Analysts Say Trumps Iran Strikes Benefit Israel More Than the US

US President Donald Trump Orders Military Strike Against Iran, Contradicting Previous Criticism of Regime Change Policies

In May, US President Donald Trump declared a new era of US foreign policy in the Middle East, stating that the country would not attempt to reshape or change the region’s governing systems. However, less than a year later, Trump ordered an all-out assault on Iran with the stated goal of bringing “freedom” to the country.

The military strike, which was carried out jointly with Israel, has been described by analysts as a war of choice launched by the US at the request of Israel. Several Iran experts have stated that the conflict only benefits Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington, DC, Trump’s criticism of his predecessors’ regime-change policies is ironic given the current situation. “This is another Israeli war that the US is launching,” she said.

Netanyahu has long warned that Iran is on the cusp of acquiring nuclear weapons, despite Iran’s denials and lack of evidence from the US administration. The US bombed Iran’s main enrichment facilities in June last year, which led Netanyahu to pivot to a new supposed Iranian threat: Tehran’s ballistic missiles.

Trump has repeatedly made claims about Iran’s missile capabilities, including its ability to threaten Europe and the US. However, these claims have not been backed by public evidence or testing.

The US National Security Strategy from last year called for de-prioritizing the Middle East in Washington’s foreign policy, focusing instead on the Western Hemisphere. Public opinion polls also show that the US public is largely opposed to new strikes against Iran, with only 21% of respondents favoring a war with Iran.

The conflict has plunged the region into chaos, with Iran firing missiles at bases and cities hosting US troops and assets in retaliation for the joint US-Israeli strikes.

Source: Al Jazeera