(Jerusalem Post) Yaakov Katz - The U.S. strikes early Sunday on three Iranian nuclear facilities marked a new peak in U.S.-Israel cooperation. From the start, Israeli officials understood the limitations of acting alone. The Air Force could hit Natanz and Isfahan and maybe even attempt something at Fordow, but it would be hard to set Iran's program back more than a year. For a long-term delay, American involvement was crucial. Already in May, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Dermer knew where President Trump stood. They shared intelligence, they laid out the threat and they showed Trump how the pieces fit together. They made the case that the time for action had come and that waiting would come at a cost. Still, had Israel's initial strike not succeeded, it's unlikely Trump would have gone further. But as the operation's success became clear - and Iran remained stunned and exposed - Trump moved quickly to reposition himself. He was soon giving interviews and taking credit for what had started without him. He tweeted that "we" controlled Iranian airspace. He was already mentally joining the mission. The implications of the U.S. operation reshape the strategic map. Trump set a precedent that will echo across the region and beyond. It was a message to every rogue regime weighing a nuclear program of its own or the general benefits of defiance: there is a line, and if you cross it, you will pay a price. What happened Sunday opens the door to a new kind of deterrence, one built not on declarations but on actions.
2025-06-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive