How to Navigate Business Risk During the Israel–Iran Conflict

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    Restrata Team
    Restrata Team

    How to Navigate Business Risk During the Israel–Iran Conflict: Insights from Restrata, MAX Security & Riskline

    How the Middle East Conflict Escalated – and Why It Matters for Business

    Since June 2025, the operational landscape in the Middle East has shifted dramatically. The Israel-Iran conflict escalated when Israel launched direct strikes on Iranian nuclear and missile infrastructure, prompting symbolic but significant retaliation. With US involvement, a fragile ceasefire now holds – but tensions remain.

    For organisations with operations, people, or supply chain exposure in the region, the implications are far-reaching. In two recent webinars hosted by Restrata, experts from MAX Security and Riskline provided intelligence briefings, while Restrata’s Owen Miles and Tim Willis unpacked how technology helps security teams respond effectively.

    This combined insight blog distils the most important takeaways.

    The Geopolitical Timeline: How Did We Get Here?

    Roxana Dumitrescu (Riskline) and Nati Govhari (MAX Security) both pointed to a long trail of provocations leading to June’s escalation:

    • Oct 2023: Hamas-led attacks on Israel spark regional conflict
    • 2023–24: Hezbollah enters conflict; Israel strikes Beirut
    • April 2024: Israel targets Iranian consulate in Damascus
    • July 2024: Assassination of Hamas chairman in Tehran
    • Sept 2024: Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon
    • Dec 2024: Assad regime collapses; further destabilisation
    • Mid-2025: Israel launches surprise strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites
    • US Joins: Deploys strategic bombers to destroy key Iranian facilities

    The result: a degraded Iranian proxy network, significant casualties, airspace closures, disrupted trade routes, and a volatile ceasefire.

    Why This Isn’t Over: Fragile Ceasefires & Persistent Risk

    Despite a ceasefire, the conflict’s drivers remain:

    • Strategic hostility between Iran and Israel persists
    • Proxies like the Houthis and Hezbollah retain partial capabilities
    • Iran may regroup and retaliate later
    • The Strait of Hormuz remains a potential flashpoint

    Organisations must prepare for renewed escalation, including:

    • Direct conflict
    • Proxy activity
    • Cyber or infrastructure disruption
    • Supply chain shocks

    The Challenge for Security Leaders: From Information to Action

    Owen Miles (Restrata) summarised the core challenge:

    “Organisations have intelligence feeds, HR systems, access control, GPS data – but no unified view. That fragmentation costs time when every second counts.”

    Common Gaps Identified:

    • Multiple threat providers, no correlation
    • HR systems not integrated with travel systems
    • No single view of employees, assignees, or travellers
    • Communication tools not joined up

    The Consequences:

    • Missed alerts
    • Slower decision-making
    • Delayed evacuations or shelter-in-place instructions
    • Leadership left without answers when it matters

    How Technology Enables Faster, Smarter Crisis Response

    Restrata’s resilienceOS platform tackles these exact challenges:

    • Digital Twin: Centralises HR, travel, GPS, and access control data to build a real-time operational picture
    • Threat Correlation: Ingests intelligence from providers like Riskline and MAX Security to assess actual business impact
    • Multimodal Communication: Sends location-specific, role-specific instructions across SMS, email, Teams, and more
    • Response Activation: Allows security teams to execute contingency plans within the same platform

    “It’s not about where someone could be. It’s about where they are. That’s the dot that matters.”

    Travel Risk: What’s Safe, What’s Not?

    Farhan Rafi (Riskline) outlined a clear breakdown:

    Avoid travel to:

    • Israel (total airspace closure)
    • Iran
    • Lebanon
    • Syria
    • Iraq

    Still safe to travel (but anticipate disruption):

    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE
    • Qatar
    • Oman
    • Bahrain

    Key considerations:

    • Flights rerouted due to airspace closures → delays and increased cost
    • Government advice may be overly cautious → balance against business priorities
    • Monitor local intelligence and airline advisories in real time

    Three Strategic Steps for Organisations

    1. Unify Your Data Integrate travel, HR, GPS, and access control feeds into a single platform.
    2. Understand Real Exposure Know exactly who is where, what sites/assets are at risk, and which teams are impacted.
    3. Operationalise Your Plans Digitise crisis workflows and pre-script comms. When a threat hits, act with precision, not panic.

    Final Thoughts: The Next Crisis Won’t Wait

    From Israel-Iran, to Taiwan, LA riots to natural disasters, the next crisis is always around the corner. As Owen Miles stated:

    “Technology is there to answer the ‘so what’ before the CEO asks the question.”

    To respond effectively:

    • Build a consolidated view
    • Correlate threat data in real time
    • Communicate rapidly across multiple channels
    • Give your security team time back when it matters most

    Need Help Strengthening Your Response?

    Restrata’s resilienceOS is built for exactly this.

    See resilienceOS in action — book a demo today.