For decades, West Asia has operated on a simple assumption: when Washington and Jerusalem stand together, their adversaries have little room to manoeuvre. Recent events suggest a more complicated reality. The challenge facing the United States today is not merely how to contain Iran, but whether it can persuade one of its closest allies to accept the limits of military power. The latest exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran has exposed a strategic divide that had long been visible beneath the surface.

The US and Israel remain committed to preventing Iran from becoming a dominant regional force. Yet they increasingly differ on how that objective should be pursued. One side now sees diplomacy, however imperfect, as the best available instrument for managing a dangerous adversary. The other remains convinced that sustained military pressure is the only language Tehran truly understands. This disagreement matters because it goes beyond the personalities of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It reflects a broader tension between immediate security concerns and long-term geopolitical stability.

Israel lives within missile range of hostile actors........

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