BEIRUT, Lebanon, June 20 (UPI) -- Iran, which has spent decades nurturing a network of well-armed proxies to expand its influence in the region and shield itself from direct military confrontation, now finds itself on its own in the war that Israel had long been preparing to launch.
Iran's military proxies -- especially Hezbollah, once considered its most powerful -- have been significantly weakened by Israel and no longer pose a serious threat, according to military and political analysts.
Israel began to attack Iran last Friday, targeting nuclear and military facilities and killing top military commanders and nuclear scientists, claiming its archenemy was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.
The war quickly escalated, with Iran retaliating with missile and drone strikes while insisting that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes. More than ever, both countries regard each other as existential threats.
While Iran refuses to "surrender" or resume nuclear talks "under fire," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on drawing the United States into the war to help finish the job.
