As Israeli strikes rock Iran, a timeline of longstanding conflict | World News

Israel’s latest military operation inside Iran, carried out just ahead of nuclear discussions between Tehran and the US in Oman, marks a turning point in what was once a shadow conflict. Israeli officials say that the airstrikes were aimed at disrupting Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The operation — dubbed “Rising Lion” — struck key nuclear and military infrastructure and allegedly killed high-ranking Iranian figures, including Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami and two prominent nuclear scients. Iran confirmed Salami’s death on state media.
Though the US danced itself from the operation, the strikes arrive amid growing tension around Tehran’s uranium enrichment program, and just days after Donald Trump acknowledged that “it could be a dangerous place” for US forces in the region.
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Here’s a look back at the relations between the two countries in the past:

1979 – A revolution The overthrow of Iran’s Western-aligned Shah ends formal ties with Israel. The new Islamic regime adopts anti-Israel ideology as a core pillar of its foreign policy.
1982 – Hezbollah emerges as Iran’s regional proxyAmid Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard aids in establishing Hezbollah, a Shi’ite militia that would grow into one of Israel’s most formidable enemies.
1983 – Suicide bombings shift the balance in LebanonIran-backed militants use suicide attacks to push out Western and Israeli forces. In November, a car bomb targets the Israeli military headquarters in Lebanon. Israel later retreats from much of the region.
1992–1994 – Deadly attacks in ArgentinaBombings in Buenos Aires hit the Israeli embassy and a Jewish community center, killing dozens. Iran and Hezbollah are accused, but both deny involvement.
2002 – Hidden nuclear work comes to lightReports of Iran’s secret uranium enrichment facilities raise alarms globally. Israel urges a hardline response, warning that Tehran may be pursuing nuclear weapons.
2006 – A costly war with HezbollahIsrael and Hezbollah fight a brutal month-long war. Despite heavy firepower, Israel fails to neutralize the group. The conflict ends in a military and political deadlock.
2009 – Khamenei likens Israel to a ‘cancer’Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, brands Israel “a dangerous and fatal cancer,” reinforcing Tehran’s hostile stance.
2010 – Cyber warfare begins with StuxnetThe Stuxnet virus, widely attributed to US and Israeli intelligence, cripples Iran’s Natanz nuclear site. It marks the first known case of a cyberattack targeting industrial systems.
2012 – A scient is killed in TehranMostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, a key Iranian nuclear scient, is killed when a bomb is planted on his car. A city official blames Israeli agents.
2018 – Trump exits nuclear deal; Israel cheersPresident Donald Trump pulls the US out of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. Netanyahu calls it “a horic move.” That May, Israel claims to have struck Iranian positions in Syria after rockets target the Golan Heights.
2020 – Soleimani killed, tensions spikeA US drone strike in Baghdad kills General Qassem Soleimani, leader of Iran’s Quds Force. Israel welcomes the move. Iran retaliates with missile attacks on US bases in Iraq, injuring around 100 American troops.
2021 – Iran accuses Israel of another assassinationMohsen Fakhrizadeh, thought to be the architect of Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons program, is killed. Tehran blames Israel, which remains silent.
2022 – Joint US-Israel pledge to block Iran’s nukesDuring a visit to Israel, US President Joe Biden signs the “Jerusalem Declaration” alongside Israeli PM Yair Lapid, vowing to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Biden also hints at military force as a “last resort.”
April 2024 – Embassy strike triggers unprecedented Iranian attackA suspected Israeli airstrike destroys Iran’s consulate in Damascus, killing seven IRGC officers. Iran retaliates launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel — its first direct strike on Israeli territory.
October 2024 – Iran escalates with 180 missilesTehran launches a large-scale missile attack, claiming retaliation for Israel’s assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Israel strikes back days later, targeting Iranian military sites. Explosions are reported in Tehran and near bases, with Iranian officials reporting limited damage.
June 2025 – ‘Rising Lion’ strikes Tehran’s nuclear programIsrael confirms a broad military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear program, ballic missile infrastructure, and senior scients. It declares a state of emergency at home in preparation for Iranian retaliation. Iranian media report the deaths of Commander Hossein Salami and nuclear scients Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi.

The US denies involvement in the strikes. A day prior, Donald Trump said the US was repositioning personnel in the region, warning: “It could be a dangerous place.”
(With inputs from Reuters)