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Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Expert expects Iran-Israel conflict to resume: New weapons on horizon
Shafaq News – Tehran The conflict between Iran and Israel is not over despite the current pause in hostilities, the Iranian affairs expert Mohammad Ali al-Hakim said on Wednesday, warning that Tehran may deploy new types of weapons if fighting resumes. Speaking to Shafaq News, al-Hakim explained that Israel initially believed it could dismantle the Iranian regime within five or six days, 'But after Iran absorbed the shock, and responded with unexpected strikes, the assumptions were turned upside down,' he noted. He also revealed that before the US strike on Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, Tehran had received warnings through a third-party state. According to al-Hakim, Iran removed all 60%-enriched uranium from the Fordow nuclear facility, relocating it to an undisclosed location. He added that following a parliamentary vote supporting withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), 'it is not unlikely that Iran may take a final decision to exit the agreement.' Al-Hakim argued that the war remains unresolved, as Israel failed to achieve its strategic goals. 'Judging by statements from both US and Israeli officials, another round appears likely,' he expected. Concluded that if a new round of conflict breaks out, Iran's response would be 'different and unprecedented,' al-Hakim suggested the use of new types of missiles and weaponry. He claimed that during the previous exchange, Iran had used only 20% of its missile capabilities. On June 13, Israel launched the 'Rising Lion' operation targeting key Iranian military and nuclear sites, in which senior Iranian commanders and scientists were killed. Iran responded with a large, continuous ballistic missile strike on Israeli military bases in an operation named 'True Promise 3,' hitting dozens of sites. The United States became directly involved in the conflict on June 22, conducting airstrikes mainly against Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, after which Iran targeted the US Al Udeid base in Qatar. Shortly, a ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump on June 24, ending 12 days of escalation.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Missiles or whisky: What's the best way to fight a war?
(You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Necessity can turn even a lion into a fox. Quite Machiavellian, but it was difficult to comprehend that during the Israel-Iran conflict who was a lion and who a fox at a particular moment. Nonetheless, one tried to outfox the other through various machinations. Although thundering was common, it was cloaked in mystery, similar to Panchatantra's blue-dyed 'Midnight Hammer', both 'Rising Lion' and 'True Promise 3' got a safe exit option. But before exercising it, all of them roared: The US President claimed Iran's nuclear capabilities have been 'totally obliterated'; Bibi said 'righteous might of the United States will change history'; and Iran promised massive retaliation. Iran returned fire. Along came a twist. Before striking the US base, Iran informed Qatar about the Trump thanked Iran 'for giving us early notice'. But Iran boasted of 'Annunciation of Victory' through 'devastating and powerful missile' attacks on the US base. What a beautiful way to fight an enemy! Just imagine a world where combatants reveal everything: 'Beware, Iam coming to attack you at such and such hour. Save yourself as I will use so and so arms. Must keep your defences ready.' In such a scenario, there will at best be a light and sound show but no loss of life or property. No doubt, West Asian players have pressed the pause button, but they are still sitting on a powder keg. An oasis of calm is missing. Also, there is no clarity over the hammering, rising or ducking lion and delivery of promise or annunciation. The actors might learn a bit from the Whisky War where hiccups were the only setbacks. Yes, it was as real as the water of life itself. And who knows it better than the Canadians and the Danes.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Missiles or whisky: What's the best way to fight a war?
Amidst the Israel-Iran conflict, veiled threats and strategic maneuvers replaced outright war. Despite roaring rhetoric from the US, Israel, and Iran, actions were tempered, with Iran even providing advance notice of an attack. This unusual approach to conflict raises questions about the true intentions and capabilities of the involved parties, leaving the region in a precarious state of calm. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of .) Necessity can turn even a lion into a fox. Quite Machiavellian, but it was difficult to comprehend that during the Israel-Iran conflict who was a lion and who a fox at a particular moment. Nonetheless, one tried to outfox the other through various machinations. Although thundering was common, it was cloaked in mystery, similar to Panchatantra's blue-dyed 'Midnight Hammer', both 'Rising Lion' and 'True Promise 3' got a safe exit option. But before exercising it, all of them roared: The US President claimed Iran's nuclear capabilities have been 'totally obliterated'; Bibi said 'righteous might of the United States will change history'; and Iran promised massive retaliation. Iran returned fire. Along came a twist. Before striking the US base, Iran informed Qatar about the Trump thanked Iran 'for giving us early notice'. But Iran boasted of 'Annunciation of Victory' through 'devastating and powerful missile' attacks on the US base. What a beautiful way to fight an enemy! Just imagine a world where combatants reveal everything: 'Beware, Iam coming to attack you at such and such hour. Save yourself as I will use so and so arms. Must keep your defences ready.' In such a scenario, there will at best be a light and sound show but no loss of life or property. No doubt, West Asian players have pressed the pause button, but they are still sitting on a powder keg. An oasis of calm is missing. Also, there is no clarity over the hammering, rising or ducking lion and delivery of promise or annunciation. The actors might learn a bit from the Whisky War where hiccups were the only setbacks. Yes, it was as real as the water of life itself. And who knows it better than the Canadians and the Danes.
The Diplomat
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Diplomat
Iran's Failed Deterrence: Lessons for North Korea
On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a military operation, called 'Rising Lion,' against Iran, targeting its nuclear facilities, missile factories, air defense systems, and nuclear scientists. Another nuclear aspirant – and Iran's key strategic partner – North Korea will have been watching the conflict between Iran and Israel – and gaining lessons from some of the key factors that contributed to Iran's failure to deter such an Israeli attack. Moving forward, Pyongyang will not only seek to increase its own deterrence, but could assist Tehran in addressing current and future challenges related to its nuclear program. The extensive Israeli military operations against Iran highlighted Iran's failure to deter Israeli aggression. For years, Israel had refrained from direct attacks on Iran, partly due to Iran's deterrent capabilities and its network of proxies in Lebanon (Hezbollah), Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. Additionally, concerns over potential regional escalation and the likelihood that Washington would not authorize Israeli military actions further constrained direct Israeli interventions. However, the October 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel marked a turning point, leading to regional shifts. In the ensuing conflict, many of Iran's proxy forces, such as Hezbollah and Syrian militias, were significantly diminished or eliminated by Israel and other regional actors, altering the balance of power and deterrence dynamics. The recent Israeli strikes on Iran – which targeted nuclear sites, missile launchers, missile storage facilities, radars, air defense systems, and missile defense infrastructure, along with the elimination of nuclear scientists and military leaders – reveal the extent to which Israel has penetrated Iran's military and intelligence networks. The Israeli military appears capable of locating and eliminating key personnel within Iran's military, nuclear, and political spheres. Moreover, Israel has demonstrated the capacity to intercept and strike targets within Iran, indicating a sophisticated level of operational surprise and intelligence. The last notable deterrence failure was the U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear sites on June 22. Concerns about regional stability and potential wider conflict influenced previous administrations' hesitance; however, President Donald Trump authorized this strike. The joint Israeli and U.S. operations not only underscored Iran's inability to deter these adversaries but also exposed the limitations of Iran's allies – namely China and Russia – in providing effective military or political deterrence. Both Beijing and Moscow refrained from deploying military threats to defend Tehran or to dissuade Israel and Washington from their actions. This series of events underscores the fragility of Iran's deterrent posture – and offers crucial lessons for North Korea regarding the importance of strategic resilience, intelligence penetration, and the potential consequences of asymmetric warfare and proxy dynamics. Rethinking North Korean Deterrence The setbacks experienced by Iran raise important questions about North Korea's core security assumptions on the credibility of deterrence, the reliability of alliances, and the extent of intelligence infiltration. Pyongyang operates under the belief that its missile, artillery, and nuclear capabilities are sufficiently credible to deter any potential attack by Washington or its regional allies. However, Iran's experience demonstrates that such deterrence can be fragile. If the credibility of nuclear deterrence is called into question, North Korea must consider whether its own deterrent would withstand similar challenges. That said, North Korea is much farther along in developing its nuclear weapons program than Iran. Thus Iran's recent confrontation with Israel and the United States is likely to reinforce Pyongyang's perception that its pursuit of nuclear weapons has been the right choice, although it has been costly. Therefore Iran's fate will harden Kim Jong Un's belief that he should never dismantle the nuclear program voluntarily. The question is whether he is ready to deploy the ultimate weapon in the moment of truth. North Korea's strategic security also hinges on the assumption that its alliances – particularly with China and Russia – are as steadfast as initially believed. Iran's reliance on support from these powers did not fully prevent targeted actions or vulnerabilities. North Korea must ask: will Beijing and Moscow genuinely deter or withstand external pressures or military actions against North Korea's key military sites? They certainly did not in the case of Iran, where support was limited to diplomatic statements. Pyongyang must ask itself the hard question: does North Korea constitute, in any meaningful way, a strategic asset to its allies – one that is so vital that they would feel a genuine sense of loss if it were to collapse? Only then would North Korea's allies be prompted to protect Pyongyang with their own militaries. Finally, Pyongyang assumes that its military and scientific installations are secure from foreign intelligence operations. Iran's experience suggests otherwise; despite efforts to conceal sensitive sites, Israeli and other intelligence agencies penetrated deeply into Iran's networks. North Korea should recognize that foreign intelligence services likely have access to information and assets it believes are hidden, and must adapt its security and concealment strategies accordingly. What Will, or Can, North Korea Do for Iran? Finally, it is important to consider the question of how North Korea is likely to respond to the potential prospect of Iran's collapse. North Korea has already lost its longtime partner in the Middle East, Assad's Syria, with whom Pyongyang stood against the United States and cooperated to develop strategic weapons, including nuclear arms. North Korea is now facing the serious prospect of losing yet another ally in just six months. Losing Iran would be painful to North Korea, and therefore it may look for ways to help its strategic and ideological partner during the war or after the war. History clearly indicates that such a scenario is not implausible. North Korea dispatched pilots, tank crews, missile engineers, and operators to Egypt and Syria during the 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel. It is not clear how much Pyongyang's assistance added to the war effort of the two armies, but what is notable is that the North Koreans stepped up when their Cold War superpower patrons completely remained on the sidelines – a remarkably similar feature to the current war in Iran. In fact, Kim Il Sung sent a group of North Korean pilots to take the place of the Soviet pilots and advisers expelled by the Egyptian government just months before the war, due to the Soviets' opposition to Egypt's war effort. After the war, Kim Il Sung boasted of his participation in the Yom Kippur War to resist, in his view, an 'imperialist' Israel and apparently chastised the communist superpowers for their inaction. North Korea is likely to weigh different ways of assisting Iran and wait for the right opportunities to act. Will North Korea conduct a nuclear test for the Islamic Republic of Iran? Will it help Iran race toward the bomb in the aftermath of the war? Will it transport some of its enriched uranium to Tehran? It is not clear which path North Korea will take, but the available options are nothing short of alarming.
India.com
6 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
‘You Have 12 Hours – Save Your Wife And Kids': Israel's Covert Calls That Shattered Iran's Nerves
New Delhi: Inside hotel rooms, military bases and secret compounds across Iran, top officers were jolted by phone calls they never expected. On the line – a calm voice in flawless Persian, warning them their lives were ticking down. 'You have 12 hours. Take your wife. Take your children. Get out.' Some hung up in disbelief. Others vanished. And a few, as Israel claims, did not survive the warning. This was not just war with missiles. It was psychological warfare. A parallel operation. A whisper campaign backed by precision airstrikes and names checked off a death list. The Other War While Israeli drones and stealth jets were hitting Iranian missile sites and nuclear bunkers, another operation was underway – one with no coordinates on a map. Code-named 'Rising Lion', the covert campaign targeted Iran's nerves. One phone at a time. Three operatives involved in the mission – along with a leaked recording – confirmed the plan's scope to The Washington Post. Around 20 senior Iranian officials received direct calls. The message was blunt. Stop backing Ayatollah Khamenei or join the dead. A chilling audio clip, now circulating among intelligence watchers, captures one such call. An Israeli operative speaks softly but firmly, 'You are on our list. We are closer than your carotid artery. Remember that.' The target was a high-ranking general. He reportedly escaped. Others did not. From Threat to Aftershock Israeli sources claim some of the men warned by phone were killed soon after. The calls were not bluffs. They were preludes. The strikes that followed wiped out important names – Major General Hossein Salami of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corpse (IRGC), Major General Mohammad Bagheri of Iran's armed forces and others. Subsequent calls invoked their deaths. One officer recalled a voice saying, 'I am calling from the country that, two hours ago, sent Bagheri and Salami straight to hell. You are next if you do not wake up.' Letters at the Door The pressure was not only through phones. Some officers found anonymous letters on their doorstep. Others were contacted through their spouses. It was personal, deliberate and meant to rattle men deep inside the regime's ranks. No bombs. No gunshots. Just fear. The campaign's goal? To paralyse succession planning. To ensure that after the decapitation strikes on top brass, those next in line would hesitate. Ayatollah Khamenei, reportedly hiding in a bunker during the height of the war, struggled to replace fallen commanders. One Israeli security official put it simply, 'We wanted those left behind to doubt everything. Their safety. Their futures. Their leader.' Despite the psychological pressure, no large-scale defection surfaced from the IRGC or Iran's armed forces. But insiders say the fear ran deep. At mid-levels, command chains frayed. Paranoia was growing. And that was always the point. This was not only about breaking bunkers but breaking resolve and killing silence whisper by whisper.
