Iran-Israel relations are at their lowest. The death of Iran's leading nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, is the cause of the mounting tensions. Iran has even threatened to attack the Israeli city of Haifa, which is a very strategic port city.
For Iran, the death of Fakhrizadeh was a heavy blow and a loss of a very important figure. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh for Iran is a very valuable asset. Iran calls him the Father of the Iranian Nuclear Bomb. In the early 2000s Fakhrizadeh founded the Islamic Republic of Iran's military program. As a mainstay of his country, the late Fakhrizadeh was very much protected by the Iranian government. However last Friday he was killed in a remote controlled machine gun attack. The death of the nuclear figure was a blow to Iran's defenses. Hossein Salami, head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, has accused Israel of orchestrating and directing the assassination.
An Iranian mass media, Kayhan, responded to the murder of Iran's nuclear father with provocative suggestions. Kayhan on Sunday advised the Iranian government to attack the Israeli Port city of Haifa and destroy facilities there.
Prior to the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran-Israel relations were already bad. Israel, a major US ally, has long been hostile to Iran since the overthrow of the Shah of Iran as a result of the Islamic revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini. The position of the United States in the recent tension that has been mounting is clear. Washington did not question the killing of the Iranian nuclear scientist, and even emphasized its support for Israel which was expressed through the US State Department. Washington supports Israel in self-defense in light of Iranian threats to attack Haifa.
Whether the Iranian-Israeli tension will turn into war because Tehran will attack Haifa, is not clear. The transition period of government in Washington as a result of the newly held elections may have an impact on this tense situation, including what steps Iran and Israel will take.