As he stood defending his legacy, his war, and his ambitions in his first news conference since the start of the joint US-Israel war on Iran, a visibly declining Benjamin Netanyahu made an incredibly bizarre claim. He boldly declared that Israel has now ascended to the status of a regional and global superpower.

For observers of Middle Eastern geopolitics, this was a jarring boast. For decades, Israel's accepted function within the global order has been that of Grima Wormtongue to Washington's King Théoden. Tel Aviv has excelled at whispering in the ear of the king and directing the sword, but it has never openly claimed to be the usurper of Rohan's throne. Its entire strategic posture relied on an image of vulnerability, a besieged garrison state requiring perpetual American patronage.

So why the sudden, unchecked hubris? Is Grima calculating that Théoden is about to breathe his last? Or has a troubled, exhausted Théoden already abdicated responsibility, leaving the throne entirely vacant?

This newfound spring in Israel's step owes itself directly to the current theatre of conflict. But Netanyahu's success in finally dragging the United States into this conflagration is not merely an accident of escalating tensions. It carries a grim, highly calculated context.

By actively striking Iran and roping the Americans into the fray, Israel virtually guaranteed that US military installations situated across GCC countries would be targeted in retaliation. This is not collateral damage; it is the core objective. For years, Arab states have masterfully maintained a posture of strategic ambivalence. Capitals like Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have meticulously crafted a post-oil future, sinking trillions into mega-projects, tourism hubs and tech sanctuaries. They have courted global capital by........

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