Israel Strikes Iran: What's Next?

Just last evening, Israel conducted strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, hoping to weaken and destabilize Iran and their nuclear program.  Two of the most senior officers in the Iranian military were killed in the strikes.  These events are an escalation of tensions in the Middle East that hasn't been seen in months.  Just as this piece is being written, Iran has retaliated with strikes on Israel.  Further strikes against Iran in retaliation are certainly on the table, and the situation may unravel quickly.  Israel claims the strikes were in response to the threat Iran poses to the state, and their nuclear program was of immediate focus.  Are there possible motives Israel had to enact the strikes they are not revealing?

These strikes by Israel are a major escalation against Iran, and within the broader region.  With Iran's retaliatory strikes, this situation has a real chance to snowball into a complete war, which will inevitably involve the United States in one way or another.  Although the attacks come as a surprise to the general public, the United States government knew the attacks were going to occur.  American government workers and their families were removed from Iraq just days before the strikes, suggesting the U.S. government had prior knowledge.  The strikes come at a precarious time in the Middle East.  The Trump administration is attempting to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran-despite the fact Trump ripped up the 2015 nuclear deal in his first term.  Negotiations were expected to continue in the coming days.  The possibility that Israel timed the strikes to coincide with the continued negotiations with Iran in order to foil them seems to be a likely motive the state will not address publicly.  They instead claim the inherent threat of Iran to Israel was the motivation.

Where the situation goes from this moment will remain to be seen.  Israel is in a position where they will need to respond to Iran's retaliation.  The further involvement of the United States into the conflict is also a possibility, especially if Iran targets American soldiers in the region.  This current situation is changing rapidly, and will indeed continue to change over the coming hours and days.  One would hope that rational minds will prevail.  Should they not, the Middle East will indeed continue to spiral down a dangerous path of continued and wider war, putting thousands of lives in danger.  This page will be updated next week to reflect changes in the situation.

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