Tel Aviv has swapped an indirect enemy and sponsor of proxy militias for a direct enemy that has repeatedly sent Israeli citizens running for their bunkers

David Hearst
24 June 2025 19:48 BST
Last update: ~18:10 EDT

"Israel sustained more damage from Iran’s missiles in 12 days than it did from two years of Hamas’s homegrown rockets, or indeed from months of war with Hezbollah.

In 12 days, Israeli crews have come to grips with the sort of damage to apartment blocks that before only Israeli planes had inflicted on Gaza and Lebanon - and it’s been something of a shock. Strategic targets have been hit, including an oil refinery and a power station. Iran has also reported strikes on Israeli military facilities, although Israel’s strict censorship regime makes these assertions difficult to verify. "