Iran-Israel War: World Races To Prevent All-Out War

The world had long feared that the massive barrage of missiles and drones fired toward Israel from the arid plains of Iran would signal the start of a regional war between the Middle Eastern giants.

However, the unique nature of the strike was concealed by a diplomatic signaling dance that permitted both sides to declare victory while simultaneously increasing the likelihood of a wider confrontation.

Iran had been signaling for days that it would launch the bombardment, but the Israeli military said that 99% of it was shot down and that no Israelis were killed. Tehran claimed to have achieved its point and was attempting to halt the advance toward a more widespread conflict.

Supporters of Israel in the US and Europe were also exerting pressure to prevent calls from getting much worse on Sunday. Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, there have been steps toward the verge, but despite the bloodshed spreading to other Middle Eastern countries, the Jewish state and its foes have managed to stay short of the cliff.

According to those involved with the negotiations, the focus of the most recent US-led diplomatic efforts, which had up until now been on deescalating the Gaza crisis, has shifted to ensuring that Israel responds to the situation in a calm manner.