Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities on Friday was both an opportunity, with Iran’s proxies sidelined, and “a massive gamble” that set in motion a war with profound consequences for both nations, Northeastern University observers say. Operation Rising Lion, as it’s been called, began shortly after midnight on June 13 when the Israeli military struck more than 100 nuclear and military targets in Iran, killing hundreds of Iranians, including several military leaders. Iran responded with a series of retaliatory strikes on Israel that have resulted in 24 Israeli deaths. The war, which entered its fourth day on Monday, has stoked fear on both sides about what the future might hold.
“People are afraid,” says Simon Rabinovitch, Stotsky Professor in Jewish Historical and Cultural Studies at Northeastern, about the Iranian response. “These are ballistic missiles that are being launched toward population centers seemingly indiscriminately, and some are making it through and doing tremendous damage.”
