According to a stark analysis by commentator Akdoğan Özkan in the Turkish news outlet T24, the re-imposition of sanctions by the E3 nations—the UK, France, and Germany—has effectively created a new "justification" for an Israeli attack. Özkan warns that the world is now witnessing a near-identical pattern of military mobilization that preceded the June conflict. He argues that with diplomacy now seen as a failure in Tehran, and with hardliners feeling vindicated, the stage is set for a conflict that could dwarf the previous clash and plunge the global economy into chaos.
The most tangible evidence of these preparations comes from the skies. In a major logistical operation, a large fleet of US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft has been redeployed from Europe to the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, one of the largest such movements in recent months. This mobilization is critical for supporting a large-scale, long-range bombing campaign. Simultaneously, the U.S. is bolstering Israel’s defenses against Iran’s most feared weapon: its vast arsenal of ballistic missiles. Independent analyst Patricia Marins reports that the U.S. has deployed four additional THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) launchers to Israel, a system specifically designed to intercept ballistic missiles in their terminal phase. This could increase Israel's total defensive missile capacity to nearly 1,000, creating a formidable shield for an impending offensive.
Iran, meanwhile, is not standing idle. Believing it was betrayed by European and American diplomacy, Tehran has reportedly accelerated its own war preparations. Military observers note that Iran is focusing on refurbishing and upgrading its ballistic missile force, which proved far more effective than its cruise missiles during the 12-Day War. While its air force was largely protected by being hidden, its radar and air defense networks suffered damage. Aware that Israel and the US are monitoring its recovery efforts via satellite, Iran is in a race against time to repair its defenses and enhance its retaliatory capacity, which also includes a formidable fleet of maneuverable mini-submarines capable of disrupting shipping in the vital Persian Gulf.
The stakes of this looming conflict are exponentially higher than the limited war in June. The objective now appears to be nothing short of regime change or the complete annihilation of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, a goal that could spark a protracted and brutal war with catastrophic consequences for global oil markets and stability. While a new strategic partnership agreement between Iran and Russia officially took effect last week, analysts remain skeptical that Moscow would provide direct military support in a war against Israel, leaving Tehran to face the impending storm largely on its own.