Israel Attack on Iran: The Geopolitical Implications for America

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? On June 12 , 2025 , Israel launched ‘’Operation Rising Lion’’ against Iranian military and nuclear targets, marking an unprecedented escalation in Israeli-Iranian tensions. 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. A compilation of analyses on the military and nuclear impact of Israel ’s initial strikes, Tehran’s response options, the Trump administration’s next steps, public reactions inside Iran , and more. For more insight into Israel 's attack on Iran and what the strikes mean for the region, here is more from Parsi and Danon. The following interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Tehran’s retaliatory missile strikes on urban and strategic targets in Israel show an escalation threshold being crossed, with substantial civilian and psychological impact. The increasing scale and tempo of bilateral escalation compel the United States, despite its caution, to clarify its position. Israel 's Thursday strike on Iran follows more than a decade of geopolitical brinksmanship since the Iran nuclear deal reached under former President Obama. The big picture: Israel targeted some of Iran 's key nuclear facilities, likely to prompt retaliation in the already conflict-ridden region and add more uncertainty to the US- Iran talks.