Escalation Between Iran and Israel Raises Fears of Global Conflict

Iran/Israel, 15 April, 2025: As tensions between Iran and Israel reach a critical point, fears are mounting that the conflict could spill beyond regional borders, potentially igniting a global war. Pope Francis’ warning of a “piecemeal world war” now appears more prescient than ever. The Israeli airstrike on Iran in the early hours of 13 June represents the most severe escalation in the Middle East since the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023 and the profound geopolitical shifts that followed.

Iran, under the rule of the Ayatollahs, has long been seen as a destabilising force in the region and a direct threat to Israel’s security. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently raised alarms about Iran’s advancing nuclear capabilities. The key question now is whether Israel’s military move will neutralise the threat—or instead risk triggering a broader regional or even global conflict.

The response from the United States highlights the fragility of the international diplomatic framework. During a recent visit to Washington, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had proposed a similar strike, but the U.S. administration resisted, opting to engage diplomatically with Tehran. That moment marked a significant divergence in strategy between the two allies.

Since then, relations have further soured. Israel reacted coolly to former President Trump’s meetings with Gulf nations and to Washington’s support for Syria’s new leader, Al Sharaa, even as Israeli Defence Forces continued their operations in Damascus. President Trump has repeatedly called for an end to the Gaza war, his latest appeal coming just days ago in a call with Netanyahu.

Analysts suggest that Israel’s strike on Iran was a calculated move to force the U.S.’s hand—presenting it with a fait accompli. The American response was split: Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that the attack was unilateral and not coordinated with Washington, while President Trump later posted full support on X, even threatening a wider escalation.

Netanyahu’s timing appears strategic. The strike has shifted international attention away from Gaza, where civilian casualties have triggered global condemnation and unprecedented isolation for Israel. Just days before the attack, a U.N. peace conference—sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia and intended to announce potential recognition of a Palestinian state—was set to take place in New York. Following the strike, President Macron cancelled the summit.

Domestically, the move has also helped Netanyahu redirect public attention from the political unrest at home, growing discontent over the Gaza war, and his ongoing corruption trial.

Supporters have framed the strike as a necessary act of defence, branding it a “just war.” Yet, the repeated use of that justification in past conflicts—in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Yemen—has led to outcomes marked by chaos and devastation.

As Father Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, remarked in his recent Jerusalem homily, global leaders seem gripped by a “belligerent lust,” devoid of the will to pursue peaceful solutions. The world watches anxiously as diplomacy falters and the threat of global conflict looms larger.

Courtesy: Vatican News