Israel's Covert Role In Iran-Iraq War & Regional Tensions

Jackie Quigley DVM 22 Jun 2025

The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East is a complex tapestry woven with historical animosities, shifting alliances, and strategic imperatives. Few threads in this intricate design are as counter-intuitive, yet profoundly impactful, as the often-overlooked relationship between Israel and Iran during the devastating 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War. While today these two nations stand as staunch adversaries, their past interactions reveal a surprising chapter where shared strategic interests momentarily eclipsed ideological divides, setting a precedent for the region's enduring volatility.

Understanding the full scope of the current tensions and the potential for a broader conflict requires delving into this historical paradox. The shadow of the Iran-Iraq War, and Israel's surprising involvement, continues to influence regional dynamics, shaping the perceptions and actions of key players. This article will explore the nuanced history of Israel's role, its strategic motivations, and how these past events resonate in the ongoing confrontations between Israel and Iran, particularly concerning the volatile situation in Iraq and the broader Middle East.

The Unlikely Alliance: Israel's Support During the Iran-Iraq War
Strategic Imperatives: Why Israel Aided Iran
Echoes of Conflict: Missile Wars and Shared Threats
The Post-2003 Shift: Iranian Ascendancy and New Threats
Escalation to Open Conflict: Recent Israel-Iran Hostilities
Regional Repercussions: The Fear of a Wider War
Iraq's Precarious Position: A Battleground for Regional Powers
Diplomacy and Deterrence: Navigating the Current Crisis

The Unlikely Alliance: Israel's Support During the Iran-Iraq War

The narrative of Israel and Iran as perennial enemies often overshadows a crucial period in their shared history: the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). Despite the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979, which fundamentally altered Iran's foreign policy to one of staunch opposition to Israel, a pragmatic, albeit covert, relationship emerged during this brutal conflict. It might seem paradoxical, but during the Iran-Iraq War, Israel played a significant, albeit clandestine, role in supporting Iran.

Arms and Expertise: A Covert Lifeline

**Israel was one of the main suppliers of military equipment to Iran during the war.** This was not a minor transaction but a substantial commitment, driven by complex strategic calculations. Reports indicate that **Israel supplied Iran with over $500 million in arms** over the course of the eight-year conflict. This aid was critical for Iran, which was facing international isolation and an arms embargo, making it difficult to acquire necessary military hardware. The equipment ranged from spare parts for American-made aircraft and tanks (which both pre-revolutionary Iran and Israel possessed) to more advanced weaponry. Beyond the hardware, Israel's support extended to human capital. **Israel also provided military instructors during the war.** These instructors likely offered training on the use of the supplied equipment, tactical advice, and logistical support, enhancing Iran's military capabilities at a time when it desperately needed them. This level of direct military assistance underscores the depth of the strategic understanding that existed, however briefly and secretly, between the two nations. It highlights a period where immediate threats outweighed long-term ideological differences, a stark contrast to the overt animosity seen today.

Intelligence Exchange: A Mutual Benefit

The covert relationship was not a one-way street. In exchange for military aid and instruction, Israel received valuable intelligence. This reciprocal arrangement proved highly beneficial for Israel, allowing it to execute one of its most daring and successful military operations. **In turn, [Israel] received Iranian intelligence that helped it carry out Operation Opera against Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor.** This operation, a pre-emptive Israeli airstrike on Iraq's unfinished nuclear reactor in June 1981, was a pivotal moment in Middle Eastern security. The intelligence provided by Iran, likely concerning Iraqi air defenses, reactor schematics, or troop movements, was instrumental in the success of this highly sensitive mission. This exchange exemplifies the pragmatic nature of their cooperation: Israel helped Iran fight its immediate enemy, and Iran helped Israel neutralize a perceived existential threat.

Strategic Imperatives: Why Israel Aided Iran

The decision by Israel to aid Iran, a nation that had just undergone an Islamic Revolution and declared itself an enemy of the Zionist state, was not born out of sympathy but out of cold, hard strategic calculation. The primary driver behind this unlikely alliance was the principle of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." **Israel supplied Iran with over $500 million in arms, as it saw Iraq’s nuclear ambitions at the time as a greater threat to its existence.** Saddam Hussein's Iraq, under the Ba'athist regime, was perceived by Israel as a more immediate and potent threat than revolutionary Iran. Iraq had a history of belligerence towards Israel, possessed a significant military, and, crucially, was actively pursuing a nuclear weapons program. A nuclear-armed Iraq, located geographically closer and with a more direct military posture against Israel, represented an unacceptable existential risk. By bolstering Iran's capabilities, Israel aimed to bog down Iraq in a protracted and costly war, diverting its resources and attention away from its nuclear program and its western front. A strong Iran, even an ideologically hostile one, served as a strategic buffer and a counterweight to Iraqi power. This strategy, though risky, effectively neutralized a more immediate threat by leveraging a less immediate one. It was a calculated gamble that paid off in the short term, demonstrating the complex and often counter-intuitive nature of Middle Eastern geopolitics. The long-term implications, however, are still playing out, as the very nation Israel once aided is now its primary regional adversary.

Echoes of Conflict: Missile Wars and Shared Threats

The Iran-Iraq War was characterized by brutal ground combat, but it also saw the widespread use of ballistic missiles, particularly in the "War of the Cities." Both Iran and Iraq launched thousands of missiles at each other's urban centers, a terrifying precursor to modern warfare. This experience left a lasting imprint on the military doctrines of regional powers. **Less well known is that their military strategies both reflect missile wars with Iraq.** This statement points to a shared historical experience that shaped how both Israel and Iran view and prepare for future conflicts. For Israel, the threat of missile attacks from various actors (Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, and potentially Iran itself) has been a constant concern, leading to the development of sophisticated missile defense systems like the Iron Dome. For Iran, the experience of being targeted by Iraqi missiles during the war underscored the importance of developing its own indigenous missile capabilities as a deterrent and a means of projecting power. This shared historical context, born out of the Iran-Iraq War, inadvertently forged a common understanding of a particular type of warfare, even as they now stand on opposite sides. Both nations have invested heavily in their missile arsenals and defense systems, a direct legacy of the Iran-Iraq War and the lessons learned from it.

The Post-2003 Shift: Iranian Ascendancy and New Threats

The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East underwent a seismic shift with the 2003 U.S. military campaign in Iraq. The overthrow of Saddam Hussein, while removing a long-standing adversary for both the U.S. and Israel, inadvertently created a power vacuum that Iran was quick to fill. **The efforts raise the possibility of an end to two decades of Iranian ascendancy in the region, to which the U.S. military campaign in Iraq in 2003 inadvertently gave rise.** The removal of Saddam's Sunni-led regime eliminated Iran's primary regional rival, allowing Tehran to expand its influence across the Levant. Through its support for various Shia militias and political factions in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, Iran established a "land bridge" of influence stretching to the Mediterranean. This expansion of Iranian power, facilitated by the unintended consequences of the U.S. invasion, is now seen by Israel as its most significant strategic challenge. The very vacuum created by the removal of a threat (Iraq) that Israel once sought to contain by aiding Iran, ironically led to the rise of a new, more pervasive Iranian threat. This shift marks the transition from the covert cooperation of the Iran-Iraq War era to the overt confrontation of today, where **Iran is one of the strongest powers in the region and a firm critic of Israel.**

Escalation to Open Conflict: Recent Israel-Iran Hostilities

The long-standing proxy conflicts and rhetorical exchanges between Israel and Iran have, in recent times, escalated into direct, albeit limited, military confrontations. The tension, simmering for years over Iran's nuclear program and its regional influence, reached a boiling point. **The war between Israel and Iran erupted June 13, with Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists.** This marked a significant shift, moving beyond mere shadow boxing to overt military action.

Operation Rising Lion and Targeted Strikes

The Israeli military has openly acknowledged its operations against Iranian targets. **The IDF launched ‘Operation Rising Lion’ on Friday with the largest attack on Iran since the 1980s Iraq War.** This operation signifies a major escalation, indicating a more aggressive posture from Israel aimed at degrading Iran's military capabilities and disrupting its nuclear ambitions. The targeting of "nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists" suggests a strategy of decapitation and infrastructure degradation, aiming to set back Iran's strategic programs and leadership. **Israel initiated an air campaign against Iran's nuclear and military facilities,** demonstrating a resolve to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to curb its regional power projection.

Retaliation and Threats

As expected, these Israeli actions have not gone unanswered. **The conflict escalated with Iran retaliating against Israeli targets.** While the specifics of Iranian retaliation are often shrouded in secrecy, they typically involve missile or drone attacks, either directly from Iran or through its proxies in the region. This cycle of action and reaction creates a dangerous feedback loop, constantly pushing the region closer to a full-scale war. The international community, including major powers, has expressed grave concerns. **President Donald Trump threatened Iran's** actions, indicating the global implications of this escalating conflict. **A timeline of how the attacks unfolded** would reveal a series of tit-for-tat exchanges, each bringing the two nations closer to a direct, devastating confrontation.

Regional Repercussions: The Fear of a Wider War

The escalating direct conflict between Israel and Iran carries immense risks for the entire Middle East. The fear is palpable that this localized conflict could quickly engulf neighboring states, turning them into battlegrounds. **The fear is that this war between Israel and Iran will play out on the ground of all the countries in between, writes chief international correspondent Bel Trew from Damascus.** This grim assessment highlights the precarious position of nations like Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, which are already struggling with internal instability and host various Iranian-backed groups. A direct war would inevitably draw in these countries, leading to further displacement, humanitarian crises, and the potential collapse of state structures. The regional implications extend beyond the immediate conflict zones, affecting global energy markets, international trade routes, and diplomatic efforts. The involvement of external powers, like the United States, further complicates the situation. **Decision to reduce its diplomatic footprint in Iraq just prior to Israel launching its attacks, have been widely interpreted, particularly by Iran and its allies in Iraq, as clear indicators of Washington's complicity.** This perception fuels anti-American sentiment and potentially emboldens Iranian proxies, increasing the risk of attacks on U.S. interests or personnel in the region, further complicating the volatile dynamic of the Iran-Iraq War Israel conflict.

Iraq's Precarious Position: A Battleground for Regional Powers

Iraq, having suffered through decades of conflict, including the devastating Iran-Iraq War, finds itself once again caught in the crossfire of regional power struggles, particularly between Israel and Iran. The country's political landscape is deeply fractured, with various factions holding differing loyalties and strategic outlooks. **The issue has divided parties in Iraq’s ruling coalition, all of whom are sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and view Israel as an enemy, though some differ over how involved Iraq should be in** the broader regional conflicts. While there is a general consensus among Iraqi political parties regarding sympathy for the Palestinian cause and animosity towards Israel, the degree of direct involvement in the ongoing Iran-Israel confrontation remains a contentious issue. Some factions, particularly those closely aligned with Iran, advocate for a more active role in supporting Iranian interests and confronting Israel. Others, mindful of Iraq's fragile stability and the devastating consequences of past conflicts, prefer a more cautious approach, prioritizing national sovereignty and avoiding becoming a proxy battleground. This internal division makes Iraq a highly unstable and unpredictable actor in the regional equation, making it a potential flashpoint where the Iran-Iraq War Israel conflict could spill over. Furthermore, **domestic political concerns, as well as tough losses suffered in nearly two years of regional conflicts and upheavals, appear to have led these Iran allies to take a back** seat in some instances. This suggests that even pro-Iran factions in Iraq are not monolithic in their approach and may be influenced by the domestic costs of prolonged conflict. The legacy of the Iran-Iraq War, which devastated Iraq, makes many hesitant to plunge the country into another large-scale regional conflict.

Diplomacy and Deterrence: Navigating the Current Crisis

Amidst the escalating tensions and military actions, diplomatic efforts remain crucial, albeit challenging, in preventing a full-blown regional war. The international community recognizes the severe implications of an unchecked conflict between Israel and Iran. **Iran, UK, Germany, France and EU foreign policy chief meet in bid to avoid further escalation between Israel and Iran.** These meetings underscore the urgent need for de-escalation and a diplomatic resolution to the underlying issues, particularly Iran's nuclear program and its regional activities. The role of major global powers, including the United States, is pivotal. While **President Donald Trump threatened Iran's** actions, indicating a strong stance, the emphasis often shifts between deterrence and diplomacy. The aim is to exert pressure on Iran while simultaneously creating avenues for negotiation. The intricate dance between military deterrence and diplomatic overtures is a delicate one, constantly balancing the need to project strength with the imperative to avoid miscalculation that could trigger a wider conflict. The memory of past regional wars, including the Iran-Iraq War, serves as a stark reminder of the catastrophic consequences of diplomatic failures. The efforts to contain the current crisis are a testament to the international community's recognition that the stakes are incredibly high, and a full-scale war between Israel and Iran would have devastating global repercussions.

Conclusion

The complex relationship between Israel and Iran, particularly as illuminated by Israel's surprising role in the Iran-Iraq War, serves as a powerful reminder of the fluid and often paradoxical nature of Middle Eastern geopolitics. From covert military aid and intelligence sharing in the 1980s, driven by a shared desire to contain Iraq's nuclear ambitions, to the direct military confrontations of today, the strategic landscape has undergone a profound transformation. The inadvertent rise of Iranian ascendancy following the 2003 Iraq War fundamentally reshaped regional power dynamics, turning former pragmatic partners into bitter adversaries. The current escalation, marked by Israeli airstrikes and Iranian retaliation, underscores the precarious balance of power and the constant threat of a wider conflict. Nations like Iraq find themselves caught in the crossfire, their internal divisions reflecting the broader regional struggle. As international efforts strive to de-escalate tensions, the historical context of the Iran-Iraq War and Israel's past involvement provides crucial insights into the deep-seated motivations and strategic calculations that continue to drive actions in this volatile region. Understanding this intricate history is not just an academic exercise; it is essential for comprehending the present dangers and for charting a path towards a more stable future. We encourage you to share your thoughts on this complex historical dynamic and its impact on current events in the comments below. What do you believe are the most significant lessons learned from Israel's involvement in the Iran-Iraq War? For further reading on regional conflicts and their historical roots, explore our other articles on Middle Eastern geopolitics.

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