Iran–Israel: From Strategic Allies to Eternal Enemies

After the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, Iran became one of the first countries to recognize Israel's sovereignty de facto. This support was not merely ideological, but rather the result of careful geopolitical calculations.

In the 1950s to the early 1970s, Israel and Iran were united by common interests: facing pressure from Arab countries, preventing the influence of the Soviet Union, and establishing close relations with the United States. Under the rule of the monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran viewed Israel as a potential business partner, particularly in the energy sector.

The cooperation between the two includes the construction of the Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline to channel Iranian oil to Israel and Europe, making Iran the main energy supplier for Israel, accounting for 70 percent of its total needs. Not stopping there, Iran and Israel are also involved in agricultural projects, development, and intelligence cooperation. The peak of the warm relationship between the two countries was marked by the opening of each country's embassy until 1979.

Although Iran publicly adopts an anti-Israel stance, the reality of the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988) once compelled Tehran to act pragmatically. Dalia Dassa et al. in their book Israel and Iran: A Dangerous Rivalry (2012) explain that, in a situation of weapon shortages due to international embargoes, Iran quietly reestablished contact with Israel. Israel, perceiving Saddam Hussein as a greater threat, was willing to provide military assistance to Iran.

An unofficial agreement was established: Israel sent weapons and components for fighter jets to Iran. In return, Iran facilitated the exodus of Iranian Jews to Israel. This collaboration reached its peak in the "Iran-Contra" scandal involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Under this agreement, Iran received weapons from the US through Israel, in exchange for assisting in the release of American hostages in Lebanon.

However, this ambiguous relationship ended after the war. Iran returned to an anti-Israel narrative. The early 2000s marked a new era of hostility. The election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as President of Iran strengthened Iran's position as a threat to Israel. Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program during Ahmadinejad's era raised concerns in Tel Aviv. Iran successfully became the first country in the Middle East to establish a nuclear power plant in 2011.

Since 2010, Israel has launched various covert operations to hinder Iran's nuclear project, ranging from the assassination of scientists, cyberattacks, to the sabotage of nuclear facilities.

On the other hand, Iran is exploiting proxy warfare. Proxy warfare is a realm of conflict that does not involve direct engagement in battles but is conducted through strategies that support certain parties in the conflict or through third parties, such as armed militia groups.

Iran's proxy war strategy is carried out by funding and arming groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, thereby creating a circle of pressure against Israel. The Syrian civil war has even been exploited by Iran to approach the Israeli border by sending weapons to Hezbollah through Syrian territory.

Israel reacted to this proxy war. Airstrikes were launched on hundreds of Iranian targets in Syria, including a major incident in 2018 that killed dozens of Iranians. Iran retaliated by launching rockets into the Golan Heights, further emphasizing the escalation of the conflict that was difficult to control.

Israel is striving to isolate Iran through diplomacy, including establishing official relations with Arab countries via the Abraham Accords. The successful normalization with the United Arab Emirates in 2020 marked a significant achievement for Tel Aviv.

However, this vigorous diplomacy was once again tested when the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October 2023. Israel's attacks on Gaza triggered global condemnation and made Arab countries reluctant to continue the normalization process. Conversely, Iran seized this moment to strengthen its influence, ready to strike Israel from various directions. In January 2024, the United States intercepted a weapons shipment from Iran to Yemen, indicating that this proxy conflict is unlikely to subside in the near future.

This was evidenced by Iran's attack on Israel on Sunday (14/4/2024). In an operation titled Operation Honest Promise, Iran launched hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic missiles, as well as dozens of cruise missiles at Israel. Observing the pattern of the attacks carried out, this represents an extraordinary military operation by Iran against Israel.

Iran launched the largest airstrike in a decade. There were 180 drones, 110 ballistic missiles, and 30 cruise missiles launched by Iran to attack all of Israel in the early hours of the morning. Almost all of Iran's attacks were repelled by Israel and the US coalition. If they were not repelled, it is certain that Israel would have been destroyed because of the magnitude of the explosion that occurred.

Referring to the release of the Iranian news agency, IRNA (15/4/2024), the drone used was the Shahed-131/Shahed-136 type which is capable of carrying warheads. Meanwhile, the ballistic missiles used were the Kheibar Shekan weighing 4.5 tons and the Emad missile weighing 17.5 tons. Meanwhile, the type of cruise missile used was the Paveh type. There are also circulating photos of three large casings of former ballistic missile rocket bodies in intact condition which are said to carry 500 kg of warheads.

Iran is indeed known as one of the countries capable of producing drones and ballistic missiles. Iranian drones are also recorded as being used by several countries, including Russia. The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (11/14/2022) stated that Russia ordered 2,400 units of Iranian drones, the Shahed-136 and Shahed 131 models. The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and The Primer Iran also reported that by early 2024 Iran had marketed its drones to five countries and seven militias in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Iran's capability in developing ballistic missiles is evident from the series of ballistic missile attacks on Israel in October 2024. Iran utilized the advanced hypersonic missile Fattah, which in Persian means "conqueror." The Fattah missile can carry a warhead weighing between 350 to 450 kg. A warhead of that weight is sufficient to be equipped with various types of explosives, including nuclear explosives.

The rapid development of Iranian drone and missile technology has made Israel continue to maintain its defense radar. In November 2021, for example, Israel held a military exercise for the elite Golani unit attended by 3,000 soldiers. The exercise targeted strategic targets, namely the Chabahar Port and Qeshm Island in Iran, which is known as an Iranian drone base.

The long history of Iran–Israel relations is a lengthy tale of interests and ideology. The twists and turns of this relationship illustrate the dynamism of international politics, where allies can turn into enemies, and old foes can be embraced again if the situation demands. Their relationship demonstrates that in international politics, there are no eternal friends or foes.

Currently, the shadow of open conflict between the two continues to grow. Israel on Friday (6/13/2025) attacked Tehran. Allegedly, the Israeli attack targeted Iran's nuclear sites and military bases (Kompas.id 6/13/2025).

As long as there are no fundamental changes in ideological orientation or geopolitical strategies, it is highly likely that the ebb and flow of these two superpowers in the Middle East will continue in a more complex and dangerous form. (KOMPAS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT)