James Denselow

The return of “near peer” competition to the world has placed a shadow of inattention on many of the pre-existing conflicts and geopolitical fault lines. Nowhere is this truer than the state of tensions between Israel and Iran. Decades of animosity have not remained constant but have instead evolved and metastasised over time with the glaring absence being a large-scale conventional conflict between the two countries.

Israel’s approach over the past few years has been to target Iranian influence in its near abroad whilst using a covert focused effort to undermine its nuclear programme through cyber-attacks and assassinations. Syria has become the most violent battleground for the proxy aspect of the conflict with numerous Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah and Iranian units in the country. Last week the Syrian Regime reported ‘heavy damage’ to its international airport in Damascus from Israeli missiles, closing the transport link to the outside world.

Likewise, Iran has looked to target or at least threaten Israeli interests around the world. This week the Israeli Government put out a warning for all of its citizens to urgently leave Istanbul due to intelligence of an imminent Iranian attack. This proxy to and fro may not last forever. Indeed, the new Israeli administration of Naftali Bennett has been in power for just over a year and has outlined a more assertive and arguably high-risk approach to Tehran.

Israeli officials now openly describe a new defense strategy known as the “Octopus Doctrine” aimed at the “head” of the octopus in Iran, and not just its “tentacles” across the region in places like Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and Iraq. This more aggressive policy stance coincides with the continued failure to replace or renew the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Speaking to the media this week Prime Minister Bennett warned that Iran was “dangerously close” to producing nuclear weapons and was enriching uranium at an “unprecedented rate”. The combination of a new Israeli doctrine towards Iran at the moment in which their nuclear programme may be coming to fruition is a combustible crossroads. What is more the international systems and alliances that have traditionally provided mediation or diplomatic channels are currently swamped with the Ukraine crisis and its economic fallout.

Whilst we’re not looking at the prospect of Israeli tanks barrelling towards Tehran, it is not so far-fetched to speculate that the kind of strikes that we’re seeing in Syria could be replicated on Iranian soil. Rather than the supposedly more plausible deniability actions that suddenly take down Iranian’s networks or the use of drones, could more heavy-duty air and missile assets suddenly find themselves being used to take bigger chunks out of parts of the Iranian nuclear programme?

In the more immediate phase, it seems that both sides are signalling their intention to strikes against certain individuals with Iranian regime-affiliated media outlet publishing the names of five former Israeli military intelligence officers and current tech executives who are allegedly on Tehran’s hit list. Israel killed two Iranian scientists several weeks ago by poisoning their food, a Monday report in the New York Times claimed citing an Iranian official and two other sources connected to the government. The scientists, Ayoob Entezari and Kamran Aghamolaei, died in separate incidents under murky circumstances that Iran suspects were targeted killings.

Citing Prime Minister Bennett’s vow to pursue a policy of ‘death by a thousand cuts’ against Iran, it appears that Israel has widened its list of Iranian targets beyond the nuclear programme itself to include those linked to the country’s drone and missile programmes. Yet as an analysis from the Atlantic Council pointed out whilst Israel continues to enjoy impressive tactical successes strategically it “hasn’t achieved its goal of preventing Iran from having an advanced nuclear program”.

As the conflict in Ukraine reminds us, violence has its own escalatory logic that can go in vastly unpredictable directions and the key message from Israel’s public acknowledgment of the ‘Octopus Doctrine’ is that regional and global players will have to expand their political bandwidth to grip the situation before it gets out of hand. Yet if Iran’s nuclear programme has progressed as many fear, it is uncertain what options countries like the US, actually have, meaning that the prospect of a regional conflagration will continue to worsen.

BY: James Denselow

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.