Honestly, if you’re looking for a single date or a "he started it" moment to explain the current explosion between Iran and Israel, you’re going to be disappointed. History isn't a clean line. It's more like a messy, decades-long pile-up that finally caught fire in 2024 and 2025.
To understand who "started" the war, you have to decide where you want to drop the needle. Do you start with the 1979 Revolution? The 2006 Lebanon war? Or do we look at the chaotic direct strikes that defined most of last year?
The truth is, both sides have been in a "shadow war" for years. But everything changed on April 1, 2024. That’s when an Israeli airstrike hit the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria. It killed several high-ranking IRGC officials, including General Mohammad Reza Zahedi.
For Tehran, that was the ultimate red line. To them, the "consulate" was sovereign soil. They responded with over 300 drones and missiles. It was the first time Iran ever directly attacked Israel from its own territory.
The 2024 Escalation Cycle
Wait. Israel didn't just wake up and decide to hit a consulate in April. From their perspective, the "war" was already happening. Since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, Israel felt it was fighting a multi-front war orchestrated by Tehran. They saw the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and militias in Iraq as nothing more than Iranian tools.
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If you ask an Israeli official, they'd say Iran started the war long ago by funding groups sworn to Israel's destruction.
But the direct conflict—the "hot" war we see now—really picked up steam in the second half of 2024.
- July 2024: Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, was assassinated right in the middle of Tehran. He was there for a presidential inauguration. It was a massive security embarrassment for Iran.
- September 2024: Israel took out Hassan Nasrallah, the long-time leader of Hezbollah, in a massive strike in Beirut.
- October 1, 2024: Iran fired roughly 180 to 200 ballistic missiles at Israel. They called it "Operation True Promise II."
- October 26, 2024: Israel retaliated with waves of strikes on Iranian missile factories and air defense systems.
Basically, by the end of 2024, the "shadow" was gone. The war was out in the open.
The June 2025 Explosion
If 2024 was about "tit-for-tat," June 2025 was the actual breaking point. Things got really dark.
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On June 13, 2025, Israel launched what they called "Operation Rising Lion." This wasn't just a targeted strike; it was a massive aerial campaign. They hit nuclear facilities at Natanz and Fordow, along with dozens of military bases.
The rationale? Israel claimed Iran was weeks away from a nuclear weapon and that the IAEA had basically lost control.
The fallout was immediate. Iran didn't just send a "message" this time. They unleashed nearly 900 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones in a 12-day window. It was the largest drone and missile campaign in modern history.
Why the "Who Started It" Question is Complicated
- Proxy vs. Direct: Iran argues that Israel started the direct war by hitting their diplomats and sovereign territory. Israel argues Iran started it decades ago by proxy.
- Preemption: Israel views its 2025 strikes as a "preemptive strike" to stop a nuclear threat. Critics call it "aggression."
- The "Axis of Resistance": For many in the West, the war started when Iran-backed groups began firing on Israel in October 2023.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think this is a territorial dispute. It's not. Iran and Israel don't even share a border. This is an ideological and strategic fight for who runs the Middle East.
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There's also a common misconception that the U.S. "started" it through sanctions. While the "maximum pressure" campaign from Washington definitely squeezed Tehran, the military sparks have almost always come from the direct friction between Israeli intelligence and the IRGC.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The conflict has moved past the point where a simple ceasefire fixes everything. The "deterrence" both sides relied on for 40 years is dead.
If you're trying to track what happens next, watch these three things:
- Nuclear Enrichment Levels: If Iran moves to 90% enrichment, expect another massive Israeli response.
- The Status of the IRGC: Internal stability in Iran is shaky. If the military leadership continues to take hits, the regime might lash out further to stay relevant.
- Regional Alliances: Watch if Gulf states like Saudi Arabia or the UAE are forced to pick a side. So far, they’ve tried to stay out of the crossfire.
The "start" of this war is a matter of perspective. But the "end" of it seems further away than ever.
To stay informed, verify news through multiple international sources and look for reports from the IAEA regarding nuclear compliance, as those technical milestones often trigger the next military moves.