With the latest assassinations of Iranian scientists alongside more than 200 Israeli Airforce fighter jets striking 100 nuclear, military and infrastructure targets across Iran, the escalation into an all-out regional – and potentially wider – war is more palpable than ever.[1]
Let us not overlook Israel’s continuing genocidal campaign against Palestinians, murdering 79 innocent civilians across the Gaza Strip as they sought food for their starving families:[2]
“The fact that Israel attacked Iran doesn’t mean [the war] in Gaza ended. Today we had dozens of people killed, the only difference is this will have far less attention than yesterday,” said Xavier Abu Eid, a political scientist and former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organisation.” [3]
Neither should we forget Israel’s invasion of Lebanon (September 2024), its recent attack on the same country on the eve of Eid ul Adha (5th June 2025), incursion and bombing of Syria after its liberation from Bashar al-Assad’s regime (December 2024) and Yemen (May 2025). Such open and brazen attacks against sovereign states have been greeted with a muteness from Western and a few Eastern governments that has only served to embolden this Zionist regime to commit further war crimes and crimes against humanity with impunity.[4]
Agitating for War
“On 28th June 1914, the heir to the powerful empire of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated by Serbian extremists. By early August of 1914, many of Europe’s nations had formed themselves into political and military alliances that were preparing for war.
This assassination and the international reactions to it led to the outbreak of World War One.” [5]
Israel’s assassination of 6 scientists, among them renowned nuclear physicists, is a continuation of a covert strategy to eliminate perceived threats to their national security, and is not new. However, Netanyahu’s apparent bloodlust and intention to ratchet up existing hostilities by targeting individuals (and their families that also died in the latest assassinations) risks an escalation on a regional, if not global scale in the event of Iran’s allies deciding to align with them on the basis of the latter’s sovereignty being breached, the ongoing Palestinian genocide, and overall Israeli aggression. This behaviour is one that is tantamount to a rogue state, and its continuing violation and flouting of international laws strengthen arguments that it is precisely that. UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Francesca Albanese stated the following:
“Israel violates international law more systematically than any other country. Many countries commit violations of international law, this is an open secret. And still, Israel has done it in defiance of UN rules and regulations, including in the face of criminal or quasi-criminal proceedings initiated by international tribunals. It does it with impunity. Why does Israel do so? Because it used to be aggressive against the system and its rules without ever facing any consequences. So, this is hubris…
…this is a serious issue because today, Israel’s defiance of the international system and of the international law, upon which the post-World War II order is premised, is extremely problematic. It’s pushing that order and international law to the knife’s edge. The system is breaking…” [6]
Instability, Insurrection & Smoking Weed
Espionage coupled with the destabilization of societies have been integral to the overthrowing of governments, and the purview of Western imperialist societies for centuries. Indeed, imperialism was designed to the extent of facilitating the usurpation of land and resources to maintain hegemonic expansionist strategies for smaller empires, until the latter assumed either regional or global dominance (refer to the histories of Great Britain, Portugal and Spain to name a few). It appears that Israel is traversing a similar trajectory like these former empires:
“This ideology we are talking about is the one that conceives the right to exist in the land that was a historical Palestine. And Israel sees it as Greater Israel unified from the [Jordan] river to the [Mediterranean] sea. Several Israeli politicians and leaders are openly talking about the fact that Greater Israel should include parts of Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.” [7]
This begs the question; have Zionists inadvertently adopted a tactic first introduced by an ancient sect whose ideology is antithetical to their own, or are they suffering from delusions of grandeur in believing their expansionist plan will ever succeed?
“The Assassins (aka Nizari Ismailis) were a heretical group of Shiite Muslims who were powerful in Persia and Syria from the 11th century CE until their defeat at the hands of the Mongols in the mid-13th century CE…
…they became infamous for their strategy of singling out opposition figures and murdering them, usually in knife-wielding teams. The group was known as the Assassins by their enemies in reference to their use of hashish, ‘assassin’ being a corruption of the Arabic hasisi (‘hashish-eater’), and so the name has since come to be associated with their chief modus operandi, the act of murder for political or religious purposes.
As the Nizari Ismailis used the strategy of assassination so often, the name medieval Arabs used to describe their drug habits became synonymous with the act of murdering a political or religious opponent.” [8]
Whatever the answer to the above question, the world is certainly waking up to the reality and barbarity of current Israeli Zionist leadership and is no longer drinking the kool aid.
Yet another question must be asked, this time closer to home; if foreign actors and/or their proxies began targeting political leaders, politicians and entrepreneurs who publicly advocate Islamophobic, anti-Muslim, far-right, racist policies, using assassinations and other terror tactics as tools of war – in response to similar strategies we are witnessing abroad – what would be our collective response? Silence or outrage?
“A manhunt is under way after a US politician and her husband were shot dead in their home in a “politically motivated assassination” – and another politician and his wife were also shot.” [9]
Although the facts behind this tragic double murder remain unknown, other than that it was politically motivated, concerns should be raised regarding double standards insofar as they relate on national and international scales. Bellicose statements and blind support of genocidal and war mongering governments from political leaders do little to dissipate flames of discontent across our societies that continue to witness atrocities being committed against Palestinians and now, Iranians by rogue actors. We should be wary of what is increasingly perceived as state legislated terrorism, or tacit support for it, being mirrored among civic society.
Aggression, Bullying & Cowardice: The ABC of Politics today
The withdrawal of several societies’ support for Israel in view of its current strategy has not dampened the latter’s appetite for war:
“A group of seven European nations has called for an end to Israel’s military assault and blockade of Gaza…” [10]
Also,
“Dozens of countries around the world have called on Israel to show more restraint in the war in Gaza, while a smaller number have gone a step further by severing relations or making other official diplomatic protests.” [11]
The US no longer wields the type of influence that could halt Israeli aggression. This has been the case for many years now since the presidency of Obama and arguably, before that era. Despite his braggadocio, not even Trump is able to curtail Netanyahu and his government, as the following headline illustrates:
“Israel’s strikes on Iran show Trump is unable to restrain Netanyahu as Middle East slips closer to chaos.” [12]
If the UN Security Council and other international blocs, together with most state actors, were to display unequivocal solidarity on various levels, particularly economically, Israel would have little choice but to heed to demands and pressure to change its current destructive course of action across the Middle East. The other, more decisive alternative would be meeting Israeli aggression with the same level of hostility, and that would amount to all-out war.
Bullies only know one language when isolated or cornered, as was recently witnessed in an MMA contest that has since gone viral. Irish MMA fighter, Paddy McCorry, inflicted a humiliating defeat on his Israeli opponent, Shuki Farage, a former IDF soldier who had proudly posted (and boasted about) his recent service in Gaza on social media:
“Viral footage shared online showed the Irish fighter shouting the slogan in Farage’s face as he beats the former Israeli army soldier to the ground of the fighting cage, which encouraged spectators to shout, “Free Palestine” as well.” [13]
This is a micro example of what is emerging on macro, societal levels vis-à-vis Israel and its weakened geopolitical position among existing and former allies. Bullies fear strength that they are unable to commandeer or control. Ultimately, their final recourse is to endeavour to neutralise or discredit that source of fear. However, when challenged robustly or confronted over a sustained period, they have little recourse except to concede or face a ruinous downfall. We should therefore be under no illusion that Israel’s behaviour in the region is reflective of power; it is, in actuality, concealing deeper national weaknesses that will reveal themselves in due course. It is unavoidable; no society can sustain the oppression of a people within usurped or occupied land without imploding – even if it occurs generations later. In the meantime, we must continue to do whatever is necessary to avoid what is amounting to a disconcerting pathway towards the hyper-normalisation of malevolence.
[1] Marci, F: ‘Israel kills nuclear scientists, strikes sites in Iran: Who did it target?’ Aljazeera News, 13th June 2025: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/13/israel-kills-nuclear-scientists-strikes-sites-in-iran-who-did-it-target
[2] AlJazeera News: ‘Israel kills at least 79 in Gaza, many at US-backed aid sites: Medics,’ Aljazeera News: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/14/israel-kills-at-least-58-people-in-gaza-many-at-us-backed-aid-site-medics
[3] Graham-Harrison, E: ‘Strikes on Iran ease pressure on Israel to end starvation in Gaza,’ The Guardian, 14th June 2025: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/14/israel-attack-on-iran-slows-diplomatic-momentum-to-halt-gaza-war
[4] United Nations Human Rights: ‘UN Commission finds war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israeli attacks on Gaza health facilities and treatment of detainees, hostages,’ UNHR, 10th October 2024: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/10/un-commission-finds-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-israeli-attacks
[5] BBC Bitesize: Reasons for the Outbreak of World War One,’ BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zj82tcw#zg39wsg [accessed 15th June 2025]
[6] Sofuoglu, M: ‘Idea of Greater Israel is fueling Netanyahu’s ideology: top UN official,’ TRT World, https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/idea-of-greater-israel-fuelling-netanyahus-ideology-top-un-official-18218835 [accessed 15th June 2025]
[7] Ibid
[8] Cartwright, M: ‘The Assassins,’ World History Encyclopedia, 29th October 2019: https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Assassins/
[9] Sky News: ‘Minnesota: US politician shot dead and another wounded – as suspect named,’ Sky News, 15th June 2025: https://news.sky.com/story/manhunt-after-us-politician-and-husband-shot-dead-in-politically-motivated-assassination-second-politician-also-targeted-13383649
[10] AlJazeera News: ‘Seven European nations urge Israel to ‘reverse its current policy’ on Gaza,’ Al Jazeera, 17th May 2025: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/17/seven-european-nations-urge-israel-to-reverse-its-current-policy-on-gaza
[11] Saric, I & Mukherjee, R: ‘Which countries have withdrawn diplomats over Israel’s actions in Gaza,’ Axios, 16th November 2023: https://www.axios.com/2023/11/16/israel-gaza-war-countries-against-cease-fire-diplomats
[12] Roth, A: ‘Israel’s strikes on Iran show Trump is unable to restrain Netanyahu as Middle East slips closer to chaos,’ The Guardian, 13th June 2025: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/13/israels-strikes-on-iran-show-trump-is-unable-to-restrain-netanyahu-as-middle-east-slips-closer-to-chaos
[13] New Arab Staff: ‘Irish MMA Fighter Paddy McCorry shouts ‘Free Palestine’ as he beats opponent and former IDF soldier,’ The New Arab, 1st June 2025: https://www.newarab.com/news/irish-mma-fighter-shouts-free-palestine-he-beats-israeli