As Trump Threatens Iran Strikes, Netanyahu Sees Golden Opportunity

As signs mount of impending U.S. military action against Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears poised to play a role in realizing his long-awaited vision of putting an end to the Islamic Republic in the event of a U.S. attack.

Neither the White House nor the Pentagon has confirmed any plans to strike in line with President Donald Trump’s warnings over the killing of protesters amid nationwide demonstrations, and the U.S. leader even appeared to de-escalate on Wednesday after being informed that planned executions in Iran would not move forward.

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“It’s unlikely that Israel will militarily intervene to support the anti-regime protesters and forces in Iran, without first being attacked by Iran,” Michael Makovsky, president and CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America and former special assistant at the Office of the Secretary of Defense (now Secretary of War), told Newsweek. “That’s partly because it’s unlikely such action would be effective in toppling the regime.”

He argued that, “even if President Trump orders military strikes against Iran soon, which I think he needs to do to maintain credibility following his rhetoric, it is unlikely to alter the internal dynamics of the country.”
“Where the U.S. might help over time is preventing Iranian oil exports through a quarantine, supplying the opposition with weapons, and the like,” he added, noting that it would be up to “the Iranian people” to overthrow their government.

And while Makovsky argued that Netanyahu would not be able to take full responsibility should that occur, he said the Israeli premier “would be thrilled, and it would likely help him electorally.”

“He could certainly take credit for facilitating the regime’s demise by managing the tremendous weakening of Hezbollah, which led to the fall of Iranian-allied Assad, and then in the brilliant operation of the 12-Day War,” Makovsky said. “And if he helped convince President Trump to speak out and act on behalf of the Iranian protesters—of which I am not aware—he could rightly take credit for that too.”

“While [Netanyahu] greatly wants the Tehran regime to fall, as do all Israelis, and as should all Americans,” Makovsky added, “he’s a cautious leader who won’t do anything foolish to bring it about.”

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Read the full article in Newsweek.