What You Need to Know: Israel’s recent strike against Iran notably avoided targeting nuclear facilities, focusing instead on damaging Iran’s air defenses and missile systems.

-While Iran downplayed the attack’s impact, U.S. and Israeli officials assert it was more destructive than acknowledged, potentially weakening Iran’s missile response capabilities.

-Analysts suggest Israel’s restraint may stem from a desire to prevent escalation, but Iran’s continued provocations could lead to more aggressive Israeli strikes.

-Citing the Begin Doctrine, which advocates preemptive strikes on nuclear threats, Israel’s past actions against nuclear sites like Iraq’s Osirak reactor in 1981 suggest a future confrontation with Iran may still be imminent.

Israel avoided striking Iran’s nuclear program in last month’s unprecedented retaliatory operation. While Tehran rushed to minimize the downplay of the impact of the strike, U.S. and Israeli officials believe that extensive damage was inflicted on the country’s air defense systems and missile program. “This (attack) was much more damaging than Iranian........

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