It was not just human targets that seemed to divide US and Israeli war aims in this joint campaign; it was also certain infrastructure. In addition, sitting in the growing gulf between Israeli and American desired outcomes in Iran are the Gulf states themselves. Netanyahu likely hoped, just as Lindsey Graham keeps agitating for, that Arab Gulf states will join the Israeli-American attack on Iran. If regime change in Iran is not achievable, 20 years of the region’s Muslims fighting each other wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize in Israel’s view. And perhaps the most important thing is that Iran has demonstrated that it too will have a say in answering it.

Source: The Guardian March 13, 2026 17:04 UTC