The War in Gaza as an Opportunity for Reassessing the Israeli-Iranian Confrontation

The war in Gaza has provided further evidence for the alarming consequences of the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel. For the first time, Iran has used the Hamas attack and the war to implement its strategy of simultaneously activating its regional network of allies and proxy organizations against Israel. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has adopted an anti-Israeli position. However, the escalating friction between the two states, especially during the last decade, has evolved from a primarily ideological to a strategic conflict revolving around national interests and security concerns. While Israel was not the sole or even the primary factor in the development of Iran’s strategic doctrines, its overt and covert activities against Iranian interests have become a catalyst and motivating factor for the utilization of Iran’s strategic capabilities against it.