As expected, Netanyahu back demanding more war with Iran
NBC News reports that Netanyahu’s key ask in his upcoming Dec 29 meeting with Trump is to convince the US to join Israel in restarting war with Iran.
As I wrote in August in FP, Israel was poised to resume the conflict since it didn’t achieve its key objectives during its first attack. The significant impact of Iran’s missile strikes compelled Israel to seek a ceasefire after only nine days—a stark contrast to the months and even years it previously took to pressure Israel into ceasefires with Hamas and Hezbollah.
The June war resulted in mutual deterrence, a situation Iran can accept, but one that is intolerable for Netanyahu and his legacy. Ultimately, the conflict was neither a victory for Israel nor for Iran.
It is precisely this balance of terror that prompts Israel to seek a new round - Israel’s military doctrine does not allow for any of its regional foes to deter it or challenge its military dominance. Iran’s missile program currently does exactly that.
