logo
With no sign of an end to fighting, what moves will Israel and Iran make next?

With no sign of an end to fighting, what moves will Israel and Iran make next?

ITV News10 hours ago

It is the war that has been feared for the best part of five decades.
Now it is here, there's nothing in the language emanating for Tehran or Tel Aviv to suggest any hope of it ending quickly, despite the potentially parlous consequences for both sides, the region and beyond.
World leaders, near and far, are calling for restraint but their words are being lost in the rush to rearm and attack once more.
Israel warns 'Tehran will burn' while those in Tehran warn they will 'open the doors of hell' - both could be absolutely right and both share the same goal, victory and survival.
After Gaza and Lebanon, Israel is emboldened. For the same reasons Iran is enfeebled, no longer able to rely on the strength, real or perceived, of Hamas or Hezbollah and aware the Israel has penetrated deep into its society and security.
Israel also knows it has, should the going become excessively tough, the support, weaponry and military might of the United States to fall back on.
Keir Starmer has also said RAF aircraft, including Typhoon fighter jets, have been sent to the Middle East region for 'contingency support', although the prime minister refused to say under what circumstances jets would be scrambled.
Iran has less surety as to the support it might receive from Russia, China and others who have offered support or supply of weaponry.
However it is still very much in the fight and could remain there. So where could this go now?
The attacks by both on the other's territory can and will continue.
Iran could block the Strait of Hormuz, where a quarter of global oil passes through. The impact of that would be felt globally quickly.
It could also expand or shift its focus to American military assets in the region. Proxy support would help that effort, though going for the bases would likely bring the US directly into the war, it might be a gamble Iran is willing to take.
There is also the question, at the heart of this whole war, as to how close to a nuclear weapon Iran is and whether even under attack they can speed one through and provide themselves with the very best defence.
Israel too has its nuclear option - literally and metaphorically. Literally it is a nuclear power, metaphorically it could chose to take its fight right to the top Iran's power structure and attempt to take out the Ayatollah.
That one move could lead to end of the Iranian regime. Those with everything to lose or nothing left to lose are dangerous adversaries. For sure brutal days lie ahead.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Yemen's Houthis target Israel with ballistic missiles in coordination with Iran
Yemen's Houthis target Israel with ballistic missiles in coordination with Iran

Reuters

time11 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Yemen's Houthis target Israel with ballistic missiles in coordination with Iran

CAIRO, June 15 (Reuters) - Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Sunday that they targeted Israel in coordination with Iran, the first time an Iran-aligned group has publicly announced joint cooperation on attacks with Tehran. The Yemeni group targeted central Israel's Jaffa with several ballistic missiles in the last 24 hours, military spokesperson Yehya Sarea said in a televised address. "Triumphing for the oppressed Palestinian and Iranian operation was coordinated with the operations carried out by the Iranian army against the criminal Israeli enemy," he added. The Israeli military earlier said sirens were activated in several areas in the country following missile launches from Iran and Yemen. Israel and Iran continued to exchange missile attacks since Israel launched its biggest-ever military strike against its longstanding enemy on Friday. On the same day Israel launched its attack on Iran, Israel said a missile that was launched from Yemen towards Israel fell in Hebron in the occupied West Bank. The Yemeni group however did not claim responsibility for the missile launch. The Houthis have been launching attacks against Israel, most of which have been intercepted, in what they say is support for Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war there since Hamas's October 7 2023 attack on Israel. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes. The U.S. also launched intensified strikes against the Houthis this year, before President Donald Trump halted the offensive after the Houthis agreed to stop attacks on American ships.

I went to Donald Trump's birthday tank parade and already thinks he's a king
I went to Donald Trump's birthday tank parade and already thinks he's a king

Daily Mirror

time23 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

I went to Donald Trump's birthday tank parade and already thinks he's a king

When Donald Trump came on stage for his birthday speech, the US Army band struck up a very familiar tune. It wasn't one of the usual American patriotic hits - like Hail to the Chief. And it wasn't his favourite intro song, Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA - although Greenwood would perform that one live later. No, Trump came on to My Country 'Tis of Thee. Which shares a tune which is better know by Brits as God Save The King. As dogwhistles go, it was not subtle. Trump's speech itself was unusually brief and largely apolitical - but the rest of the event couldn't have been more Pyongyang if he'd come on stage in a sheepskin leather jacket. Over a couple of hours, 7,000 troops, dozens of tanks and other vehicles, swarms of helicopters and two robot dogs rolled, flew and ambled past Trump's podium as he apparently struggled to stay awake. It was the kind of muscular display of might that America just doesn't do. The last time this kind of military parade took place in Washington it was in celebration of the completion of Operation Desert Storm, back in the early 90s. And that one had a good reason behind it - it was a celebration of a military victory. This time it was so transparently just an excuse for an elderly wannabe hardman could look at his real life airfix models for the afternoon of his birthday. And don't be trying to claim the celebrations of the US Army's 250th anniversary were already underway before Trump took office. Because the original plan was just hold a festival in celebration - which still happened in the field next door. There was a rope climbing contest, a few choppers and tanks and vastly fewer MAGA hats. The parade was for Trump's birthday, and anyone who thinks it wasn't didn't speak to many people who turned up to watch. As it turns out, I did. Almost everyone mentioned Donald Trump before the Army when asked wha they were celebrating. It was undeniably a spectacle. The scale of the hardware and he sacrifice of the troops was genuinely quite stirring. And the firework display next to the Washington monument was a legit impressive display of American firepower. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was visibly bored - at one point getting caught on camera yawning. Even Trump himself - sitting between a gurning Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth an a scowling Melania throughout the parade - appeared to drop off a few times. There also was a very weird moment towards the end as well, where Trump and Melania just stood in the middle of the stage for several minutes in silence, until a military officer appeared to tap Trump on the shoulder and suggest he might like to try leaving the stage. Earlier, a man in a Stars and Stripes stetson had old me it was about time America put its might on display - because it would raise morale. Not just with the troops, but the public too. You see, as well as being letting him play at being King - or perhaps playing Kim - it was transparently about hijacking American history and patriotism for MAGA. To make Donald Trump and a strong America he same thing in people's minds. As tension between the White House and Europe heats up, the Mirror has launched its very own US Politics WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news from across the pond. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is , select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our . And for the 70,000 or so people on the National Mall yesterday, it had been exceptionally successful. For the rest of the country, maybe not so much. They'll have watched it on a split screen, juxtaposed with either footage of the hunt for a political assassin in Minnesota, or of protests against his authoritarian behaviour. Or of a war in the Middle East that is showing up once again that his claims of being the "President of Peace" were absolute hogwash. It's a fraught week for America. And as Trump clutched his wife's pinkie and waddled off the sage, the sinister potential of what I'd just seen started to sink in. Pictures and video by Humphrey Nemar Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn. Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday.

Starmer must intervene over Thames Water crisis, say creditors
Starmer must intervene over Thames Water crisis, say creditors

Telegraph

time29 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

Starmer must intervene over Thames Water crisis, say creditors

Sir Keir Starmer is facing pressure to intervene in efforts to save Thames Water amid concerns that rescue talks could stall and leave Britain's biggest utility facing collapse. Investors spearheading a bid for the stricken company say Ofwat's unwillingness to compromise on the issue of future fines threatens to scupper Thames's efforts to avoid special administration. As fears over a breakdown in discussions escalate, the Prime Minister is being urged to step in and compel the watchdog to soften its stance on financial penalties. 'We have had a year of dealing with one of the most intractable regulators I've ever had the misfortune of coming across,' an investor involved in the rescue talks said. 'They have failed in their job. Absolutely, we need intervention from Downing Street.' Another figure close to the planned deal added: 'I think what it takes is the Government and the regulator coming together – it needs the Environment Department, the Treasury, and even No 10 to say, 'what's the least worst outcome here?'' Growing criticism of Ofwat comes just days after the company's largest creditors tabled a proposal that would provide Thames with desperately needed fresh capital and repair its broken balance sheet. However, in return for a proposed £3bn cash injection and more than £2bn of new loans, the consortium of more than 100 creditors is demanding immunity from billions of pounds in future fines – a request the watchdog is reluctant to grant. Creditors have calculated that Thames could be on the hook for more than £1bn in further pollution and environmental failing penalties, The Telegraph understands. In an attempt to persuade Ofwat to soften its stance, creditors are already preparing a second, sweetened bid that could see the consortium willing to offer more cash and write off a larger slug of debt. One FTSE 100 infrastructure fund warned that Ofwat's intransigence could weigh on Labour's attempts to drum up appetite among foreign investors for UK assets. 'There is £500bn of investment that's needed across UK infrastructure that is contingent on stable regulation,' an investor at the fund said. A source close to Thames's creditors said: 'Ofwat is undermining the Government's aim to attract private capital and deliver growth and reform across the water sector.' With the rescue talks at risk of being derailed, Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing, is demanding to rejoin the auction for Thames. It comes after KKR, the preferred bidder, abandoned its pursuit of the business earlier this month. Mr Li's CK Infrastructure (CKI) Holdings wrote to Sir Adrian Montague, the chairman of Thames Water, urging him to readmit them to the process. However, any such move is expected to be fiercely resisted by creditors who question whether CKI's ties to China will trigger a lengthy investigation under the National Security and Investment Act. It is understood they have already raised such concerns with Ofwat, while also warning about the amount of time needed for CKI to undertake due diligence. A source close to the creditors expressed surprise that ministers were yet to get involved: 'They've got a regulator that continues to care more about showing they can punish this company and throw billions in fines at an insolvent business. That is not going to improve performance for customers.' 'Not been supportive' Another pointed the finger directly at David Black, the Ofwat chief executive. 'It's well known Black has not been that supportive of some of these initiatives,' the source said. A spokesman for the creditors added: 'These investors have the funding and experience required to deliver a transformation which is intended to mark a departure from past failings, creating a 'new' Thames Water that works effectively alongside government, regulators, and customers to deliver for the environment and economic growth.' The institutions behind the plan include Assured Guaranty, Aberdeen Investments, Apollo, Attestor Asset Management, Royal Bank of Canada, Elliott, Prudential, Pimco, Invesco, Silver Point Capital, and Voya Financial. An Ofwat spokesman said: ''Our focus is on ensuring that the company [Thames] takes the right steps to deliver a turnaround in its operational performance and strengthen its financial resilience to the benefit of customers.' Ofwat is 'assessing whether the plans are realistic, deliverable and will bring substantial benefits for customers and the environment,'' they added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store