What Israel wants is a decisive victory in Gaza. At the same time, it opens the door to military operations against Iran, further heightening the explosion and crisis across the Middle East. The assaults—commenced 13 June—demonstrate Israel’s clear desire to supplant the Islamic regime controlling Tehran.
Reports from Cairo indicate that Israel has targeted strategic sites within Iran, including an oil depot that erupted in flames following an Israeli strike. This attack demonstrates Israel’s intent not only to disrupt Iran’s economy but to undermine the government which it perceives as a significant threat due to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The Israeli military strikes are openly intended to overthrow the Islamic regime of Iran. Experts warn that accomplishing that mission with military power could be far more challenging than it seems. The Iranian political terrain is complicated and a deep-rooted nuclear program would no doubt be a challenge for any military strike.
In the United States, President Donald Trump takes office amid all these landmark developments. His goal is to tamp down regional turmoil by achieving a diplomatic settlement. As the violence escalates, Trump’s ambitions for Middle East diplomacy seem more and more out of reach. The dangerous reality of a possible spillover in conflict into neighboring regional actors like Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran makes the current instability even more alarming.
Israel’s military actions and U.S. diplomatic efforts are inextricably linked. This relationship points to the tenuousness of peace in the region. Needless to say, things are changing very quickly. What is your step into a missile, which both countries increasingly risk as they walk near the edge of an abyss.