Something’s going to happen somewhere at some time. OK, as forecasts go it’s not exactly Nostradamus, but when it comes to the Iran/Israel story it’s the easiest prediction to make, especially given events so far this year. However, the “known unknown” is harder to predict – will the something lead to all-out war?

The relationship between the two countries has been one of mutual loathing since the 1979 Iranian revolution brought to power a despotic, violent, and antisemitic theocracy in Tehran. It periodically calls for the destruction of Israel and consistently enjoys Jew baiting at the highest levels of society. Israel can live with that – it has its own share of racists, some of them now in government. What it says it can’t live with is a nuclear armed Iran.