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Israel-Iran conflict is spiraling out of control, putting energy supply chains at risk

Iran’s response to Israel’s attacks shows that it will not back down. The escalation over the last two days’ risks drawing other countries, and not just ones in the region, into the conflict. For India, the immediate risk is a disruption in flow of crude and LNG supplies through the Strait of Hormuz on account of Iran’s retaliatory measures

June 16, 2025 / 10:30 IST
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The big question is whether the conflict can remain contained to the territories of Israel and Iran or whether it could spiral out of control.

By Rajeev Agarwal

In a surprise but not unexpected move, Israel launched unilateral and unprovoked air and missile strikes deep into Iranian territory in the early hours of 13th June. In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a necessary move to ensure Israel’s survival. Alleging that Iran had developed enough fissile material in the past few months to build up to nine nuclear bombs, he said that waiting was no longer an option and Israel was compelled to launch ‘Operation Rising Lion’, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very existence. Around 200 Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck more than 100 nuclear, military and infrastructure targets across Iran in one night.

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The initial wave of Israeli strikes on 13th June was precise and backed by real-time intelligence. It not only struck successfully the most critical nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz, around 200 km away from Tehran, but it also did a repeat of what the ‘Mossad’ did in Lebanon in September 2024, when it took out the entire top leadership of Hezbollah, including Hasan Nasrallah in targeted strikes and assassinations. This time too, the Israeli intelligence took out the central military leadership and nuclear scientists of Iran over one night of spectacular intelligence-based operations.

Iran was quick to respond and struck the heart of Tel Aviv in Israel on 14th June. In a major missile strike, it struck many parts in Tel Aviv, including a direct strike on Israel’s Military HQ building ‘Kirya’, which is often called Israel’s Pentagon.