allies
Israel is aware that it faces a difficult choice. On the one hand, the country cannot allow Iran to attack its territory or develop nuclear capabilities with impunity. On the other hand, an escalation could lead to a regional war involving the United States, Russia, and Arab states. The United States remains a key ally: in April and October 2024, American forces, along with British, French, and Jordanian forces, intercepted most of Iran’s missiles. However, Israel is experiencing some tension with Washington over disagreements over Iran’s nuclear programme – the US supports diplomacy, while Israel believes that the time for negotiations has passed.
What’s tomorrow?
As of 10 March 2025, Israel is preparing for all scenarios. The air force is on high alert following reports of a possible new attack by Iran or its allies. The mobilisation of reservists, which has reached 400,000, is evidence of the seriousness of the situation. Netanyahu’s government emphasises: “We are not looking for war, but we will not allow the enemy to dictate our conditions of existence.” At the same time, Israel hopes that international pressure will force Iran to refrain from further provocations.
For Israelis, this is not just a geopolitical game. It is a struggle for survival in a region where enemies do not hide their desire to destroy the state. Recent events have only strengthened Israel’s conviction that concessions or weakness are unacceptable. Tomorrow could be a day of silence or the beginning of a new round of confrontation, but Israel is prepared for both.
Time Ukraine Israel will continue to cover the events from the perspectives of all sides of the conflict to give our readers a complete picture.
Author: Aleksandr Potetiuiev
