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Iran Under Fire
A weakened regime is under threat from within and without.
“Netanyahu Pulls Trigger on Iran Attack After 30-Year Wait,” reported Ethan Bronner for Bloomberg on Friday. “Benjamin Netanyahu has said for three decades that the central threat to Israel’s existence is Iran’s nuclear program. At least twice over that period, he came within inches of carrying out an attack on it.”
“Now, at age 75, the Israeli premier has launched the biggest strike on Iran in his country’s history,” revealed Bronner. “It’s an operation of enormous risk and promise that will define the legacy of Israel’s longest-serving leader — and upend the Mideast.”
“In a speech to the nation Friday evening, Netanyahu said he ordered preparations for the assault back in November,” added Bronner. “But the audacious attack was the result of a confluence of factors dating back years. Hamas’ deadly 2023 attack forced a rethinking of how Israel defends itself and allowed its military to decimate threats from Iranian proxies like Hezbollah.”
Israel’s strike appears to have killed some of Iran’s most powerful and influential leaders, including nuclear scientists and military generals.
“Iran’s long arm is not so muscular anymore,” observed Emile Hokayem for the Financial Times. “Israel’s attack is about raw power, not about regional stability or better…