Renowned Israeli academic, Professor Menachem Klein, has raised alarm over what he describes as Israel’s deliberate escalation of military actions targeting Iranian assets, warning that the campaign may go far beyond efforts to halt Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. In an interview granted to Al Jazeera, the Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Bar-Ilan University suggested that Israel’s strikes appear to be aimed not only at strategic nuclear infrastructure but potentially at destabilising the core of Iran’s governing regime.
Speaking on the increasing number of airstrikes and covert operations attributed to Israeli forces, Professor Klein remarked, “I cannot see any other reason that leads Israel to attack so many different targets that are unrelated to the nuclear project.” His statement follows a series of reported Israeli attacks on Iranian-linked facilities and personnel in Syria, Iraq, and even within Iranian territory in recent months, many of which were not directly tied to nuclear development.
Klein’s comments align with growing international concern over the nature and intensity of Israeli operations, particularly as they occur amid an apparent policy vacuum from the side of former U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration has maintained a conspicuous silence on the matter. Analysts believe Trump’s continued disengagement from the evolving Israel-Iran conflict may be interpreted by Tel Aviv as a green light to pursue a more aggressive regional posture without the usual diplomatic restraints from Washington.
While Israel has long justified its military operations in the Middle East as necessary defensive actions against Iranian expansionism and threats to national security, critics argue that the pattern of recent strikes suggests a shift toward a more provocative and wide-ranging offensive. The involvement of Mossad in high-profile sabotage missions and alleged assassinations on Iranian soil has only fueled speculation that Israeli strategy now includes undermining Iran’s internal stability.
Observers also note that the Israeli leadership has not offered clear accountability for these actions, nor has there been open debate within Israeli political institutions about the broader implications. This lack of transparency, Professor Klein warns, could risk drawing the region into a wider conflict, especially if Iran retaliates forcefully.
Meanwhile, Iran has continued to condemn the attacks as acts of aggression and violations of its sovereignty. The Islamic Republic has vowed to respond at a time and place of its choosing, heightening fears of an imminent escalation that could spill into neighbouring territories.
Diplomatic experts are calling for urgent international mediation to prevent a full-scale confrontation between the two regional powerhouses, whose enmity has shaped Middle East politics for decades. However, with the Trump-led Republican wing in the U.S. showing little appetite for involvement in the matter, the window for preventive diplomacy may be narrowing.
As tensions mount and both sides dig in, the situation underscores a dangerous chapter in Middle East geopolitics, one that could have far-reaching consequences if left unchecked.