Israel-Iran Conflict Expands with Hundreds of Airstrikes, Dozens Dead

The conflict between Israel and Iran has escalated into direct warfare, marked by hundreds of airstrikes and significant casualties on both sides. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened intensified strikes against Iran, including the possibility of targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, although US President Donald Trump vetoed a recent Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei, emphasizing a negotiated resolution and warning Iran against attacking US targets. Israel's attacks have targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, military infrastructure, and energy sector, resulting in hundreds of Iranian deaths and injuries, while Iran has retaliated with missile strikes inside Israeli territory. The conflict marks a departure from decades of proxy wars and reflects deep historical tensions dating back to Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, which transformed the formerly cooperative Israel-Iran relationship into hostility. International criticism, such as from Indonesian official Jazuli Juwaini, condemns Israel's actions as violations of international law and a source of regional instability, fueling global protests and calls for peace. Netanyahu, shaped by a longstanding ideological stance against Iran's nuclear ambitions, sees this conflict as pivotal both strategically and politically in his career, while Trump remains focused on preventing broader escalation.