On June 15, 2025, Iran announced that its missile and drone attacks on Israel, part of “Operation True Promise III,” would cease if Israel halts its military actions against Iran. This statement, reported by sources like Al Jazeera, frames Iran’s response as self-defense following Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” on June 13, which targeted over 100 Iranian strategic sites, including nuclear facilities, killing at least 100. Iran’s operation involved launching over 150 missiles and drones, with most intercepted by Israel’s defense systems, though some caused minor damage.
Russia’s position in this escalation reflects its ongoing Middle East balancing act. While maintaining economic and military ties with Iran, including arms sales and cooperation in Syria, Russia also preserves relations with Israel through security coordination and economic links. Moscow likely issued neutral or muted statements, avoiding direct involvement to safeguard its flexibility, as seen in past Israel-Iran flare-ups. This approach aligns with Russia’s broader strategy of leveraging regional tensions to counter Western influence while avoiding entanglement.
The EU, as noted in Ursula von der Leyen’s recent trade-focused discussions with the US, is indirectly affected by Middle East instability due to its impact on global energy markets and trade routes. However, the EU’s primary focus remains on securing a US trade deal by July 9, with no direct intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict beyond calls for de-escalation. The Beirut rooftop party video, showing Lebanese civilians dancing amid missile flyovers, underscores the region’s resilience but also its proximity to the conflict, amplifying the stakes for global actors like Russia and the EU.