Key Points

Speaking to IANS, Colonel Shivdan Singh (Retired) said, “America is acting as a third party in this conflict. The actual war is between Iran and Israel, and this isn’t a recent development. This confrontation has been building for years. Their silent war has now turned overt. You may recall, on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack involving missiles and the capture of civilians. That attack intensified the hostilities.”

He continued, “Hamas, as we know, is a terror group backed by Iran. Similarly, Hezbollah — another proxy group — was also created by Iran and has launched attacks against Israel from Yemen. The conflict isn’t isolated. It’s multi-pronged and has deep historical roots. Israel has essentially been under siege for the last three years.”

Colonel Singh offered historical context: “Israel was founded in 1948 after Jews were driven out of multiple Arab countries, including Egypt. They came together and forged a new nation. Surrounded by adversaries, Israel has been in a constant state of defence. Despite being small and isolated, they’ve repeatedly thwarted attacks from hostile neighbours, driven by a fierce will to survive.”

On the current ceasefire, he pointed out, “The truce has been declared by the United States, which considers itself a superpower. But Iran has not accepted the ceasefire on those terms. The US may have announced it, but enforcement remains in question. Iran retaliated against American actions, and Israel responded in kind. If the US is serious about this ceasefire, it needs to engage both parties — Israel and those who influence Iran.”

Adding to the analysis, defence expert GJ Singh said, “One thing is absolutely clear — the US does not want war. After taking out Iran’s nuclear facilities, America chose to stay quiet. Even when Iran retaliated by targeting Qatar, Washington maintained its silence. Now, with a ceasefire in place, there's an attempt to de-escalate.”

However, Singh issued a caution: “The relationship between Iran and Israel is built on deep mistrust. While a ceasefire might be announced, making it work is a different challenge altogether. This is a fragile moment. We’ll need time to see if it holds, and frankly, it’s uncertain which side will break it next.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday officially confirmed Israel’s acceptance of the ceasefire proposal, bringing an end — at least temporarily — to 12 days of intense hostilities between the two regional adversaries.

In a formal statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu declared that Israel had not only achieved but surpassed its military objectives under Operation Rising Lion.

“Israel has eliminated a dual existential threat — both nuclear and ballistic. We have gone far beyond our goals. Our national security is stronger than ever,” the statement said.

However, tensions spiked shortly after the announcement, with Israeli authorities claiming to have detected incoming missiles from Iran — a move that defied the freshly agreed-upon ceasefire.

In response, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz instructed the military to strike “strategic targets” in the heart of Tehran, stating that Iran’s violation of the ceasefire would be met with “forceful retaliation.”

Air raid sirens blared across northern Israeli cities, including Haifa, as the Israeli missile defence system intercepted the alleged threats. No casualties or property damage were reported.

Iran, however, rejected accusations of launching any missiles post-ceasefire. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iran had “not violated any truce” and was adhering to peaceful terms.

Amid this confusion, US President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to both sides, condemning them for escalating tensions in spite of the ceasefire.

"These guys gotta calm down. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said during a press interaction in Washington, moments before departing for the NATO summit in The Hague.

“I didn’t like what I saw yesterday. Israel went ahead and launched a massive bombing run right after we struck the deal. That was not the agreement. And then Iran, of course, retaliated hard. Both sides violated the truce before the ink was even dry,” Trump said.

He added, “When I say you have 12 hours, I don’t mean launch your biggest payloads in the first hour. I’m disappointed with both of them.”

President Trump emphasised that sustaining peace in the Middle East remains a top priority for the US. However, his comments revealed frustration with both Israeli and Iranian leadership for undermining American diplomatic efforts.

- IANS