This article explores the long-standing and increasingly hostile relationship between Iran and Israel, shaped by over four decades of competition, conflict, and ideological confrontation. Initially expressed through indirect proxy engagements, this animosity has been reinforced by both nations’ respective identities, with Iran framing the Israeli-Palestinian issue as a broader Islamic cause. The article highlights the shift in 2023, when direct confrontations emerged following events that heightened perceived threats to both countries’ domestic security.