Key questions include: Is Israel capable of achieving its strategic goals, including destroying Iran’s nuclear program? Will Iran survive an all-out Israeli war—and if so, how might Iran’s nuclear doctrine evolve? How will deeper U.S. Military engagement shape the conflict and its outcomes? What diplomatic off-ramps, if any, remain viable? The attack raises urgent questions about the motivations behind Israel 's actions, Iranian retaliation, and the broader implications for regional and global stability. To explore these issues, RAND experts provide insights into the strategic , diplomatic, and economic dimensions of this unfolding crisis. Tehran’s missile attacks suggest a willingness to risk retaliation from Israel and potentially the US. The military strategy appears calculated to inflict psychological and infrastructural damage while avoiding all-out wars. The IRGC is key to how Iran presents and implements its military strategy. After prevaricating about whether the United States would enter Israel ’s war on Iran , President Donald Trump finally made a decision. Early Sunday, US warplanes and submarines struck. Israel ’s strikes against Iran ’s nuclear and defense installations and top command structure, Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, and the potential for further escalation have significant implications for transatlantic strategy while war continues to rage in Europe’s east. While Israel has framed its attack on Iran as “preemptive” self-defense, its timing, magnitude, and target set suggest a deeper strategic objective: to provoke an Iranian response that might derail ongoing diplomacy and potentially draw the United States into a broader conflict with Tehran. The analysis draws upon up-to-date intelligence to assess the strategic , political, and military dimensions of such a conflict, examining the potential involvement of allied nations, regional and global ramifications, and key strategic flashpoints.
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