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‘Netanyahu and Trump like bullies have pushed others to the wall’: Javed Akhtar reacts after US and Israel attack Iran

Amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict and escalating tensions across the Middle East, Javed Akhtar has said that Donald Trump and Israel have 'over played' here.

Updated on: Mar 02, 2026 12:59 PM IST
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The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday (February 28). In response, Iran said it carried out retaliatory attacks targeting Israel and a US military facility in Bahrain. Explosions were also reported in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait as tensions escalated across the region. Lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has now given his statement on the conflict and said that both Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have behaved like ‘bullies’. (Also read: Nargis Fakhri battles sleepless nights in Dubai amid US-Iran conflict: ‘This feeling of anxiety and dread…’)

Lyricist Javed Akhtar has strongly reacted to the US-Iran conflict. (PTI Photo) (PTI01_05_2026_000126A) (PTI)
Lyricist Javed Akhtar has strongly reacted to the US-Iran conflict. (PTI Photo) (PTI01_05_2026_000126A) (PTI)

What Javed said

Taking to his X account on March 2, Javed wrote, “I think this time trump and Israel have over played there 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 the bullies have pushed others to the wall and ultimately left no choice to others but to react in a decisive manner.”

US-Israel-Iran conflict

Meanwhile, Iran has vowed to avenge the death of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by Israeli strikes during the joint US-Israel military operation last week. After confirming Khamenei's death on Sunday, Iran carried out retaliatory strikes across the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, escalating West Asia tensions further.

The death toll across West Asia has increased. In Iran, Iranian state media, citing the Red Crescent, said at least 201 people have been killed and more than 700 injured in the ongoing strikes. Of this around 115 were killed in Minab when a girls' school was targeted by the US, Israel military strike.

Meanwhile, three American service members were killed and five others seriously injured during the US attacks on Iran, the US military announced on Sunday.

In a post on social media, Trump said that reports Iran was planning to respond “very hard” were being closely watched, but he cautioned: “They better not do that, however, because if they do, we will hit them with a force that has never been seen before!” The American naval base in Kuwait’s Abdullah Mubarak area was struck by four ballistic missiles and twelve drones, destroying all infrastructure and causing significant casualties among US personnel, according to a statement from the IRGC.

  • Santanu Das
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Santanu Das

    Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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