Between 100,000 and 150,000 Israelis have been stuck abroad as the country’s airspace remains closed and the fighting with Iran drags on.
Since shortly after it was founded in 1948, Israel has been intent on building a nuclear program to ensure its survival.
President Trump spent the first months of his term holding back Israel’s push for an assault on Iran’s nuclear program. With the war underway, his posture has gyrated as he weighs sending in the U.S. military.
Analysts say the Kremlin is prioritizing its own war against Ukraine, as well as its relations with Gulf nations that don’t want to see a stronger Iran.
Syria was once among the closest allies of the Islamic republic, but the new government resents Tehran’s support for the Assad regime and has pledged not to allow attacks on Israel from its territory.
Israel’s escalated offensive indicates that its aims go beyond dismantling Iran’s nuclear program.
Industry experts are examining possible scenarios, including one in which the price of oil doubles this year.
Iran is often portrayed as one of the world’s most dangerous actors, but with its attacks on Iranian defenses, nuclear sites and proxy militias, Israel has exposed a compromised and weakened adversary.
Israel called the move “outrageous.” A French official said Israeli companies were defying an agreement not to display so-called offensive weapons.
The French-Israeli relationship has always been turbulent, but the prospect that President Emmanuel Macron may recognize a Palestinian state has brought tension to a new level.