Iran vs Israel Military Power: A Timeline of Escalating Tensions

Israel and Iran opened a new chapter in their long history of conflict when Israel launched a major attack with strikes early Friday that set off explosions in the Iranian capital of Tehran. Israel said it targeted nuclear and military facilities, killing Iran’s top military and nuclear scientists. Tensions between two Middle Eastern heavyweights have erupted into a full-fledged Israel ‑Iran war 2025. What’s happening now? In the latest twist, Israel ’s Operation Rising Lion unleashed a devastating wave of airstrikes on Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure—including the hardened Natanz enrichment complex—on June 13, 2025. Triggered by Israeli preemptive airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, and followed by unprecedented Iranian missile and drone retaliation, the conflict represents the culmination of decades of proxy warfare, nuclear tension, and ideological confrontation. Here’s a timeline of that recent escalation since the Gaza war broke out following an October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas. Hamas launched a surprise attack dubbed. Side-by-side comparison showcasing the relative conventional fighting strengths of Iran and Israel for the year 2025. The selected countries for comparison, Iran and Israel , are displayed below in side-by-side format. The Primary selection is displayed in Blue while the Secondary selection is displayed in Red. Years of simmering tensions between Israel and Iran have broken into direct conflict, as the two arch foes trade missile attacks on an unprecedented scale. Explore the timeline of tensions between Israel and Iran, from the 1960s to 2025. This explainer highlights the key events, including nuclear developments, military strikes and escalating. On June 13, 2025, Israel conducted a major operation against Iran. The anticipated attack targeted nuclear facilities, military sites, and regime infrastructure.