The second week of the escalating Israel-Iran air WAR has brought no signs of retreat from either side, with casualties mounting and fears growing of a broader regional war. As airstrikes and missile attacks continue between Tel Aviv and Tehran, European nations are stepping in, urging Iran to return to negotiations, while the United States under former President Donald Trump stands at a critical decision point over potential military involvement.
Israel launched its air campaign last Friday, declaring it aimed to dismantle Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure. Iran, in response, fired waves of drones and missiles deep into Israeli territory. What began as targeted military strikes has now crossed into deeply tragic territory—civilian deaths, destroyed hospitals, and shattered communities.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 639 people in Iran, including top military personnel and key nuclear scientists. Iran has responded with its own attacks that have killed at least 24 Israeli civilians. While neither figure has been independently verified, the humanitarian toll is evident.
The conflict’s sharpest edge is seen in Israel’s targeting of Iran’s nuclear and military command centers. Western and regional intelligence sources suggest the Israeli strategy may also be aimed at weakening, if not collapsing, the regime of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while not openly admitting to regime change as a goal, stated, “That may be a result, but it’s up to the Iranian people to rise for their freedom.”
Yet such a rise seems unlikely for now. Iranian citizens, already living under intense restrictions and now war, are more focused on survival than rebellion. “How are people supposed to pour into the streets? In such horrifying circumstances, people are solely focused on saving themselves, their families, their compatriots, and even their pets,” said Atena Daemi, a former political prisoner and human rights activist.
While Iran maintains it is only striking military targets inside Israel, it has also hit a hospital and civilian zones, prompting international outrage. Israel, on the other hand, has accused Iran of deploying internationally banned cluster munitions in civilian areas, an allegation Iran’s UN mission has not yet addressed.
Diplomatic Push Intensifies as Civilian Suffering Grows
Diplomatic efforts are now gaining urgency. On Friday, the foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany, alongside the EU’s foreign policy chief, met Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi in Geneva. British Foreign Minister David Lammy stressed the need for restraint: “Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one.”
Backing Europe’s efforts, Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping have both condemned Israel’s actions and called for a swift de-escalation. Their alignment places additional pressure on the West to find a path back to diplomacy.
The biggest wildcard remains the United States. While President Donald Trump has yet to make a final decision on whether to involve American military forces, he has openly floated the idea of striking Iran’s underground nuclear sites using “bunker buster” bombs. According to a White House statement, Trump will make a decision within the next two weeks—a phrase he often uses as a rhetorical placeholder rather than a firm deadline.
On Capitol Hill, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff met with UK officials to discuss diplomatic options. Witkoff, notably, has remained in indirect communication with Araqchi since the outbreak of hostilities, suggesting that backdoor diplomatic channels are still open.
Despite the fiery rhetoric and devastation on the ground, a war-fatigued world watches closely, hoping that diplomacy wins out before the war spreads beyond control. The next few days may well determine the future not just of Israel and Iran, but of the fragile Middle East balance. Source Reuters
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