02/07/2025

WEDNESDAY | JULY 2, 2025

10 Strings of power behind Iran strikes T HE latest Western media coverage has been agog with the Trump administration’s use of hard power. A N O T H E R T A K E

0 Strategic opportunity argument: Israel was able to convince the Trump administration that its “Operation Rising Lion” had degraded Iran’s air defences to a point where a US strike on the nuclear facilities would not be risky. They framed this as an “unparalleled opportunity” to permanently set back Iran’s nuclear programme and even to precipitate a regime change, with the targeted assassinations of senior Iranian military, and civilian leaders also benefitting American interests. 0 Lobbying by American pro-Israel lawmakers and leaders: Reports indicate that Trump made the calculation to join the conflict “at the prodding” of many Republican and Democratic party lawmakers and business interests. This suggests direct lobbying and advocacy from the Israeli government and influential Zionist allies within the US political system. Netanyahu as puppet master One person was key to the successful Israeli effort to induce the US to be more engaged in the wars it is currently waging in the Middle East – Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu. This is how he orchestrated as the “puppeteer” that pulled the final string which led to what may well turn out to be a pyrrhic victory for the US and Trump. 0 Decades-long campaign: Netanyahu had advocated for military action against Iran’s nuclear programme for over 30 years, using visits to the US to frame Iran as an existential threat to Israel. By the fall of 2024, Netanyahu had already ordered preparations for strikes, including compiling assassination lists for Iranian nuclear scientists and systematically destroying air defences in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq to clear a path for bombing runs. The 2023 Hamas attack and subsequent Israeli counter strikes neutralised Iran’s proxy networks (Hezbollah, Hamas and the Syrian regime), creating a “unique opportunity” for direct confrontation with a weakened Iran. 0 Leveraging US-Israel alliance: Netanyahu met Trump at the White House in April to align strategies by emphasising Iran’s nuclear threat despite US intelligence assessments that Iran had not yet decided to build a weapon. When Trump pursued

This follows the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan – despite the fact that Iran has never tested a nuclear device, has repeatedly denied pursuing nuclear weapons and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Iran had not made a final decision to build one. The US intervention has been regarded as illegal, unnecessary and foolish by progressive Americans. However, it has drawn the strong support of the mainstream conservative media, with rhapsodic reporting of “Operation Midnight Hammer”, American military might and President Donald Trump’s “brilliant” and far reaching leadership. Not discussed and much less reported is that it was Israel pulling the strings which led to Trump’s decision to order the direct military strikes on Iran. This is how Israel was able to get Trump to bend his knees to support Israel: 0 Intense Israeli military campaign: Before the US strikes, Israel had been conducting over a week of military operations against Iran – a country it has viewed as its biggest threat since the establishment of the Islamic government in Iran after 1979. This sustained Israeli pressure softened the ground and created a sense of urgency and inevitability for some sort of joint Israeli-American “retaliatory” action. 0 Intelligence sharing: Israeli officials and intelligence agencies have been in constant contact with their US counterparts on Middle East developments and would have provided the Trump as well as earlier administrations with detailed assessments of Iran’s nuclear programme. These would have emphasised the perceived imminent threat and the limitations of Israeli capabilities to fully neutralise deeply buried sites. Israel has long argued that only the US possessed the specific bunker-buster bombs (like the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator) and stealth bombers (B-2 Spirit) necessary to destroy the nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz.

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““As puppet master, Netanyahu was able to play on the vanities of Trump and

The US intervention has been regarded as illegal, unnecessary and foolish by progressive Americans. – REUTERSPIC

Netanyahu is that the American action has diverted attention from his long standing corruption trial and Gaza war failures. This, whilst boosting his Likud party in the coming polls, may well ensure his continuation in power. Should that happen, it could positively impact Netanyahu’s future and position in Israeli history. Trump, on the other hand, has now put the US in a position of greater risk and vulnerability from potential Iranian retaliation against US forces in the Middle East. He has also provided the larger Muslim world, including countries not aligned with Iran, with a solidarity that cuts across sectarian and political divides. Perhaps the most consequential impact is the religious and ideological framing of the US strike. It will further burnish Iran’s narrative that it is a victim of Western aggression, empowering hardliners and ensuring long-term anti-American mobilisation from state and non-state actors, not only in Iran and the Middle East, but also in our part of the world. Lim Teck Ghee’s Another Take is aimed at demystifying social orthodoxy. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

negotiations with Iran in May and June, Netanyahu undermined them by launching unilateral Israeli strikes on June 13, knowing this would force US involvement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially called these strikes “unilateral” but Trump later joined after Iran retaliated. 0 Manipulating intelligence and threat perceptions: Israeli officials presented US counterparts with interpretations of Iranian nuclear research as “alarming”. Netanyahu capitalised on nuanced disagreements between US and Israeli analysts. While both acknowledged Iranian scientists were revisiting weaponisation research, Netanyahu framed this as an imminent threat. Trump eventually dismissed his intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard and adopted Netanyahu’s rhetoric, claiming Iran was “very close” to a bomb. Aftermath for Trump and Netanyahu As puppet master, Netanyahu was able to play on the vanities of Trump and pander to his ego through a combination of flattery and appeal to Trump’s desire for legacy-building. He has continued this by praising the US strikes as “historic” and claimed that they would “change history”. More important personally for

pander to his ego through a combination of flattery and appeal to Trump’s desire

for legacy building.