The Israeli attack on Iran 's nuclear program and military assets and Iran 's responding missile strikes represent a significant escalation in the long-standing tensions between the two nations. RAND experts provide insights into the strategic, diplomatic, and economic dimensions of this unfolding crisis. The escalation between Israel and Iran has raised many important questions about a region already facing crises on multiple fronts. Iran ’ s threats to block the strait in response to Western aggression have only heightened concerns about energy security and international trade. This paper examines the recent escalation of the Iran-Israel conflict, focusing on its historical roots, regional impact, and global consequences. Since 1985, Iran and Israel have been engaged in a proxy conflict that has greatly affected the geopolitics of the Middle East. In 2025, hostility between Israel and Iran escalated into an armed military conflict. Israel carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear and military targets the day after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declared that Iran had violated its obligations. This week we cover the Israel - Iran war : its impact on nuclear proliferation, potential blowback for President Trump’s tariff policy, ramifications for the Ukraine war, and how the war might have brought Voice of America back from the brink. Four experts assess how outside players might respond to the showdown, and whether Tehran will switch up its calculus on procurement, attack tactics, and other military matters as the fight goes on. Iran ’ s evolving foreign policy, regional tensions, and U.S.-led efforts for Saudi-Israeli normalization are reshaping Middle East geopolitics, with implications for security, alliances, and energy markets.
Iran-Israel History: A Comprehensive Overview
Israel's Airstrike on Iran: The Geopolitical Implications Explained
The Iran vs Israel Conflict: A Family's Story