Explosions at nuclear facilities and drone attacks on ships in transit.
It has been pointed out that the background of the dangerous exchanges that have continued in the Middle East these days is the existence of Israel and Iran, which are in fierce conflict.
Why are the two countries so conflicting in the first place?
It is a commentary by the reporter in charge.
(Jerusalem bureau, Taichi Soga, Tehran bureau, Takeshi Togawa)
Q1 Did Israel and Iran originally have a bad relationship?
Israel and Iran are now in a hostile relationship, but there was diplomatic relations in the 1950s and 1960s, and they maintained good relations for over 20 years.
At that time, in Iran, a pro-American king ruled the country, and he had a close relationship with Israel, which was also backed by the United States.
Direct flights were also operated between the two countries, and people were actively coming and going.
Q2 What made the relationship worse?
What changed the situation was the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979.
The revolution overthrew the pro-American royal government in Iran and established an Islamic system with a strict interpretation of religion.
The new regime has positioned Israel as the "enemy of Islam" that robbed Jerusalem, the sanctuary of Islam.
For this reason, the two countries cut off diplomatic relations.
Iran still does not recognize Israel as a nation, but anti-Israel as its national policy.
At the anti-American demonstration held in Iran, people shout "Death to Israel" together with "Death to the United States", showing hostility.
Q3 Have the two countries ever had a war?
Israel and Iran have never had a direct war in the past.
However, Iran is providing military support to Islamic forces that continue their armed struggle against Israel, and the two countries have repeatedly clashed indirectly.
The Islamic fundamentalist organization Hamas in Palestine, which had a military clash with Israel in May, and the Shi'a Islamic organization Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has had a war with Israel in the past, are both closely related to Iran.
Hamas's top executive, Haniya (left), attended the inauguration ceremony of Iran's new President Ismail in August, impressing his deep connection with these forces.
While Israel, backed by the United States, possesses state-of-the-art weapons, Iran is glaring through armed groups, and the two countries continue to face each other.
Q4 What has been a problem recently between the two countries?
After all it is a nuclear development issue in Iran.
In Iran, suspicions about the development of nuclear weapons were raised in the 2000s, which has become a major factor in sharpening the conflict with Israel.
Iran denies the development of nuclear weapons, explaining that nuclear development is aimed at peaceful uses such as nuclear power plants.
On top of that, he accuses Israel of possessing nuclear weapons.
On the other hand, Israel regards Iran's nuclear development as a "threat for the survival of the country."
Iran's ballistic missiles are said to have a range of more than 2000 kilometers.
It captures Israel as a whole within range, and Israel is alert.
Q5 What is Israel's response to Iran's nuclear program?
In Iran, there have been frequent incidents such as the destruction of machinery at nuclear facilities, and Israel's involvement has been pointed out.
Suspicious cases have occurred frequently, especially since Iran has stepped up its nuclear program in recent years as a countermeasure against US economic sanctions.
In July last year, a suspicious fire broke out at a nuclear facility in Natanz, central Iran, damaging a state-of-the-art centrifuge, and in November a researcher who had commanded nuclear development was killed in the suburbs of the capital Tehran. There was also an incident.
It has been pointed out that this was due to a cyber attack in April, when an electrical system trouble accompanied by an explosion occurred at a nuclear facility.
In response, Iran has declared retaliation for the work of Israel.
In April and July, a series of attacks involving Israeli companies and business owners occurred in the Gulf of Oman.
It is believed to be a retaliation action by Iran.
Israel has a history of attacking nuclear reactors in Iraq and Syria, trying to eliminate the nuclear development capabilities of Islamic countries in the Middle East.
It is feared that Israel's more direct military action against Iran's nuclear facilities will lead to irreversible clashes.
Q6 What is the position of neighboring countries in the Middle East?
Although it cannot be said unconditionally, the Islamic countries that have been in conflict with Israel have recently been moving closer to Israel, and Iran's isolation has become remarkable.
Last year, the UAE-United Arab Emirates entered into diplomatic relations with Israel, followed by Bahrain and Morocco.
The UAE and Bahrain are geographically located opposite Iran across the Persian Gulf.
For Israel, it has gained a foothold at the tip of Iran's eyes and nose, and on the contrary, it seems to be a grave situation for Iran.
Q7 What is important to prevent the conflict between the two countries from escalating?
The focus is on whether Iran's nuclear program can be stopped through indirect talks on a nuclear agreement currently underway between the United States and Iran.
If the nuclear agreement can curb nuclear development, it can help alleviate tensions to some extent.
However, Israel is calling for a mechanism to curb not only nuclear development but also Iran's ballistic missile development and support for pro-Iranian forces.
The United States has made similar claims, but for Iran it is a condition that cannot be met.
The settlement of indirect consultations is not easy.
In Israel, Prime Minister Bennett (left) was newly appointed in June, and in Iran, President Laisi (right) was newly appointed in August, but both are in a politically strong position and tensions between the two countries are expected to continue.
It will be important to control the conflict between Israel and Iran in cooperation with the international community, including European countries participating in the nuclear agreement talks.