With its airstrikes deep inside Iran, Israel has set out a dangerous turn in Middle East geopolitics, and in the already-fraying global order. The attacks hit deep inside Iran, from Tehran and Natanz to Isfahan and Tabriz, targeting key nuclear facilities and killing senior scientists and commanders. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has justified the attacks as essential for preventing Iran’s nuclear armament. However, this rationale appears more like a strategic move to derail diplomatic engagement and escalate confrontation. But behind this narrative lies a calculated effort to crush diplomacy, escalate tensions, and reshape the balance of power by force. These strikes are not acts of last resort. They reflect a deliberate choice to abandon negotiations and defy international norms, with no regard for the consequences.

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