Will Iran and Israel go to war?

Inside StoryUS special envoy Steve Witkoff is yet again in Israel to discuss growing tensions with Iran.Renewed threats to strike Iran have once again raised the stakes across the Middle East.The United States and Israel have toughened their stance against Tehran in recent weeks as the country was gripped by nationwide protests. Iran accused Israel of interference in those demonstrations.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Iran’s president orders team to open fresh talks with USlist 2 of 3Iran’s economy falters as internet shutdown hits people, businesses hardlist 3 of 3A year after Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire, over 64,000 Lebanese displacedend of listAs the war rhetoric ramps up, Iran is threatening to inflict heavy damage on Israel, if it is attacked.The tension between the two sides follows decades of mutual hostility that have shaped the geopolitics of the region.So, does diplomacy stand a chance in this long-running conflict?Presenter: Rishaad SalamatGuests:Thomas Warrick – Non-resident fellow at the Atlantic CouncilMarzie Khalilian – Political analyst focusing on US-Middle East relations and an academic Researcher at Carleton UniversityAlon Pinkas – Former Israeli diplomatPublished On 3 Feb 2026