What You Need to Know About the Dangerous Conflict Between Israel and Iran

The conflict between Israel and Iran has been on a low boil for decades. Since its Islamic revolution in 1979, Iran has rejected Israel’s very existence and worked to undermine it by arming and training anti-Israeli militant groups. Israel has used its military to disrupt those efforts and to thwart Iran’s nuclear program, which it regards as an existential threat. In the past, the two sides have repeatedly struck blows against each other without taking responsibility, Iran often using its proxies. Then, in an unprecedented act of overt aggression, Iran launched a massive missile and drone attack on Israel April 13, provoking a more limited return attack April 19. While both assaults created minimal damage, the head-to-head fighting has moved the Israel-Iran conflict into a more dangerous phase.

Here’s your guide to understanding the situation.