(Wall Street Journal) Editorial - Iran fired 14 ballistic missiles at U.S. troops in Qatar on Monday, and in typical fashion claimed to have "destroyed the American air base" in retaliation for U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites. Here on Planet Earth, the base was already substantially evacuated and the missiles were intercepted with no casualties reported. All sides said Iran gave advance notice that the attacks were coming. This was Persian Kabuki theater, and it would be laughable if real missiles weren't aimed at Americans. It's also no small matter to fire on Qatar, the friendliest state to Iran in the region, or at U.S. Central Command's regional headquarters. For all the predictions that a strike on Iran would almost certainly result in thousands of American deaths and set off World War III, Iran strongly signaled it doesn't want the fight. Israel has aggressively targeted Iran's missile launchers, and Iranian salvos shrink each day. Iran appears to have lost its nuclear enrichment and weaponization facilities, its leading military commanders and nuclear scientists, and much of its missile production and launch capacity. Prime Minister Netanyahu has made clear that Israel won't return to a status quo in which Iran or its proxy militias endanger its existence. Israel is signaling it is prepared to strike again if Iran insists on rebuilding its missile and nuclear capabilities.
2025-06-24 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive