Israel attacked Iran in a way never seen before, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke directly to the people of Iran. He told them in English that it was time to stand up against their “evil and oppressive regime.” He said Israel’s military actions were helping Iranians get freedom.
As the fighting between Iran and Israel grows and targets increase, many people wonder what Israel really wants. Is it just to stop Iran’s nuclear and missile threats, as Netanyahu said? Or is Israel trying to stop talks between the US and Iran that could lead to a new nuclear deal? Could Netanyahu want to end Iran’s religious government altogether?
Netanyahu has spent much of his career warning about the dangers of Iran’s government, showing cartoons of bombs at the UN and saying Iran is the biggest threat in the region.
US presidents and Israeli generals have often stopped Netanyahu from Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear sites. Former President Trump says he never gave permission for strikes, but may have let it happen quietly. One official said Netanyahu is fully committed to this mission. Israel’s main goal is to stop Iran’s nuclear program.
Many countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have condemned Israel’s attacks. The IAEA chief said nuclear sites should never be attacked. Legal experts also say Israel’s strikes break international law.
Some experts say Netanyahu wants to change Iran’s government, but Israel’s military wants mainly to stop Iran’s nuclear progress. Changing the regime quickly is very hard.
Netanyahu says Israel’s strikes are to prevent a big threat, saying Iran is close to making a nuclear bomb. Western allies agree Iran should not be allowed to get a bomb, but some doubt Netanyahu’s timing.
Iran says it is not making a bomb. In March, a US intelligence official said Iran is not building a nuclear weapon. The IAEA said Iran has enough enriched uranium that could make bombs if used.
Israel attacked three main nuclear sites: Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. The IAEA said some parts at Natanz and Isfahan were badly damaged. Israel also killed at least nine Iranian nuclear scientists and military leaders. Israel is also hitting military bases and factories. Iran is fighting back, and civilians have been hurt on both sides.
To stop Iran’s nuclear program for good, Israel would need to destroy Fordow, a very protected underground site. Israel doesn’t have the special bombs to do that, but the US does. These bombs are very heavy and can break through rock. Still, many attacks over many days would be needed.
A US expert said Netanyahu might tell Trump that Israel can’t fully stop Iran’s nuclear program. It is unclear how Trump will react. At first, Trump told Israel to be careful so talks with Iran would not fail. But after the attacks, Trump praised Israel and warned more attacks would come. He also said peace talks with Iran might happen soon. Iran suspects these talks were fake and Israel attacked unexpectedly.
Some believe Israel’s attacks were meant to stop any new nuclear deal. Experts say the attacks were large and timed to end talks. Negotiators thought a deal was close but Iran would not stop all uranium enrichment, which the US wants.
After Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran started enriching uranium more. The US gave Iran 60 days to make a deal, but Israel attacked on day 61. The talks through Oman have stopped, but efforts to calm the region continue.
From Iran’s view, the conflict is more than nuclear. Experts say Israel wants to weaken Iran’s military and maybe even remove the government. But Iranians, who have suffered under sanctions and strict rules, may not see Israel as liberators. At first, some may have felt relief when unpopular generals died, but now with more attacks on civilians and power infrastructure, support is fading.
Netanyahu’s words suggest he may want more than just stopping nuclear weapons. Some say he believes deeply in changing Iran’s government. Reports say Trump stopped Israel from planning to kill Iran’s top leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Israeli leaders say they are not targeting Iran’s political leaders yet, but might change this soon.
The future of this conflict depends a lot on the US. Only the US can end this quickly by deciding how far to go and when to stop. Success or failure depends on whether the US joins more deeply or helps stop the fighting.
