According to President Trump, the primary goal of the war is first and foremost to force Iran to sign a nuclear agreement that would dismantle its nuclear capabilities or, alternatively, put it years away from completing the program. A worthy goal by all accounts, but far from easy to achieve.

Another goal of the war – more difficult to attain – is to exert military pressure that, combined with the renewal of the internal uprising, might ultimately lead to the overthrow of the current regime in Iran.

Israel – the junior partner in the war – added two more objectives to the war: to severely damage the ballistic missile array launched from Iran towards the Israeli home front and to continue to weaken Hezbollah in Lebanon following its enlistment in the military campaign against Israel.

Israel’s achievement in gaining full United States participation in an aerial military attack on Iran looked very impressive in the early days of the war, but a scenario in which the campaign becomes drawn out and more complicated could ultimately cost Israel dearly in terms of American support in the post-Trump era. The best way to reduce these and other long-term risks to Israel is to strive for as short a war as possible, and focus on achieving a nuclear agreement that is as long-term as possible.

Keeping wars as short as possible, reducing their frequency, lowering the costs in human lives, and........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)