What Happens if Israel Attacks Iran in 2025?

Over the past couple of months, President Trump has been attempting to engage in discussions with Iran in order to avoid an imminent conflict between it and Israel. At the same time, Israel reportedly has been preparing to attack Iran. The Iran-US talks have now ceased. The United States is pulling some diplomats, military personnel and their families out of certain countries in the region because of “developing tension.” So it is now looking as if an Israel attack on Iran is imminent. Even if the United States had held discussions with Iran and come to an agreement about the country’s nuclear program, Israel still would have likely attacked. 

But why does Israel want to attack Iran? Many people attribute Israel’s apparent intention to attack Iran on the current Israeli government’s hawkish attitudes. While the country’s leadership is indeed one component of the reason, Israel also is concerned about  the intelligence it has gathered on Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Most recently, in June 2025, the U.N. nuclear watchdog reported that Iran is failing to comply with its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years. Iran suspended its formal nuclear weapons program in 2003 and now claims its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful purposes only. However, this program is widely viewed as a means to destroy or at least threaten Israel. 

Therefore, Israel plans to act first in order to prevent the threat of a future attack. They must do this quickly, as Iran is reportedly rapidly working its way toward developing a nuclear weapon. 

Related: Why Did Israel Attack Iran?

Once Israel attacks Iran, if it does indeed attack, will there be a war between Iran and Israel? If Iran retaliates, possibly there will be a war between the two countries. Although due to Israel’s superior military might – along with the fact that they are believed to have nuclear weapons of their own – Iran would likely quickly lose such a war. Prolonged Middle East conflict would likely only occur if Iran’s allies or both countries’ allies become involved. 

Israel has many allies. The United States is its strongest ally. Israel also has fairly good diplomatic relations with Russia. To an extent, there are Israel allies in the Middle East as well. 

Peace treaties between Israel and its neighboring Middle Eastern countries of Egypt and Jordan have existed for decades. In 2020 the Abraham Accords facilitated by President Trump succeeded in creating peace and diplomatic relations between Israel and two additional Middle Eastern countries – the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – as well as the two African countries of Morocco and Sudan. Peace treaties and diplomatic relations, though, do not mean that these countries would join Israel or support them in any way in attacking Iran or any other country.  

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Iran too has powerful allies. Like Israel, they enjoy diplomatic ties with Russia. China is another ally of Iran, as the two countries signed a formal 25-year-long strategic partnership in 2021. Like Israel, though, Iran does not have strong relationships with many countries in the region. Iraq is an Iranian ally, although their diplomatic relations are not ideal. Syria was a strong ally for many years until the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024. Now, under new Syrian leadership, the two countries’ relations have changed. 

Iran also has allies in the form of various militia groups in the region. Many if not all of these groups are not only allies; they also receive funding from Iran. The Israel-Hamas War, however, has recently diminished their capabilities. Specifically, the toll the war has taken on Hamas has rendered it far less powerful. Israel’s 2024 pager attacks significantly weakened Hezbollah, a Shiite militia group in Lebanon. Israeli and United States naval operations in the Red Sea have now crippled the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. 

Of all of Iran’s allies, Russia is of particular interest. This is because of the fact that they have diplomatic relations with both Israel and Iran. For this reason Russia is perhaps the most powerful of the Iranian allies.

So what happens if Israel attacks Iran? Even the possibility of this imminently occurring has led to increased tensions in the Middle East. If Israel is going to attack, Iran will likely suffer great losses in its nuclear program. The country then will retaliate against Israel, as it has twice in the past year. Both of those previous retaliation events resulted in spectacular failure for Iran, as they were unable to inflict any damage on Israel. So, if Iran retaliates again this time, that should be the end of the situation for the immediate future. That is, unless either or both countries’ allies become involved. If other countries are militarily drawn into the Israel-Iran conflict, we will then be entering an entirely new phase of war in the Middle East.