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Debunking Nine Myths of the Israel-Iran War
Smoke billows following missile attack from Iran on Israel, at Tel Aviv, Israel, June 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Gideon Markowicz ISRAEL
If you are using social media, you have likely encountered many false narratives surrounding the Israel-Iran war. Here is what you need to know:
Myth 1: Israel is trying to drag America into a war where its soldiers will die
Reality: Israel does not desire a protracted action and seeks no ground invasion. At most, it would ask America to give it a bunker-buster bomb to hit the Fordow nuclear facility, which is the best protected and underground nuclear facility in Iran. America could also choose to bomb Fordow itself — not at Israel’s behest. Israel has already attacked the Natanz nuclear facility.
Myth 2: Israel launched this war due to its aggressive and violent nature
Reality: Iran has been attacking Israel for almost 40 years, and has been using its proxies of Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and others in order to create a ring of fire around Israel. Iran was responsible for the Oct. 7 massacre through its support of Hamas, as well as every Hezbollah atrocity against Israel. And it was Iran itself that started the direct war between the two countries. In April, Iran launched 300 projectiles, including 170 drones and 120 ballistic missiles at Israel. Last October, it launched 200 ballistic missiles.
Myth 3: The Iranian people are against Israel
Reality: The majority of the Iranian population hates the repressive regime in Iran. In September 2022, 22 year-old Mahsa Amini died after being arrested by Iran’s morality police for not wearing a hijab. Witnesses reported she was beaten in custody. Protests ensued, and human rights groups reported that Iran’s security forces killed more than 400 protesters. These follow many protests and uprising in the past against the mullahs.
Iranian civilians obviously don’t want to be hit by Israeli fire, but Israel has chiefly targeted military locations. If a certain number of Iranian civilians were killed, that attitude could potentially change.
Myth 4: Prime Minister Netanyahu has been saying Iran would have nuclear weapons for many years, so he cannot be trusted on this point
Reality: The first part is true, as Iran has been working on its nuclear program for decades. It has lied, and been caught lying, numerous times in the past. The only reason to enrich uranium past 60 percent is for military purposes.
In addition, things on the ground have changed. Iran has seen its proxies weakened and has become more desperate. Iran never before fired hundreds of missiles at Israel, as it did in 2024 and 2025, and may have been surprised at Israel’s ease in repelling the attack, and also disabling Iran’s air defenses. President Trump has also confirmed that he believes Iran was truly coming close to building a nuclear weapon.
Myth 5: Iran and President Trump were about to make a deal, so Israel sabotaged it by attacking the Islamic Republic
Reality: President Trump gave Iran 60 days to negotiate, and Trump has now said the Iranians didn’t negotiate seriously or in good faith. That’s why he allowed the Israeli attack to go forward on day 61.
Myth 6: Because some Iranian missiles got through Israel’s defense systems, those systems are a failure
Reality: No matter how advanced any system of intercepting projectiles is, there is no such thing as 100 percent accuracy in war. Drones, which are slow and take many hours to get to Israel are easier to shoot down. Ballistic missiles fired from Iran can reach Israel in 10-15 minutes, and pack a good amount of explosives that can do tremendous damage, even wiping out a block.
Myth 7: This is only about Iran’s nuclear program
Reality: Iran’s ballistic missiles also pose a huge threat, as we have seen in recent days, and Israeli attacks have knocked out some of the rocket launchers. Israeli officials report that Iran wanted to expand its ballistic missile arsenal from 2,000 to 8,000.
Myth 8: Israel’s attack certainly brings the world closer to World War III
Reality: While anything is possible, it does not appear that Russia and China would get involved. Hezbollah has stated it will not get involved.
Myth 9: Israel is believed to have a nuclear bomb, so it’s only fair that Iran has one as well
Reality: Iran has threatened to wipe Israel off the map. Israel has never threatened the same to Iran. Israel does not foment terrorism around the world, and Israel would not use a nuclear weapon to stop Western states from confronting its use of terrorism. That’s why countries like Germany and France say Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon, but Israel can. Iran getting a nuclear weapon could also trigger a nuclear arms race with countries like Saudi Arabia.
The author is a writer based in New York.
The post Debunking Nine Myths of the Israel-Iran War first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.