15. Israel And Iran

Under the Shah, Iran maintained strong ties with Israel, including arms deals and intelligence sharing. That changed after the 1979 revolution, as Iran adopted a fiercely anti-Israel stance. Support for Hezbollah and proxy conflicts across the region has since hardened both sides into bitter, long-term adversaries.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

16. Japan And The United States

Ties between the two thrived before World War II. It took Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 to shift this alliance to an all-out war. The U.S. fierce response culminated in Japan’s surrender, and though relations have since improved, the wartime memories remain.

USN on Wikimedia

17. China And The United States

United during WWII against Japan, the U.S. and China diverged after 1949 when Washington backed Taiwan. Diplomatic ties resumed in the 1970s, but economic rivalries and ideological differences grew. Recent trade wars and military build-ups have strained the once cooperative relationship into open rivalry.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

18. United States And Libya

Libya maintained cordial relations with the U.S. post-independence, but Gaddafi’s rise brought hostility and anti-Western policies. The U.S. attack on Tripoli in 1986 marked open conflict. Decades later, U.S.-backed NATO forces played a key role in his 2011 overthrow.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jesse B. Awalt/Released on Wikimedia

19. Syria And Turkey

As regional partners, Syria and Turkey deepened ties in the early 2000s. The outbreak of Syria’s civil war fractured the relationship, with Turkey supporting opposition forces. Border tensions, refugee crises, and Turkey’s incursions into northern Syria have since turned former neighbors into bitter strategic opponents.

Mohammad Reza Jofar on Wikimedia

20. India And Sri Lanka

India and Sri Lanka’s relationship frayed in the 1980s when India deployed its Peacekeeping Force to intervene in Sri Lanka’s civil war. Both Tamil rebels and government troops clashed with them. 1991’s assassination of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a Tamil militant group further deepened mistrust.

Series: Reagan White House Photographs, 1/20/1981 - 1/20/1989 Collection: White House Photographic Collection, 1/20/1981 - 1/20/1989 on Wikimedia