Al Majalla covered the unprecedented Israeli attack on Iran on 13 June that has since evolved into an ongoing war, with both countries trading missile salvos and attacks. Michael Horowitz explains how Israel pulled off the attack. He says, “Years of painstaking intelligence work went into the operation that activated vast networks of operatives and involved multiple layers of subterfuge.” For his part, Arash Azizi explains how Israel upended Iran's strategic patience doctrine. He says, “For decades, Iran’s supreme leader—first Khomeini, then Khamenei—pursued a strategy of backing regional militias to fight Israel, but with the 'resistance axis' in tatters, Iran is left to fight alone.”

And Ibrahim Hamidi writes that Iran has no place in Netanyahu's vision for a 'new Middle East'. In his piece, he says, “The Islamic Republic of Iran remains a key obstacle to Netanyahu's post-October 7 vision for a 'new Middle East'. This helps explain the ferocity of Israel's unprecedented attack on its long-time foe.” 

Meanwhile, Eric Brewer warns that Attacks on Iran make a nuclear bomb more likely. He says, “Calls for building nuclear weapons have grown across the political spectrum in Iran, and polls from last year show that most citizens view possessing nuclear weapons favourably.” And in his piece, Beyond Fordow, Bilal Saab posits that a US strike on Iran’s crown jewel nuclear facility won't have the desired impact that some hope for and risks dragging the US into a war that he vowed his supporters he would ‘never start'.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Lewis pens a piece titled Nuclear claims are a smoke screen for hopes of toppling Iran. In it, he says that Israeli strikes aren’t about facilities or centrifuges, but regime change. For his part, Houssam Itani explains why Iran is further from regime change than Israel thinks. He says, “Iran's leaders have a sizable and loyal popular base, as well as solid institutions, making the collapse of the Iranian state at the hands of the US—let alone Israel—therefore highly unlikely."

In Business & Economy, Amer Ziab Al-Tamimi lays out what would happen if Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz—a critical waterway that carries up to 20% of the world’s oil exports at around 20 million barrels of oil each day. “Any closure could cost the global economy greatly, even if only for a short time,” he explains. And Marcelle Nasr examines how Egypt is preparing for a ‘war economy’. “The Israel-Iran war threatens the country’s energy security, foreign currency reserves, tourism, and investment. There are Plan Bs, but none are attractive, and the situation could yet get worse,” she says.

Meanwhile, Kaswar Klasra pens a piece titled Pakistan sides with Iran, but may only be able to offer words. He says that while Tehran appreciates the rhetoric from Islamabad, to succeed in its war with Israel, it needs tangible support and reliable allies, something Pakistan may find difficult to muster.

In Culture & Social Affairs, Mohamed Abi Samra reviews a book written by influential Palestinian Knesset member Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, which sheds light on an often-forgotten group of Palestinians, those who are citizens of Israel. And finally, Khalid Al-Ghannami looks at the influential works of American science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick, whose ideas inspired a sci-fi generation.