The American-Israeli War in Iran and What it Means for the UK

American and Israeli military action in the middle east is nothing new - both have controversial histories in the region, from the Iraq war to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. However, the past weeks have seen major escalations with direct conflict between the US-Israeli alliance and the Iranian Islamic Republic. These events underline the pattern of American and western interference and imperialism in the middle east – trends which have shaped the region’s geopolitics and development for decades. 

This recent development comes despite repeated claims from the American and Israeli administrations of peace efforts, including membership to the ‘Board of Peace’ and Trump’s election promises to “stop wars”. Instead, military action has intensified, with unimaginable loss of human life and further destabilisation in a historically volatile region

The major developments occurred on the morning of the 28^th February when – after weeks of naval build-up – the US and Israel launched major coordinated strikes on Iran, targeting its leaders, security forces and nuclear programme. These attacks were successful, killing the supreme leader,  Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and ending his 36 year tenure in a move Trump claims will deliver “freedom for the people” of Iran..   

News of the Ayatollah’s death brought mixed reactions within Iran and Iranian diaspora groups around the world, with some Iranians seen celebrating in the streets, while others mourn. While this may be the end to the oppressive Khamenei regime, one characterised by political suppression and brutality, forced regime changes are complicated and often unsuccessful, with the US in particular having a poor track record in this region especially. 

Regardless it is clear that the road to prosperity for the Iranian people will be long. As such, it is imperative that they, the people, remain the priority in whatever is to come – not profit. Already in this conflict over 1000 are thought dead, with no immediate respite on the horizon. Both the Americans and Israelis are unlikely to be satisfied until the destruction of Iran is complete, with President Trump stating “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally, again, obliterated”, a view shared by the Israeli Defence Minister, who stated the IDF’s intentions to “crush the regime’s capabilities”.  

So what is the cost to human life? Already the civilian costs have been high, with US-Israeli bombings killing scores of Iranians – civilians and senior officials alike. One of the worst stories to emerge from this conflict is the Israeli strike which hit a girl’s elementary school in southern Iran, killing 165, the majority of which aged between 7 and 12. This attack has since been condemned as a “grave violation of humanitarian law” by UNESCO, and an Al Jazeera investigation has accused is as deliberate attack. 

The direct targeting of political and military leaders marks a significant escalation in the use of assassination as a foreign policy tool and a shift from the proxy fighting seen over the past few years to direct conflict. This escalation marks the latest step in the US’s involvement in the Middle East, with Washington’s foreign policy regularly involving rhetoric of democracy and strategic action to deepen its influence over sovereign states. The motives of these recent strikes have quickly become apparent as questions of regime change and geopolitical dominance give rise to renewed accusations of imperialism and neo-colonialist motivations.

Much of the global south has been vocal in their condemnation of the US-Israeli war on Iran, from South Africa to Brazil, as well as China, which stated it was unacceptable to “blatantly kill the leader of a sovereign state”. Many further objected that military action was premature, with US-Iran negotiations over its nuclear programme and missile capability not given appropriate chances to succeed before military action began. Statements from western activists and commentators echo this, framing the conflict as part of a systemic pattern of western powers using military force for political and economic power under the pretext of security.

What is the British Government's involvement? Prime Minister Starmer has insisted that Britain had no involvement in the initial strikes, advocating negotiations to resolve the conflict. Despite this, British aircraft have been deployed to the region in what the government calls “defensive operations” to protect allied assets and bases following Iran’s retaliatory strikes which hit a British base in Cyprus. 

Furthermore, the government has agreed to allow the US access to British military bases to strike Iranian missile sites, though Starmer seems clear that this will be for “defensive” purposes only, with the government eager to avoid the “mistakes of Iraq”. There are however, worries of deeper involvement, with deputy PM David Lammy announcing that British jets could legally strike missile sites, an action which would draw intense criticism and risks the exact thing Starmer wants to avoid – a repeat of Iraq.

Overall, these latest events are a clear escalation in a conflict which has been brewing for years. The actions of the American and Israeli governments have clearly imperial roots, and with Starmer under pressure from Trump, the UK risks being sucked in and made directly complicit in a war which threatens to mirror Iraq and destabilise the region further. We can only hope that Starmer is able to balance alliances and values and minimise the loss of human life.