What Sparked the Latest Israel-Iran Crisis—and Why Is It More Than Just Headlines?
A dramatic Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities has reignited global debate, but beneath the headlines, a deeper shadow war rages.
On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a sweeping military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, ballistic missile sites, and high-ranking military commanders.
The Israeli government declared the campaign would continue “until the nuclear threat is eliminated,” citing intelligence that Iran had amassed enough enriched uranium for multiple nuclear weapons.
“We're at this juncture because the regime has rejected the US's diplomacy. It refused to dismantle its weaponized nuclear program peacefully, so Israel is doing it for them.”
The strikes were unprecedented in scale, involving over 200 jets and dozens of targets across Iran, including the critical Natanz enrichment facility.
The immediate international reaction was intense and polarized. The United Nations and major world powers, including the US, China, and France, called for restraint and warned of the risk of regional escalation.
Middle Eastern states such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar condemned Israel’s actions as violations of international law, while Israel’s Western allies expressed concern but reiterated Israel’s right to self-defense.
Iran, vowing severe retribution, began mobilizing its proxies and threatened direct retaliation, raising fears of a broader war.
Who Is Nick Berg—and Why Does His Perspective Matter?
Nick Berg, author of Shadows of Tehran, is a recognized commentator on hybrid warfare, Iran, and Israel.
As an Iranian-American and Special Operations veteran, Berg brings a unique lens to these events, blending firsthand experience with deep analysis of the region’s complex power dynamics.
His work, including the acclaimed Shadows of Tehran, explores the realities of cultural conflict, dual identity, and the hidden costs of war, offering a perspective that bridges personal narrative and strategic insight.
How Is Iran’s Use of Proxies at the Core of Its Hybrid Strategy?
At the heart of this shadow war is Iran’s reliance on proxies.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has built a vast network of militant groups—Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shi’ite militias across Iraq and Syria.
These groups receive funding, weapons, and military training from Tehran, enabling Iran to project power and destabilize Israel and its allies without direct confrontation.
Recent events have confirmed the depth of Iran’s involvement.
Hamas leaders openly admit to receiving tens of millions of dollars annually from Iran, as well as advanced weapons and specialized training.
Captured documents and intelligence reports reveal that Iran played a critical role in planning and supporting Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, and continues to orchestrate multi-front assaults through its proxies.
In the wake of the latest Israeli strikes, Hamas publicly declared that Iran is “paying the price” for its unwavering support of Gaza’s militant groups, underscoring how central this alliance is to the ongoing conflict.
What Is the Real Conflict—and Why Does Nick Berg Call It a Shadow War?
Nick Berg’s analysis reveals that the Israeli attack is not an isolated event but part of a larger, hidden conflict—one defined by hybrid tactics, ideological struggle, and the unseen costs borne by societies.
Iran’s hybrid warfare goes beyond conventional military engagement, blending cyberattacks, assassinations, proxy militias, and information operations to achieve strategic goals while maintaining plausible deniability.
Israel’s response is not just about self-defense; it is a fight for survival against a regime that has embedded itself in the region’s conflicts and seeks to reshape the Middle East order.
Berg’s perspective is clear: what the world sees is only the visible tip of a much larger and more dangerous conflict. The real war is fought in the shadows—where alliances are forged, proxies are armed, and the fate of nations is decided far from the public eye.
What Is Hybrid Warfare in the Context of Israel and Iran?
Hybrid warfare, as defined in Nick Berg’s analyses and echoed by global security experts, is the blending of conventional military action with unconventional tactics—cyberattacks, assassinations, proxy militias, and information operations—to achieve strategic goals while maintaining plausible deniability.
For Iran, this means waging war not just on the battlefield, but in the shadows, targeting adversaries from the Middle East to Europe and North America, often without leaving fingerprints.
What Are the Key Tactics of Iran’s Hybrid War?
Iran’s hybrid strategy includes:
- Proxy Militias: Iran arms, funds, and directs groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, enabling attacks on Israel and Western interests without direct Iranian involvement.
- Assassinations: Iranian operatives and criminal proxies have been linked to assassination plots and attacks against dissidents and Israeli targets in Europe, the US, and the Middle East.
- Cyberattacks: Iran has launched hundreds of cyber operations targeting Israeli officials, critical infrastructure, and public figures, with some attacks designed to gather intelligence for planned assassinations.
- Information Operations: The regime spreads propaganda and disinformation to destabilize societies, shape global narratives, and divide Western alliances.
Recent cases include Iranian-backed assassination attempts in the Netherlands and the US, as well as a massive cyber campaign targeting Israeli leaders and civilians for potential physical attacks. Iranian criminal networks in Europe have also been sanctioned for orchestrating attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets, illustrating the global reach of Tehran’s shadow war.
How Does Israel’s Recent Strike Fit Into This Ongoing Shadow War?
Israel’s June 2025 strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military leadership are not isolated acts of aggression—they are a direct response to years of Iranian hybrid warfare.
By targeting nuclear scientists, missile factories, and top IRGC commanders, Israel is attempting to degrade the infrastructure that enables Iran’s proxies and covert operations.
This marks a shift from Israel’s traditional focus on defending its borders to a proactive strategy of disrupting Iran’s shadow networks at their source.
Israel’s actions also reflect the realities of modern special forces warfare, where precision, intelligence, and adaptability are as crucial as firepower.
“Most of the world sees only the visible tip of a much larger conflict.”
—one where the true battle is fought in the shadows, and the stakes are nothing less than the survival of democratic societies and the global order.
Why Is This Conflict Largely Invisible to the World?
The nature of hybrid warfare means that much of the conflict remains hidden from public view.
While media coverage focuses on missile exchanges and dramatic airstrikes, the real struggle is waged through covert operations, psychological manipulation, and the slow erosion of societal trust.
Iran’s ability to wage war through proxies and criminal networks allows it to escalate violence while avoiding direct accountability, making it difficult for the international community to respond effectively.
As Berg and other analysts emphasize, understanding the Israel-Iran conflict requires looking beyond the headlines to the interconnected web of militias, hackers, spies, and propagandists that define this new era of warfare.
Only by exposing and confronting these hidden tactics can democracies hope to defend themselves and preserve the values under attack.
How Did the 1979 Iranian Revolution Shape Today’s Israel-Iran Conflict?
The seismic shock of the 1979 Iranian Revolution fundamentally transformed Iran’s political landscape and set the stage for the enduring shadow war between Iran and Israel.
The revolution toppled the Western-backed Pahlavi monarchy and replaced it with a theocratic regime under Ayatollah Khomeini, radically altering Iran’s role in the Middle East and its relationship with the West.
This new Islamic Republic was not content with reshaping Iran alone; its constitution and leadership made the export of its revolutionary, Shia Islamist ideology a core mission, explicitly aiming to inspire and support similar movements across the Muslim world.
How Did Iran’s Export of Ideology and State-Sponsored Militancy Become Normalized?
From its earliest days, the Islamic Republic prioritized the creation and support of militant groups as instruments of foreign policy.
Khomeini and his successors viewed the spread of their ideology as both a religious duty and a strategic necessity, leading to the birth of organizations like Hezbollah in Lebanon—an entity that would not have existed without Iranian sponsorship.
The IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), established shortly after the revolution, became the architect and executor of this doctrine, recruiting, radicalizing, and deploying paramilitary forces across the region.
Over the decades, Iran’s “militia doctrine” evolved: from supporting Shia dissidents in Iraq and Afghanistan to manufacturing and controlling entire proxy armies in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and beyond.
This normalization of covert warfare—using proxies, militias, and ideological indoctrination—has become a defining feature of Middle Eastern geopolitics.
Iran’s influence now stretches from Baghdad to Beirut, Gaza to Sana’a, with each proxy group serving both as a tool of regional destabilization and a buffer against direct retaliation.
Why Is the “Shadow War” Central to Regional Geopolitics?
The shadow war between Iran and Israel is not just about direct military confrontations; it is a complex, ongoing struggle fought through covert operations, cyberattacks, targeted assassinations, and the manipulation of regional conflicts.
Iran’s strategy is to keep its adversaries off-balance, using plausible deniability and asymmetric tactics to avoid all-out war while relentlessly advancing its interests.
The IRGC’s Quds Force, in particular, has mastered the art of hybrid warfare, blending hard and soft power to maintain influence and project strength.
Israel, in response, has developed its own shadow capabilities—striking Iranian weapons convoys in Syria, sabotaging nuclear facilities, and conducting intelligence operations deep inside Iranian territory.
This ongoing contest remains largely invisible to the public, with only the most dramatic incidents—like airstrikes or assassinations—breaking into global headlines.
How Do Both Regimes Use Secrecy and Narrative Control to Shape Public Perception?
Both Iran and Israel understand the power of narrative and secrecy in shaping domestic and international opinion.
Iran’s regime tightly controls information, using state media to amplify its ideological message, justify its regional ambitions, and suppress dissent at home.
Recent symbolic acts of protest, such as painting public signs or using graffiti on urban infrastructure in Tehran, demonstrate the ongoing struggle between state control and public resistance.
Israel, meanwhile, leverages its own information campaigns and intelligence disclosures to justify military actions and counteract Iranian propaganda.
Both sides engage in psychological operations and strategic leaks, seeking to condition public opinion and legitimize their actions, sometimes blurring the line between truth and propaganda.
What Is the Enduring Impact?
The legacy of 1979 is a region locked in perpetual shadow conflict, where overt battles are only the surface of a deeper war for influence, ideology, and survival.
Decades after the Islamic Revolution, Iran’s export of militant ideology and Israel’s countermeasures have institutionalized a cycle of hybrid warfare and proxy conflict that shapes every aspect of Middle Eastern geopolitics.
As Nick Berg’s Shadows of Tehran and related analyses show, this legacy is not just geopolitical—it is deeply personal, shaping the lives, identities, and destinies of millions caught between two irreconcilable visions for the future of the Middle East
Israel as Firewall: Defending Democracy in the Shadows
How Does Nick Berg Frame Israel’s Role in the Region?
Nick Berg frames Israel as the region’s firewall against Iranian extremism, emphasizing that Israel’s actions are not solely about national survival but are integral to upholding democratic values and the global order.
In Berg’s analysis, Israel stands at the front line of a broader struggle: its defense against hybrid threats—ranging from proxy militias to cyberattacks—is a bulwark not just for itself, but for societies everywhere that are threatened by authoritarian regimes.
This fight is against the Iranian government and not the Iranian people. They are paving the way for Iranian people to take the future into their own hands and rid themselves of this evil government.”
Why Are the Stakes Global, Not Just Regional?
The stakes of the Israel-Iran conflict extend far beyond the Middle East. Berg argues that the confrontation is a test of democratic values and the international system itself.
A nuclear-armed Iran would threaten global energy supplies, embolden authoritarian regimes, and undermine the framework of international law.
Iran’s proxy warfare has already destabilized multiple countries, from Lebanon and Syria to Yemen and Iraq, demonstrating that the survival of liberal democracies is at stake.
The world’s response to this conflict will shape the future of international norms and the balance of power, making it a pivotal issue for global security and governance.
“The Islamic government left Israel no choice but to defend itself,”
What Historical Parallels Does Berg Draw?
Berg draws direct historical parallels between Israel’s fight against Iranian extremism and past global struggles against fascism and totalitarianism.
He emphasizes the imperative to protect democratic values and freedom, drawing lessons from World War II and the fight against Nazi Germany.
According to Berg, this conflict is part of a larger historical continuum of resistance against oppressive regimes, highlighting the importance of resilience and unity in the face of authoritarian aggression.
Why Is This Framing Essential for Understanding the Conflict?
Understanding Israel as a firewall clarifies why this conflict resonates worldwide.
It is not merely a battle over territory or ideology, but a defense of the principles that underpin open societies.
As experts note, Israel’s confrontation with Iranian-backed hybrid threats is emblematic of the broader struggle between democratic resilience and authoritarian expansion.
The outcome will influence not only the security of Israel and its neighbors but also the trajectory of global democracy and the resilience of nations facing similar threats from hybrid warfare and extremist ideologies.
Western Perceptions and Contradictions
Why Do Some Western Activists Protest Israel While Overlooking Hamas’s Hostility to Their Own Values?
A striking paradox defines modern activism: left-wing, LGBTQ+, and women’s rights groups often lead anti-Israel protests, despite Hamas’s well-documented hostility toward the very values these activists champion.
Hamas enforces strict religious codes in Gaza, criminalizing LGBTQ+ identities, suppressing women’s rights, and punishing dissent with violence.
For example, gay and transgender people in Gaza face severe persecution, including imprisonment and even execution, as illustrated by the 2016 execution of a Hamas commander for alleged homosexual activity and the murder of LGBTQ Palestinians in the West Bank.
Many LGBTQ Palestinians seek asylum in Israel, which, despite criticism, remains one of the most tolerant societies for LGBTQ rights in the region.
Meanwhile, Iran’s regime—Hamas’s primary sponsor—has crushed its own “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement and executes dissidents, with women’s rights activists and protesters facing systematic repression, imprisonment, and violence for demanding basic freedoms.
Iran’s export of revolutionary ideology and support for militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah is a core part of its strategy to destabilize the region and challenge liberal values globally.
Yet, many Western activists frame their protests as solidarity with Palestinians, inadvertently aligning with groups and regimes that oppose their core principles.
This contradiction is rooted in a tendency within some social justice movements to simplify complex conflicts into binary narratives of “oppressor vs. oppressed,” overlooking the realities of authoritarianism and intolerance within groups like Hamas and the Iranian regime.
How Does Ideological Dissonance Fuel This Contradiction?
The dissonance stems from oversimplified narratives that reduce the Israel-Iran conflict to a binary “oppressor vs. oppressed” framework.
This lens ignores the complex realities of Iranian proxy warfare, Hamas’s authoritarian governance, and the Iranian regime’s systemic oppression of its own people.
Activists often conflate criticism of Israeli policies with support for Hamas or Iran, unintentionally amplifying narratives that serve authoritarian agendas.
For example, Iranian state media and proxy networks actively exploit Western protests to legitimize their actions and divert attention from their own human rights abuses.
What Does Nick Berg Mean by “Shadows and Hidden Truths” in This Context?
Nick Berg’s concept of “shadows and hidden truths” exposes how narratives in global conflicts are weaponized to obscure reality.
Simplified slogans like “Free Palestine” or “From the River to the Sea” mask the Iranian regime’s role in funding, arming, and directing Hamas—a group whose 1988 charter explicitly calls for Israel’s destruction.
Berg argues that such oversimplification allows authoritarian regimes to manipulate well-intentioned activism, turning it into a tool for division and destabilization.
The result is a distorted public discourse that hinders meaningful solutions and perpetuates cycles of violence.
Understanding the alliances and ideologies behind the Israel-Iran conflict is critical because it reveals the true nature and scope of the struggle beyond surface-level events.
Iran’s proxy network—including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis—is not independent resistance groups but integral parts of Tehran’s hybrid warfare strategy, serving as extensions of Iran’s revolutionary goals and enabling it to project power and destabilize the region while maintaining plausible deniability.
The ideological export of the Iranian regime is rooted in its revolutionary mission to overthrow Western-aligned governments and establish regional dominance through militant proxies. This ideological drive fuels ongoing conflicts and shapes the behavior of these groups.
Narrative warfare is another key element, where both Iran and Hamas frame their actions as legitimate “anti-imperialist resistance.”
They exploit Western guilt over colonialism and social justice movements to justify violence and oppression, often misleading well-intentioned activists.
Ignoring these dynamics risks activists becoming unwitting pawns in a larger geopolitical game. True solidarity requires recognizing how the Iranian regime exploits Palestinian suffering and understanding the broader threat its ideology poses to global freedoms and democratic values.
The Danger of Oversimplification
Berg warns that reducing the conflict to simplistic narratives not only distorts reality but also undermines efforts to support those genuinely fighting for freedom, from Iranian dissidents to Palestinians living under Hamas’s rule.
The path to peace lies in confronting hidden truths: exposing Iran’s role in regional instability, challenging Hamas’s authoritarianism, and advocating for solutions that prioritize human rights over ideological grandstanding.
How Does the Israel-Iran Conflict Devastate Civilian Lives?
The Israel-Iran shadow war exacts a profound toll on civilians, leaving behind psychological scars, mass displacement, and cycles of trauma.
In Gaza, nearly 90% of the population—about 1.9 million people—have been displaced by military operations, with entire communities forced into overcrowded and unsafe conditions.
Recent studies show that over 93% of young adults in Gaza report moderate or higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, and more than 63% exhibit symptoms of PTSD, figures that far exceed pre-war levels.
Israeli civilians, too, endure relentless rocket attacks, the trauma of mass casualty events, and the constant threat of violence, resulting in widespread anxiety, severe stress reactions, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Humanitarian organizations across the region are overwhelmed by the demand for mental health support, as both Israelis and Palestinians struggle to recover from repeated cycles of violence.
Nick Berg’s Shadows of Tehran and his related writings shine a light on these invisible wounds, illustrating the personal cost of war through the eyes of both civilians and elite warriors.
His narratives explore the resilience required to survive not just the battlefield but the long aftermath, where trauma, identity crises, and the struggle to rebuild a sense of self become daily battles in their own right.
Why Does Hybrid Warfare Erase the Line Between Combatant and Civilian?
Hybrid warfare, as practiced in the Israel-Iran conflict, deliberately blurs the lines between combatant and bystander.
Militias like Hamas embed fighters within civilian populations, using homes, schools, and hospitals as shields, while Israeli and Iranian strikes on military targets often have unintended civilian consequences.
Cyberattacks and sabotage can disrupt critical infrastructure, affecting millions who have no direct role in the conflict.
This ambiguity forces ordinary people—farmers, students, parents—into the crossfire, making everyone a potential casualty or participant in the war’s shadowy frontlines.
What Ethical Dilemmas Arise When Security Clashes With Humanity?
The pursuit of security in this environment demands agonizing moral calculations. Israeli military doctrine, for instance, emphasizes minimizing civilian casualties, but the realities of asymmetric warfare make proportionality a constant ethical dilemma.
Experts note that Israeli officers are often less tolerant of civilian casualties than their international counterparts, yet the necessity of striking legitimate military targets can still result in civilian harm.
Conversely, Iran’s support for proxy warfare perpetuates violence that devastates Palestinian and Israeli communities alike.
Berg’s work and the lived experiences of countless civilians and veterans underscore the resilience required to navigate these dilemmas.
The price of security is often measured in lost innocence, fractured families, and the enduring mental health crisis that shadows every survivor.
True peace, as Berg and mental health experts argue, will require not only strategic solutions but also empathy, transparency, and a commitment to prioritizing human rights over ideological or military grandstanding.
The Call to Action: Lessons from the Shadows
Nick Berg warns against global complacency and appeasement in the face of Iran’s hybrid warfare strategy. He emphasizes that ignoring the covert and proxy conflicts allows authoritarian regimes to strengthen and expand their influence, ultimately threatening democratic values worldwide. Berg calls for vigilance and proactive measures to counter these threats before they escalate into larger conflicts.
He stresses the critical need for unity among nations that cherish freedom and democratic principles. Only through collective action and shared resolve, Berg argues, can democracies effectively counter the multifaceted threats posed by Iran’s hybrid warfare and proxy networks. This unity is essential not only for regional stability but for the preservation of the global order based on the rule of law and human rights.
Berg also highlights the importance of confronting hidden truths about the Israel-Iran conflict, urging policymakers, media, and the public to seek transparency in intelligence and diplomatic efforts. He advocates for empathy toward those affected by the conflict, including civilians and veterans, and resilience in the face of ongoing hybrid threats. Berg believes that only by embracing these principles—transparency, empathy, and resilience—can the international community hope to break cycles of violence and build a more secure and just future.
“In their reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons, Ali Khamenei and his incompetent and criminal thugs have dragged Iran into a war and put the Iranian people in harm’s way.
They are responsible. But the regime is weak and divided. It could fall. As I have told my compatriots, Iran is yours and yours to reclaim. I am with you. Stay strong and we will win. I have told the military, police, and security forces: break from the regime.
Honor the oath of any honorable serviceman. Join the people. To the international community: Do not throw yet another lifeline to this dying, terrorist regime. That’s what the Iranian people are asking, and that’s in the best interest of peace.”
Conclusion
The recent Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities is not an isolated event, but part of a deeper, ongoing shadow war with profound global implications.
This conflict is defined by hybrid warfare, proxy militias, and the weaponization of narratives—an environment where the lines between combatant and civilian, truth and propaganda, are deliberately blurred. The stakes extend far beyond the Middle East, threatening the resilience of democracies and the stability of the international order1.
Nick Berg’s unique perspective—rooted in personal experience, literary insight, and rigorous policy analysis—illuminates the hidden dimensions of this struggle.
His work reveals how trauma, identity, and moral complexity shape the lives of those caught in the crossfire, and why understanding the true nature of hybrid warfare is essential for anyone seeking real solutions.
Only by illuminating the shadows—confronting uncomfortable truths, demanding transparency, and uniting in defense of universal values—can the world hope to break the cycle of violence and build a more secure, just future for all
