I find it curious that Iran has chosen to retaliate against the United States by attacking American military installations in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, and elsewhere in the region, while avoiding direct attacks on Israel during this latest phase of the conflict. There may well be military or strategic reasons that are not known. Tehran is conserving its missile arsenal, recalculating its priorities, or waiting for a more advantageous moment. But I doubt the explanation is simply fear of Israeli retaliation. Iran has never shown much hesitation to challenge Israel, whether directly or through its extensive network of proxies, when it believed doing so advanced its interests.

A more persuasive explanation, in my view, is political rather than purely military. Iran’s leaders understand that modern wars are fought not only on the battlefield but also in the arena of public opinion. The regime has long invested enormous resources in information warfare, propaganda, and diplomatic messaging designed to........

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