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When the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran began on Feb. 28, Israel looked very much like the regional power—possibly even the great power—that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed it was. There were few reasons to doubt him. Over the previous two-and-a-half years, Israel had seemingly vanquished Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, its bitterest enemies. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had shown that it could wage lengthy campaigns, demonstrated impressive technical abilities like the pager attack on Hezbollah, and projected power across the region in attacks on Iran and the Houthis in Yemen. Now, it was embarking on what Netanyahu marketed as a war to end all wars, a final blow to eliminate the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile threat.

Six weeks later, Iran’s military capabilities have been seriously degraded, its economy is in tatters, key infrastructure has been destroyed, and much of its key political and military leadership is dead. But the goals that Netanyahu and Trump had set out when they launched the operation are far from met: The regime is still in power, possesses enriched uranium, and reportedly retains a large stock of ballistic missiles and drones. Most seriously of all, Iran has shown that it can close the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has put up a far better fight than Israel expected and shows no inclination to disarm.

When the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran began on Feb. 28, Israel looked very much like the regional power—possibly even the great power—that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed it was. There were few reasons to doubt him. Over the previous two-and-a-half years, Israel had seemingly vanquished Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, its bitterest enemies. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had shown that it could wage lengthy campaigns, demonstrated impressive technical abilities like the pager attack on Hezbollah, and projected power across the region in attacks on Iran and the Houthis in Yemen. Now, it was embarking on what Netanyahu marketed as a war to end all wars, a final blow to eliminate the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile threat.

Six weeks later, Iran’s military capabilities have been seriously degraded, its economy is in tatters, key infrastructure has been destroyed, and much of its key political and military leadership is dead. But the goals that Netanyahu and Trump had set out when they launched the operation are far from met: The regime is still in power, possesses enriched uranium, and reportedly retains a large stock of ballistic missiles and drones. Most seriously........

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