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The war between Israel and Iran is far more than a religious or ideological clash, it is a calculated as struggle for economic dominance, energy control, and geopolitical leverage.
The war between Israel and Iran is all about the lust for power and the dollar. Many misunderstand it as purely religious, but it is fundamentally a geopolitical and economic struggle. This war has been looming large since 1947 when Israel came into being—under the shadow of the financial gains of the United States. Framing it as a clash between Judaism and Islam, is diametrically wrong. The conflict is, truly, about regional dominance, security concerns, and billions in military spending. In order to make it more clear, Israel has its self-served interests and US supports Israel to achieve its strategic interests in the region. For both nations, Israel and Iran, Middle East has become an arena for proxy battles, cyber warfare, and economic sanctions that extend far beyond theological differences—turning out to be a theatre of unending wars. Although the media portrays the world in a different light, the actual game is about billions of dollars.
Why is Iran’s nuclear program a threat for Israel?
To begin with, the nuclear issue remains just a pretext under the explosive dimension of this conflict. Israel, for its part, considers a nuclear-armed Iran an existential threat, snatching its power and shaping the region on its own. Since 1988, Benjamin Netanyahu has been beating the drums of farcical rhetoric that Iran builds its nuclear weapon within weeks. In fact, according to IAEA reports, Iran has enriched uranium to 60% purity, just short of weapons-grade levels, while maintaining its nuclear program for civilian use. Iran is, mostly, acclaimed that it is a powerhouse of natural resources. Thus, the nuclear issue lies as an excuse amidst the war.
Iran’s natural resources pose the gravest threat to Israel. Iran is the third largest country in crude oil reserves just after Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. The same is true of its gas reserves, making it the second largest country just after Russia, representing 16-18% of global reserves. Many of the critics argue that the wars fought in the Middle East are solely for the purpose of natural resource extraction. For example, US invaded Iraq in 2003 and later Libya on the pretext that Iraq was building weapons of mass distinction. However, in the end, no weapons were found and the countries plunged into civil disorder with the US installing puppets, as heads of states, to better serve her interests—unstoppable oil and natural resources. As U.S. firms like Halliburton, ExxonMobil, and Chevron gained lucrative contracts. Hence, it is natural resources that brings war in the Middle East.
Proxy Wars in Middle East:
Proxy warfare works for both regional influence and economic control. The worst, Iran is involved in these conflicts through proxies to control the seizure of dollars from foreign actors. These actors intervened in the region every ten years, ostensibly to inject democracy and peace. If groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and various Shia militias in Iraq and Syria were not active, Israel and the U.S. for a long time had converted the entire region as their direct colonies. Either way, Iran is on the front line to respond to the powerful actors in the region. It is for the reason proxies are the active watchdogs of the Middle East.
The Economic Cost of the War:
The economic cost has proven equally devastating. The U.S.-led sanctions have stagnated Iran’s economic productivity. Owing to this enduring war in the Middle East, these sanctions reduced Iran’s oil exports from 2.5 million barrels per day according to a report, and under 400,000 in 2020. In this context, western media shows the conflict as a clash between religions. Likewise, in retaliation, Iran has launched cyberattacks against Israeli infrastructure, including a 2020 attack on water systems that threatened civilian supplies, and attacks by proxies have inflicted relative damage to it. This economic duel demonstrates how financial weapons can be as destructive as military ones.
Truth: The First Causality of War
“In wars, the first casualty is the truth.” The same is true of the Israel-Iran war. The media only shows the world the thunder of rockets. On TV screens, people see the fire of explosives and clouds of smoke. But the truth is hidden elsewhere, buried in oil wells, secret bank vaults, and deals made in the closed rooms of the powerful. These wars and these noises are not initiated in the name of religion. It is all about the lust for power, the division of profits, and the story of global dominance. Thus, truth become a causality on the first day when the first missile was fired in the conflict.
Donald Trump’s involvement in the conflict, clearly demonstrates how national interests are primary to state actors. This war is not new but it has been enduring and engulfing the entire region for decades. If history is a guide book, it can be clearly concluded that West wants the continuation of the conflict in the region. For instance, sometimes it is waged under the pretext of terrorism such as Al-Qauda, ISIS, and Al Shabab; sometimes in the name of mass destruction of weapons (Iraq), and sometimes on behalf of religious cards. But, under the shadow, the reality is the gain of capital and it cannot be ignored at all.
The Question of Energy Resources in the Conflict:
Energy resources are the other side of this ongoing conflict the region. Iran’s discovery of massive offshore gas fields has transformed it into an energy exporter, not only to the neighbouring countries but also to the region. Moreover, US and Israel strategically aim to have their hands on the tap of energy resources—at the expense of divided-Arab state. This energy dimension turns what could be economic turmoil into another front for competition and potential conflict.
Human Cost of the Conflict:
The human cost often gets overlooked in discussions of this conflict. In Iran sanctions have devastated the ordinary citizens with medicine shortages and skyrocketing prices—making daily life difficult. In Israel, the constant security threats mean that larger portion of budget goes into defence than social services. Both populations pay the price for their governments’ rivalry, though in different ways.
Espionage: Assassination and Covert Operations
Assassinations and covert operations add another dangerous dimension to this conflict. Israel has, under the operation of Rising Lion, allegedly killed at least five Iranian nuclear scientists. Meanwhile Iran has also targeted Israel’s military sites through missiles and by penetrating into the much-hyped Iron Dome. In these shadowy operations, the scientists and other state officials have become the first victim of causality of a larger geopolitical game. The psychological impact of these operations may be as significant as their physical consequences for the specific groups.
Moreover, the United States acts as a double-edged sword in the region—playing the role as a mediator and the dragger of war. Having engaged with international players, the US can bring an end to the conflict. Unlikely, at the same time, the U.S. provides Israel with heavy weapons, military aid, and AI-based vehicles, ranging from 3.8 billion to 4.5 billion dollars—to globalize the conflict—and acts to mediate conflicts. However, it is clear that the international actors took sides for economic gains and dragged the war into an international crisis.
What lies Ahead?
The future of this fight appears locked in escalation rather than reconciliation. With Iran continuing its nuclear program and Israel maintaining her policy of pre-emptive strikes—as the cycle of provocation and response seems unbreakable. Given that the United States strikes on Iran, Iran obviously cannot resort to a deal while the barrel is hanging at its head. On the other side of the world, Russia and China are spectacular in this war. Both have their natural interests in the region. Their interests work as a complex network, whether it be economic, strategic, or regional.
Furthermore, this conflict leaves far-reaching implications near its domain. As reports spread out that Iran has moved its nuclear materials to Southern Iranian Balochistan, there exists the threat of nuclear strikes by the United States. Particularly, the southern part of Iran ranging from Zahedan to Bampur are on high risk—as there are risks of attacks. It must be noted that these regions share border with Pakistan’s province Balochistan—bringing far-reaching ripple effects to neighbouring districts of Balochistan.
To cap it all, the war between Israel and Iran is far more than a religious or ideological clash, it is a calculated as struggle for economic dominance, energy control, and geopolitical leverage. Behind the smoke of ballistic missiles lies a relentless pursuit of power, where oil reserves, military contracts, and sanctions shape the battlefield. Each jointly plays their part in this complex game, using proxies, cyber warfare, and financial weapons to gain their interests, while humanity bears the brunt of this unending rivalry. As long as natural resources and strategic influence remain in the ground, the Middle East will continue to be a theatre of conflict, where truth is the first casualty and peace remains an elusive illusion. Now what is clear is the illusion of the world towards this conflict. Still, there persists hope, solutions, deals, and diplomacy to solve the crisis; but it needs the globe to understand it from different aspects.
About the author:
Mehboob Malik
Student of UMT LahoreMehboob Malik hails from Panjgur, Balochistan. He is a SIT alumnus and a former member staff. He is currently pursuing Sociology in UMT, Lahore.
