A new war between Israel and Iran is ‘almost inevitable,’ reports say

A new war between Israel and Iran is “almost inevitable,” according to a report by The New York Times (NYT).

The report emphasized that the 12-day war in June failed to permanently weaken Tehran’s nuclear capabilities. According to the article, Iran is continuing its work at a new enrichment site closed to inspections, and both sides are preparing for the next conflict.

Attacks were insufficient, nuclear program continues

According to regional officials and analysts, the attacks by Israel and the US in June inflicted less damage on Iran’s nuclear facilities than anticipated.

The New York Times noted that Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium is sufficient to produce 11 nuclear weapons.

While Iranian officials claim the stockpile was buried under rubble, Israeli officials believe the uranium was “moved to a safe place.”

Diplomatic stalemate and the terminated nuclear deal

The report also highlighted other factors that make a war more likely, chief among them the ongoing diplomatic stalemate between the US and Iran.

Another significant factor is the recent termination of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran, the US, and European nations, coupled with the re-imposition of heavy sanctions against Tehran.

Last week, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated that cooperation seems impossible as long as the US maintains its current regional policies.

Tehran increases missile production for ‘the next war’

Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group told The New York Times that Tehran is increasing its missile production for “the next war.”

Vaez stated, “The goal is to be able to fire 2,000 missiles simultaneously to saturate defenses, instead of 500 over 12 days.”

According to Vaez, Israel believes “the job is not finished,” and Iran is preparing for the next round. However, Vaez also added that he does not expect an imminent conflict in the near future.

Disagreement within Iranian leadership on US relations

Ali Vaez stated that Iran’s senior officials are divided on how to overcome the stalemate with the US.

According to Vaez, some officials advocate for a new nuclear agreement with the US, citing domestic challenges such as high inflation and severe water shortages.

Another group believes it is pointless to negotiate with former President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 deal, and prefers another conflict.

Vaez emphasized that despite these disagreements, senior officials agree on one thing: a new conflict with Israel is inevitable.