Iran–Israel Cold War

Iran–Israel proxy conflict
	Part of the Arab–Israeli conflict and the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
	; Israel (orange) and Iran (green) shown within the Middle East
Date	16 February 1985 – present; (41 years, 6 months, 3 weeks and 3 days)
Location	Various (primarily Middle East)
Status	Ongoing: Iran reinforces Syria and Hezbollah; Israel tries to prevent weapon transfers to Hezbollah; 2006 Lebanon War ends in military stalemate and Israeli withdrawal; Beginning of the ongoing Gaza–Israel conflict in June 2006; Israel tries to stop the Iranian nuclear program; Iran grows major spheres of influence in the Middle East; Formation of the Arab–Israeli alliance; Pause in Arab–Israeli normalization in 2023–present; Iran provides munitions to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip; Escalation to a direct conflict between the two countries in 2024 and 2025; 2026 Israeli–United States strikes on Iran and Assassination of Ali Khamenei;
Belligerents
Iran; Proxies: Hezbollah ; Hamas (2006–2011; 2017–present) ; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) (2013–present) ; Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) ; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP–GC) (2013–present) ; Sabireen Movement (until 2019) ; Houthis ; Popular Mobilization Units[better source needed] ; Islamic Resistance in Iraq ; PKK (1982–1992) ; Liwa Fatemiyoun ; Husseiniyoun ; Liwa Zainebiyoun ; Al-Ashtar Brigades ;	Israel; Proxies: South Lebanon Army (until 2000) ; Fursan al-Joulan (2013–19) ; Popular Forces of Palestine (2024–present) ;
Commanders and leaders
Ali Khamenei X; (Supreme Leader of Iran, 1989–2026); Masoud Pezeshkian (WIA); (President of Iran, 2024–present); Mohammad Mokhber (briefly in 2024); Ebrahim Raisi; (2021–2024); Hassan Rouhani; (2013–2021); Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; (2005–2013); Naim Qassem; (Secretary-General of Hezbollah, 2024–present); Hassan Nasrallah X; (Secretary-General of Hezbollah, 1992–2024); Yahya Sinwar †; (Hamas leader, August–October 2024); Ismail Haniyeh X; (Hamas leader, 2017–2024); Khaled Mashal; (Hamas leader, 1996–2017); Ahmad Sa'adat (POW); (PFLP Leader); Ziyad al-Nakhalah; (PIJ Leader)	Benjamin Netanyahu ; (Prime Minister of Israel, 1996–1999; 2009–2021; 2022–present); Ehud Barak ; (1999–2001); Ariel Sharon ; (2001–2006); Ehud Olmert ; (2006–2009); Naftali Bennett ; (2021–2022); Yair Lapid ; (2022); Ghassan Duhine (WIA) (Leader of the Popular Forces, 2025–present) ; Yasser Abu Shabab † ; (Leader of the Popular Forces, 2023–2025) ; Antoine Lahad ; (Leader of the South Lebanon Army until 2000)

The Iran–Israel proxy conflict is an ongoing political and armed tension between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Israel.

The two countries have involved in direct and indirect engagements, both have participated in indirect conflicts through proxy disputes. Especially, Iran has created a front against Israel and has provided numerous resources to anti-Israeli groups. Although both nations were once allies and cooperated strongly with the United States diplomatically, economically and politically under the Imperial State of Iran, that all changed after the Iranian Revolution of 1979 which established an Islamic nation of Iran that went against Israel (see Policy of Iran towards Israel).

Iran's proxy involvement against Israel began during the 1985–2000 South Lebanon conflict, in which Iran supported Hezbollah, an enemy of Israel.

2006 Lebanon War

In the 2006 Lebanon War, Iran had actively supported Hezbollah. Particularly, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had provided Hezbollah with heavy weapons and anti-tank missiles and also participated in some battles, providing military support to Hezbollah.

Gaza–Israel conflict

Meanwhile, since the Gaza–Israel conflict broke out in the Gaza Strip in 2006, Iran has supported anti-Israeli groups like Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Also, Israel has began its support for many anti-Iranian government opposition armed groups to prevent Iran's nuclear development. Israel also strengthens its diplomatic relationships with the United States and Saudi Arabia, the two nations that are enemies of Iran.

Syrian Civil War

In 2018, during the Syrian Civil War, Iran had supported the Syrian government and began a proxy conflict against Israel during the Civil War.

Related pages

References

↑ "Israel leaves front lines in south Lebanon". UPI. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
↑ Jordan, Will; Radhakrishnan, Rahul (23 February 2015). "Mossad contradicted Netanyahu on Iran nuclear programme". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
↑ Mudallali, Amal (8 October 2014). "The Iranian Sphere of Influence Expands into Yemen". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
↑ Shatz, Adam (29 April 2004). "In Search of Hezbollah". The New York Review of Books. 51 (7). Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
↑ "Iran punishes Hamas for stance on Syria". Al Arabiya English. 1 June 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019. Iran's annual financial aid to Hamas is believed to be around $20 million, which helps the group run its government in the Gaza Strip. Both parties enjoyed warm ties since 2006 when Hamas won an election against the Western-backed Fatah movement. But the crisis in Syria has led to problems between them.
↑ Rasgon, Adam (12 February 2018). "Renewed Hamas-Iran ties make risk of two-front war more realistic". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
↑ "Iran Increases Aid to PFLP Thanks to Syria Stance". Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East. 17 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
↑ "Is the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine back from the dead?". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 14 May 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
↑ Ayyoub, Abeer (21 January 2013). "Iran Strengthens Ties To Palestinian Islamic Jihad". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
↑ "Palestinian Islamic Jihad". Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
↑ Balousha, Hazem (17 September 2013). "Iran Increases Aid to PFLP Thanks to Syria Stance". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
↑ "US move turns spotlight on Al Sabreen movement, the arms of Iran in Palestine". Al Arabiya English. 2 February 2018. Archived from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
↑ "Yemen's Houthi rebels threaten to attack Israel". The Times of Israel. 8 December 2019. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
↑ "Israel strikes Popular Mobilisation Forces' sites in Iraq". Middle East Monitor. 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
↑ The Foreign Policies of Middle East States, 2002, pp. 78–79, ISBN 9781588260208
↑ Lebanon and Turkey: Historical Contexts and Contemporary Realities, Robert G. Rabil, 2023, pp. 121–122
↑ The Settlement Issue in Turkey and the Kurds: An Analysis of Spatial Policies, Modernity and War, Joost Jongerden, 2007, pp. 59–61, ISBN 9789004155572
↑ "Iran's Afghan mercenaries threaten Israel: Final target is the Golan". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 24 December 2019. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
↑ "The Huseynyun: Iran's new IRGC-backed movement in Azerbaijan". 9 October 2021.
↑ "Analysis: Iranian-backed group in Bahrain creates sub-unit to target Israeli interests". FDD's Long War Journal. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
↑ Israel 'giving secret aid to Syrian rebels', report says: Direct funding, food, fuel and medical supplies allegedly provided by Israeli state to keep Isis and Iranian-allied forces in neighbouring civil war at bay The Independent, 19 June 2017.
↑ "Israel secretly armed and funded 12 Syrian rebel groups, report says". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
↑ Gross, Judah Ari (14 January 2019). "IDF chief finally acknowledges that Israel supplied weapons to Syrian rebels". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
↑ Haley Ott (6 June 2025). "Opponents say Netanyahu's decision to arm "clans in Gaza" to help fight Hamas will come back to haunt Israel". CBS News. Retrieved 14 June 2025.

[1] "Israel leaves front lines in south Lebanon". UPI. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.

[2] Jordan, Will; Radhakrishnan, Rahul (23 February 2015). "Mossad contradicted Netanyahu on Iran nuclear programme". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2019.

[3] Mudallali, Amal (8 October 2014). "The Iranian Sphere of Influence Expands into Yemen". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.

[nybooks-4] Shatz, Adam (29 April 2004). "In Search of Hezbollah". The New York Review of Books. 51 (7). Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2006.

[english.alarabiya.net-5] "Iran punishes Hamas for stance on Syria". Al Arabiya English. 1 June 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019. Iran's annual financial aid to Hamas is believed to be around $20 million, which helps the group run its government in the Gaza Strip. Both parties enjoyed warm ties since 2006 when Hamas won an election against the Western-backed Fatah movement. But the crisis in Syria has led to problems between them.

[6] Rasgon, Adam (12 February 2018). "Renewed Hamas-Iran ties make risk of two-front war more realistic". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.

[7] "Iran Increases Aid to PFLP Thanks to Syria Stance". Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East. 17 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.

[8] "Is the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine back from the dead?". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 14 May 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.

[9] Ayyoub, Abeer (21 January 2013). "Iran Strengthens Ties To Palestinian Islamic Jihad". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2016.

[10] "Palestinian Islamic Jihad". Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2014.

[11] Balousha, Hazem (17 September 2013). "Iran Increases Aid to PFLP Thanks to Syria Stance". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.

[12] "US move turns spotlight on Al Sabreen movement, the arms of Iran in Palestine". Al Arabiya English. 2 February 2018. Archived from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.

[13] "Yemen's Houthi rebels threaten to attack Israel". The Times of Israel. 8 December 2019. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.

[14] "Israel strikes Popular Mobilisation Forces' sites in Iraq". Middle East Monitor. 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.

[15] The Foreign Policies of Middle East States, 2002, pp. 78–79, ISBN 9781588260208

[16] Lebanon and Turkey: Historical Contexts and Contemporary Realities, Robert G. Rabil, 2023, pp. 121–122

[17] The Settlement Issue in Turkey and the Kurds: An Analysis of Spatial Policies, Modernity and War, Joost Jongerden, 2007, pp. 59–61, ISBN 9789004155572

[18] "Iran's Afghan mercenaries threaten Israel: Final target is the Golan". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 24 December 2019. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2020.

[19] "The Huseynyun: Iran's new IRGC-backed movement in Azerbaijan". 9 October 2021.

[20] "Analysis: Iranian-backed group in Bahrain creates sub-unit to target Israeli interests". FDD's Long War Journal. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2022.

[21] Israel 'giving secret aid to Syrian rebels', report says: Direct funding, food, fuel and medical supplies allegedly provided by Israeli state to keep Isis and Iranian-allied forces in neighbouring civil war at bay The Independent, 19 June 2017.

[22] "Israel secretly armed and funded 12 Syrian rebel groups, report says". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2021-01-09.

[23] Gross, Judah Ari (14 January 2019). "IDF chief finally acknowledges that Israel supplied weapons to Syrian rebels". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2021-01-09.

[24] Haley Ott (6 June 2025). "Opponents say Netanyahu's decision to arm "clans in Gaza" to help fight Hamas will come back to haunt Israel". CBS News. Retrieved 14 June 2025.

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v t e Iran–Israel proxy conflict
Background	Iranian Revolution Iran–Iraq war 1999 arrest of Iranian Jews
Iran–Israel war	June 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran United States strikes on Iranian nuclear sites 2025 Iranian strikes on Al Udeid Air Base
2026 Iran war	2026 Minab school airstrike Assassination of Ali Khamenei Assassination of Ali Larijani 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
Hezbollah–Israel conflict	Israeli–Lebanese conflict South Lebanon Conflict 1982 kidnapping of Iranian diplomats 1992 Buenos Aires Israeli embassy bombing AMIA bombing 2000–2006 Shebaa Farms conflict 2000 Hezbollah cross-border raid 2005 Hezbollah cross-border raid 2006 Lebanon War 2008 Israel–Hezbollah prisoner exchange 2009 Hezbollah plot in Egypt Francop Affair January 2015 Shebaa Farms incident Operation Northern Shield 2019 Beirut drone crash 2023 Israel–Lebanon shellings Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present) 2026 Lebanon War Projectile attacks from Lebanon
Israeli–Palestinian conflict	Karine A affair Victoria Affair Operation Full Disclosure 2024 Iranian strikes against Israel
Gaza–Israel conflict	Gaza War (2008–2009) 2014 Gaza War May 2023 Gaza–Israel clashes Israel–Hamas war
Syrian civil war	January 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrike May 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrikes December 2014 Rif Dimashq airstrikes January 2015 Mazraat Amal incident April 2015 Qalamoun incident March 2017 Israel–Syria incident February 2018 Israel–Syria incident Operation House of Cards September 2018 Syria missile strikes August 2019 Syria missile strikes November 2019 Syria missile strikes January 2021 Syria airstrikes July 2022 Damascus airstrikes 2023 Damascus airstrike Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents Hezbollah involvement
International incidents	Operation Outside the Box 2009 Sudan airstrikes 2011 alleged Iran assassination plot 2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats 2012 Bangkok bombings 2012 Cyprus terrorist plot 2012 Burgas bus bombing Yarmouk munitions factory explosion 2019 Israeli airstrikes in Iraq 2022 Erbil missile attacks 2022 Istanbul terror plot 2024 Iranian missile strikes in Iraq and Syria
Nuclear program of Iran	Assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists Ardeshir Hosseinpour Massoud Ali-Mohammadi Majid Shahriari Fereydoon Abbasi Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan Mohsen Fakhrizadeh AMAD Project Bid Kaneh explosion Stuxnet 2020 Iran explosions 2021 Natanz incident 2023 Iran drone attacks
Related	Russia and the Iran–Israel proxy conflict Russia–Hamas relations Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict Ahmad Reza Djalali Axis of Resistance Arab–Israeli alliance Abraham Accords Warsaw Middle East conference People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran Little Satan Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Israel Views on military action against Iran Iran and state-sponsored terrorism Iranian support for Hamas Israel and state-sponsored terrorism Quds Day Prisoner X2 Tehran
Category:Iran–Israel proxy conflict

v t e List of modern conflicts in the Middle East
1910s	Italo-Turkish War World War I Middle Eastern theatre Battle of Robat Karim Arab Revolt Armenian genocide Assyrian genocide Mount Lebanon starvation Unification of Saudi Arabia Simko Shikak revolt 1919 Egyptian Revolution Turkish War of Independence Greco-Turkish War Turkish–Armenian War Franco-Turkish War Revolts Mahmud Barzanji revolts
1920s	Franco-Syrian War Iraqi Revolt (1920) Intercommunal conflict in Mandatory Palestine Adwan Rebellion Arab separatism in Khuzestan Great Syrian Revolt Sheikh Said rebellion
1930s	Ararat rebellion Ahmed Barzani revolt Simele massacre Saudi–Yemeni War (1934) Goharshad Mosque rebellion 1935–1936 Iraqi Shia revolts 1935 Yazidi revolt 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine Dersim rebellion
1940s	World War II Italian bombing of Palestine Anglo-Iraqi War Syria–Lebanon campaign Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran 1943 Barzani revolt Alwaziri coup Al-Wathbah uprising Kurdish separatism in Iran Iran crisis of 1946 Arab–Israeli conflict 1948 Arab–Israeli War Suez Crisis 1967 Six-Day War 1973 Yom Kippur War 1982 Lebanon War
1950s	1952 Egyptian Revolution 1953 Iranian coup d'état Jebel Akhdar War Cyprus Emergency Suez Crisis Yemeni–Adenese clan violence 1958 Lebanon crisis 1958 Iraqi revolution 1959 Mosul uprising
1960s	Cyprus crisis of 1963–1964 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict First Iraqi–Kurdish War Second Iraqi–Kurdish War Dhofar Rebellion North Yemen Civil War Feb. 1963 Iraqi coup Mar. 1963 Syrian coup Nov. 1963 Iraqi coup Aden Emergency 1964 Hama riot Israeli–Palestinian conflict 1948 Palestine war First Intifada Second Intifada 1966 Syrian coup d'état
1970s	Black September in Jordan Yemenite War of 1972 Turkish invasion of Cyprus Shatt al-Arab clashes Lebanese Civil War Political violence in Turkey Islamist uprising in Syria 1977 Shia uprising in Iraq NDF Rebellion Yemenite War of 1979 Iranian Revolution Consolidation of the Iranian Revolution 1979 Qatif Uprising Grand Mosque seizure 1979–1980 Shia uprising in Iraq
1980s	Iran–Iraq War 1980 Turkish coup d'état Kurdish–Turkish conflict Turkey–PKK conflict South Yemen Civil War 1986 Egyptian conscripts riot 1986 Damascus bombings 1987 Sharjawi coup d'état attempt Mecca massacre Abu Nidal's executions
1990s	Gulf War (1990–1991) 1991 Iraqi uprisings Terror campaign in Egypt (1990s) Yemeni Civil War (1994) Iraqi Kurdish Civil War Islamic insurgency in Saudi Arabia (2000–present) Operation Desert Fox al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen 1999 Shia uprising in Iraq
2000s	Iraq War Balochi insurgency in Iran 2004 Qamishli riots Houthi insurgency in Yemen Iran–Israel proxy conflict 2006 Lebanon War Fatah–Hamas conflict South Yemen insurgency
2010s	2011 Bahraini uprising Egyptian Crisis Sinai insurgency Insurgency in Egypt (2013–present) Syrian civil war Turkish involvement in Syria Syrian War spillover in Lebanon Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013) War in Iraq (2013–2017) Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present) Yemeni crisis Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)
2020s	2021 Beirut clashes Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present) Israel–Hamas war Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present) Red Sea crisis 2024 Iran–Israel conflict Iran–Israel war 2026 Iran war
This list includes World War I and later conflicts (after 1914) of at least 100 fatalities each Prolonged conflicts are listed in the decade when initiated; ongoing conflicts are marked italic, and conflicts with +100,000 killed with bold.