What's happened
Israel is suspected of launching attacks on an Iranian military airbase near a nuclear site in Isfahan, escalating tensions between the two countries. Iran downplays the incident, claiming no damage was done and refraining from immediate retaliation. The US was informed by Israel at the last minute about the attack, which Iran alleges involved drones launched from within its borders.
Why it matters
The conflict between Israel and Iran has intensified with Israel's alleged strikes on Iranian military targets. The potential targeting of nuclear facilities raises concerns of further escalation and retaliation. The involvement of the US adds a diplomatic dimension to the situation, with fears of a broader conflict in the region.
What the papers say
The Independent's Kim Sengupta reports on the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, highlighting the potential consequences of the recent attacks. Sky News provides insights into Iran's perspective, emphasizing the dismissal of the drones used in the attack as insignificant and downplaying the severity of the incident.
How we got here
The longstanding animosity between Israel and Iran has often played out through covert actions and proxy conflicts. Recent events, including Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel and Israel's subsequent strikes in Isfahan, have heightened tensions and raised fears of a direct confrontation between the two nations.
More on these topics
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
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Isfahan, historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan, Esfahan or Hispahan, is a city in Iran. It is located 406 kilometres south of Tehran and is the capital of Isfahan Province.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.
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Tehran is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With a population of around 8.7 million in the city and 15 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and Western Asia, and has the third-largest m