With the deadline for a new nuclear deal with Iran fast approaching, the Middle East is facing renewed uncertainty, as tensions between the United States and Iran raise fears of conflict. In her reporting for The Media Line, Giorgia Valente explores [1] how the standoff could escalate and what it means for regional players, especially Israel.
Analysts say a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities would not be simple or clean. It would require a wide-scale campaign involving dozens of targets and could trigger swift retaliation, potentially sparking broader conflict and environmental catastrophe. “You can’t just bomb a few labs and call it done,” said American analyst Steven Terner, who warned that fallout from such strikes could cross borders.
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General Satish Dua of India, also interviewed by The Media Line, questioned the wisdom of military threats and emphasized diplomacy. “The risk of escalation is real, but diplomacy must prevail,” he said, while pointing to emerging alliances between Iran, China, and Russia as a growing challenge to US power.
Experts are also concerned that Israel, weakened by ongoing conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah, may be reluctant to take part in any confrontation with Iran. “Israel simply cannot sustain another war right now,” Terner said, warning that this could lead to “strategic friction” between Washington and Jerusalem.
Iranian analyst Nima Baheli emphasized that Tehran prefers indirect diplomacy to full-scale confrontation, but warned that internal or external pressure could shift that approach.
To understand the full scope of how these developments are shaping the region’s future and raising the stakes for the US, Israel, and Iran, read Giorgia Valente’s full report [1].