Failed escalation shows war is not a strategy, article argues

Over the past day, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government tried to deter Hezbollah and send a message to Iran by striking a headquarters in Beirut’s Dahieh district, which the article describes as relatively minor from a military standpoint. Iran then threatened to fire, prompting changes in Home Front Command instructions, cancellations of performances, rising anxiety in Israel, and fears that the shooting could resume.

The strike also accelerated a deal between Iran and the United States that the article says was bad for Israel. According to the piece, Washington offered Tehran benefits including an immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz, partly to prevent an attack on Israel and avoid renewed fighting. Iran did not attack, but it did reach an agreement with Donald Trump.

The article says Trump also spoke crudely about Netanyahu, saying he lacked judgment, and sent a message that suggested a rift between Washington and Jerusalem. It argues that the expected formula worked only in a narrow sense, but the result was effectively zero, or worse.

Supporters of Netanyahu, after trying to build the narrative that Trump was on Israel’s side, now call him a “loser” who abandoned Netanyahu and Israel, while blaming advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for serving Qatari interests and pushing Trump toward bad decisions. The article concludes that the episode shows war is not a workable plan and that force alone is not a solution, since even a mediocre deal is preferable to a failed war.