On paper – and most likely, until recently, in the mind of Donald Trump – a conflict between Iran on one side and Israel and the United States on the other should have a predictable outcome.
As with Operation Midnight Hammer’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in the 12-day war last summer, and again in Venezuela, it would all be over swiftly, and relatively cleanly, with the minimum of fuss. By now, roughly speaking, Iran would be under the control of a new Trump-approved ruler and, handily, another oil-rich nation would be under American tutelage.
