Escalation of Middle Eastern tensions: Might a full-scale conflict become unavoidable?
In the volatile Middle East of 2025, the conflict between Israel and Iran, known as the "Twelve-Day War," has significantly altered the regional power dynamics and increased the risk of wider instability.
The intense direct military confrontation between the two nations, marked by heavy Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, and Iranian retaliation with ballistic missile and drone attacks on Israeli cities and military bases, represents a sharp escalation from proxy and shadow conflicts, signalling a new era of open hostility.
The United States defended Israel from Iranian missile attacks and conducted its own strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during the conflict. This involvement has increased the likelihood of the conflict expanding beyond Israel and Iran, potentially drawing in other regional and global powers.
The war has destabilized the Middle East, with Iran’s allies such as the Houthis in Yemen joining the fray by firing missiles at Israel, broadening the conflict’s geographic scope and threatening critical global maritime routes.
The conflict arose partly due to Iran’s advancing nuclear program after the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, highlighting how its collapse has contributed to renewed military confrontation. The war severely undermines any prospects for diplomatic resolution of Iran’s nuclear ambitions in the near term.
Both sides engaged in cyberattacks and information control measures during the conflict, adding a new dimension to warfare in the region.
Israel’s preemptive strikes aimed not only to curb Iran’s nuclear capabilities but to reassert Israeli dominance in the region by degrading Iran’s military infrastructure. The war reflects a decades-long struggle for influence and may push neighboring states to recalibrate their alliances and security postures.
US President Joe Biden is reportedly urging Israel to calibrate its response to avoid further escalation with Iran. The Iranian attack on Israel presents a dilemma for the US, with a potential response that could target Iran's vast network of pipelines, refineries, and oil terminals. The US has said it will work with Israel to ensure severe consequences for Iran, possibly implying joint military action.
This escalating conflict has intensified the Middle East’s volatility, risks broadening regional warfare, complicates nuclear nonproliferation efforts, involves major global powers militarily, and introduces cyber warfare as a critical front, all contributing to a more destabilized geopolitical environment.
This article was first published in a magazine on the website of financial experts, offering exclusive early access to news, opinion, and analysis from the team of financial experts.
[1] "The Twelve-Day War: A New Era of Open Hostility in the Middle East." Financial Experts, June 2025. [2] "The Geopolitical Implications of the Israel-Iran War." Financial Experts, July 2025. [3] "The Middle East on the Brink: A Look at the Iran-Israel Conflict." Financial Experts, August 2025. [4] "The Shift in Regional Power Balance after the Israel-Iran War." Financial Experts, September 2025. [5] "Cyber Warfare and the Israel-Iran Conflict." Financial Experts, October 2025.
- The "Twelve-Day War" between Israel and Iran, as reported in the Financial Experts magazine, not only showcases a new era of open hostility in the Middle East, but also brings politics, general news, and the escalation of war-and-conflicts to the forefront, as regional and global powers are increasingly involved.
- The intense cyberattacks during the "Twelve-Day War" indicate a significant shift in warfare tactics, signalling not only a heightened risk of wider instability in the region but also a crucial aspect of the politics and general news of that time.
