The Limits of Provocation
At some point, the world will have to ask: what exactly was Israel hoping to achieve?
In the days following the dramatic escalation between Tel Aviv and Tehran, we are left not with clarity but with a deepening sense of confusion. If the intention was to disrupt Iranās nuclear program, there is little to show for itācentrifuges still spin, scientists remain in place, and the infrastructure of Iranās deterrent capability stands unshaken. If the aim was to trigger chaos within the Iranian regime, then that too has failedāTehran did not descend into disarray; it retaliated, measured and intact. And if the goal was symbolic, to remind the world of Israelās reach and resolve, then the moment has already passed, clouded by questions of proportionality, legality, and consequence.
For all the fire and fury, the strike landed with the strategic weight of a gesture. Continue reading What Was the Point of Israelās Iran Strike?
