In June 2025, tensions between Israel and Iran escalated to unprecedented levels, with Israel conducting intensive airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, resulting in the deaths of prominent leaders in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, including Major General Mohammad Baqeri and General Hossein Salami. The strikes targeted sensitive sites such as the Natanz facility, while the Fordow facility remained fortified due to its depth underground. [1]
These attacks caused oil prices to rise by 6%, reaching $72 per barrel, amid fears of disruption to global oil supplies. Estimates suggest that the conflict could lead to a loss of between 5 to 20 million barrels per day from the global market. [2]
The Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, faces tough choices between direct military retaliation or resorting to unconventional methods such as cyberattacks. Any escalation could lead to severe international backlash, and possibly direct U.S. intervention. [3]
These developments have raised widespread international concern, as global powers seek to de-escalate the situation and prevent the outbreak of a full-scale war in the region.