The war engulfing the Middle East like wildfire is the continuation of a conflict that started with the brutal attacks of 7 October 2023, an assault that Israeli officials say exposed a deeper regional threat emanating from Iran.

Israel’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Dana Kursh, in an exclusive with the DAILY TRIBUNE, traced the origins of the widening crisis in Tehran, which is playing a central role in stoking violence across the region.

Kursh said the ongoing crisis cannot be separated from the coordinated attacks by the militant group Hamas that Israel said were backed by Iran.

“In many ways, of course, it is a continuation,” Kursh said, referring to the 7 October attacks by Hamas that killed around 1,200 Israelis in southern Israel.

According to the ambassador, the assault on Israel illustrated how Iran has long pursued a strategy of arming and financing militant groups.

Kursh listed three major threats from the Iranian hardliners — which are their nuclear ambitions, the development of long-range ballistic missiles and the funding of militant groups across the Middle East.

“These missiles have a range of more than 2,500 kilometers, which means they can reach Europe,” she said.

But beyond its military capability, Kursh said Iran also exercises influence through proxy organizations such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

“These organizations have been funded and armed by the Iranian regime,” she said.

A day after the Hamas attack in October 2023, Hezbollah opened another front from Lebanon by launching missiles into northern Israel, an escalation that Kursh said demonstrated coordinated pressure on Israel from multiple directions.

The danger posed by Iran extends beyond the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and threatens the broader Middle East.

Iran has launched missiles not only toward Israel but also toward several neighboring states to force the widening of the conflict.

“Iran launched missiles against eight neighbors, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, airports and even Cyprus,” she said, describing the situation as evidence that Iran’s weapons capabilities represent a “global threat.”

Such actions, she said, are the reason Israel believes confronting Iran’s military capabilities has become imperative.

Israel’s partnership with the United States is a cornerstone of Israel’s security strategy.

Kursh said the alliance, strengthened by the close relationship between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has involved years of intelligence sharing on Iran’s nuclear program.

The nuclear capability of Iran has been a point of international tension for more than a decade, particularly since the 2015 nuclear agreement brokered under former US President Barack Obama.

Kursh said Israel believes Tehran failed to comply with parts of that agreement, including allowing full international inspections.

She said the United States and Israel have since intensified intelligence cooperation to counter what they consider an escalating threat.

Kursh revealed that the current military campaign involves coordinated operations by both Israel and the United States, though conducted under separate command structures.

Israel’s military operation is called “Roaring Lion,” while the US.effort is known as “Epic Fury.”

She also referred to an earlier operation in which B-2 bombers struck Iranian nuclear facilities, an attack that she said prompted Iran to move some of its nuclear assets deeper underground.

According to Kursh, the objective of the current campaign is not to target Iranian civilians but to degrade the regime’s ability to develop nuclear weapons and support militant groups abroad.

“We don’t have a fight with the Iranian people,” she said. “The goal is to stop the regime from having nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and from continuing to fund terrorism.”

Kursh also highlighted Israel’s growing cooperation with several Gulf states following the signing of the Abraham Accords.

The accords normalized relations between Israel and countries including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.

Kursh said these partnerships have expanded regional coordination amid the escalating tensions with Iran.

Despite reports that some Gulf states may be running low on interceptor missiles for their air defense, Kursh said she has not seen intelligence confirming this.

Still, she expressed confidence that Israel and its allies would continue to work together to counter Iran’s actions in the region.

She said that curbing Iran’s military capabilities and influence would ultimately bring “hope for the Iranian people” and the possibility of long-term peace in the region after decades of turmoil.

As the conflict spreads across borders and alliances harden, the stakes continue to rise.