Iran’s barrage of missiles this morning was unusual, not in terms of quantity, which included about 30 missiles, but in terms of the time of day, was a response by the Revolutionary Guards to Israel decision last night to ease the Home Front Command guidelines. This is an Israeli step that was taken at a time when Tehran had become a ghost town after residents fled, with deserted shopping malls and even open pharmacies hard to find.
The Iranians understand that their image is at a low point, especially domestically, and are not willing to allow themselves to watch Israelis strolling through shopping malls during such a period. This puts the Israeli government in a dilemma: the safest thing, always, is for the guidelines to be severe with no business and commercial activity. However, on the other hand, a renewed tightening of the guidelines, especially after the attack on Soroka Hospital, would provide an achievement for the Iranians.
The Revolutionary Guards announced last night that they had launched the “Fatah 1” missile for the first time, which the Iranians unveiled about two years ago. Unlike previous missiles, it is a two-stage missile – and the trails seen in the sky seem to confirm that a two-stage missile was indeed launched – a ballistic missile with a different mode of operation. Unlike a conventional missile, it has a device that, at a certain point when the missile is on its way to the target, detaches from the front of the missile – and a rocket engine accelerates and guides it to its target. These missiles are a more advanced generation, although worldwide there are also three-stage missiles, and even more.
Trump has made Israel into a US proxy
The Iranian launches are taking place while US President Donald Trump is clearly trying to create a “smokescreen” around his future plans, while using Israel as a “proxy”. The term proxy was familiar to Israel from the Iranian use of the various militias throughout the Middle East, but the US President has enhanced this in the context of its use in Israel.
Instead of terrorist organizations, a state entity. Instead of using good weapons, but not the technological elite, operating some of the best weapons in the world. Instead of US targets being the target of missiles, Israel is the target. And all this, while the US keeps for itself means such as the GBU-57 that could destroy the uranium enrichment facility at Fordow.
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The US president is in his second and final term, and is thinking about his legacy. Initially, he hoped that he would be able to quickly bring about Israeli-Saudi normalization, but he soon realized that in the current situation this is not yet the case. Therefore, especially thanks to the wonderful results of Israeli actions on Iranian soil in the current war, he is in no hurry. Israel would be happy that the US would quickly enter the campaign, but in Trump’s eyes – the ayatollah regime continues to suffer serious injuries. And when it comes to Iran and its legacy, he wants to demonstrate the power of the US, and be sure that bombing the facility in Fordow with US weapons will indeed destroy it.
Any sensible person understands that any such US action, whether successful or not, will mean Iran will target the US. This will reduce Iranian attention from Israel, which Jerusalem would very much like.
Iran has a significant missile arsenal within range of Israel, but US bases are located at much smaller distances: in Iraq, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, and not only there. In other words, weapons that have not yet been used due to their lack of relevance to Israel will be directed towards US targets. Hence, not only will there be a regional escalation in the war, it will be very powerful.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on June 19, 2025.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2025.
