Iran's response

Iran launched 200 missiles at Israel, testing defenses and heightening Middle East tensions toward a potential war

Tehran apparently tested Tel Aviv's nerves as it launched around 200 missiles into the Jewish state. While it had negligible impact in terms of devastation, as the Iron Dome cared for the security of the Zionist state by intercepting the incoming projectiles, the circumference of warfare has come full circle. Now the Middle East sits on the brink of an all-out war. Iran's calculated and very limited response to a series of transgressions against its interests in the region, especially the daredevil killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on its soil and extermination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, hinted at the restraint that the Islamic Republic wants to exercise even in adversity.

Iran's belated and simplistic rejoinder to the voluminous death and destruction episodes of Israel is being debated all over. For many it was a moment of euphoria as, at least, someone mustered the courage to take on the military might of the Zions. But for others, it was business as usual as it stopped short of any strategic shift in ground realities. While Iran claimed that it had been able to hit the Mossad headquarters, Nevatim and Hatzerim air-bases, and has threatened to repeat it with "multiplied intensity", there were no serious takers in Israel. The Jewish state, rather, reiterated its offensive strategy to completely invade Lebanon, and sever Iran's non-state actors across the region by annihilating them like sitting ducks. That means Tel Aviv is in no rush to take on Tehran before making it bleed and retreat across the region. The incapacitation of Hezbollah to pick up the threads instantly will come as a severe backlash for Iran, compelling it to revisit its warfare module.

At this point of time, it seems Israel and Iran have settled for a state-centric tit-for-tat. They have successfully played to the gallery. But the point is that the region is on fire, and with bloodshed ensuing in Gaza and Lebanon, it warrants a logical solution. Riyadh, Beijing and Moscow cannot afford to sit idle without ushering in their diplomatic muscles.