Javed Akhtar After US-Israel Strike Iran: ‘Netanyahu And Trump Like Bullies Have Pushed Others To The Wall’

Mumbai, March 2: Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar, who shares his opinions on X about films, politics, and society, reacted strongly after the US and Israel launched a coordinated military attack on Iran on February 28. The strikes triggered explosions and emergency alerts across multiple Gulf countries and led to the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

On Sunday, Akhtar wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle: “I think this time Trump and Israel have overplayed their hand because if they are allowed to get away with this audacity and do an Iraq to Iran, China will lose her total credibility in the world. Netanyahu and Trump, like all bullies, have pushed others to the wall and ultimately left no choice but to react in a decisive manner.”

The post drew a sea of responses on X.

The Internet’s Reaction

A user took a dig at Akhtar’s post and wrote, “Discuss with China sir, tell them to do something urgently.”

To which Akhtar replied, “You and me don’t have to tell them anything. This is my guess. Let’s see what happens.”

Another user wrote, “Trump & Netanyahu just pulled the ultimate bully move: assassinating Khamenei & bombing Iran like it’s open season. Overplayed? Hell yes. They’ve backed the world into a corner—no escape but a brutal slapback. If China stays silent now, their ‘superpower’ card is burned forever. Paper tiger exposed. Who’s folding first?”

Another user wrote, “True. Geopolitics is no longer a one-way street. If the old playbook of ‘regime change’ is applied to Iran while the East watches silently, it won’t just be a map changing—it will be the official end of the ‘Asian Century’ before it even began. Credibility isn’t just about economic power; it’s about the spine to maintain a global balance.”

Celebrities Stranded in Dubai

Bengali actress Subhashree Ganguly, Bollywood actresses Sonal Chauhan, and Esha Gupta are stranded in Dubai after flight services were suspended due to the US-Iran conflict.

The actresses are safe and inside their hotels, confirmed their managers and family members.

The Conflict

The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a massive, coordinated military operation against Iran.

Iran retaliated by striking US and Israeli targets across the region, including in Bahrain, the UAE, and Jordan.

The Israeli military launched strikes on Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, to target militants, it said on Monday—after Tehran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The Israeli military said that “in response to Hezbollah’s projectile fire, Israeli forces had begun striking targets of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation across Lebanon.”