The Inside Story Podcast As support for war fades, what Is Israel seeking in Iran?
Apr 2, 2026
Yossi Mekelberg, Chatham House fellow on Israeli public opinion; Gordon Gray, Georgetown expert on Gulf affairs and former U.S. ambassador; Daniel Levy, U.S./Middle East Project president and ex-Israeli negotiator. They debate Israel’s aims in strikes on Iran. Short takes on shifting public support, U.S. decision-making, military goals and regional power plays. Tense snapshots of missiles, diplomacy and political risks.
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Israel Leveraged U.S. Chaos To Maximise Pressure On Iran
- Israel used U.S. involvement to maximise destructive leverage against Iran rather than to achieve precise regime change.
- Daniel Levy says Israel fed lines into a weakened White House and sought to 'collapse as much of the state as possible' while relying on American bombs.
Public Support Erodes As Shelters And Reserve Strain Persist
- Israeli public support started high but is slipping as shelters, festival disruptions and prolonged conflict drain patience.
- Yossi Mekelberg notes Passover shelter runs and reserve strains reduce long-term public tolerance for the war.
Bombing Scope Expanded To Civilian Economic Targets
- Targeting broadened from military sites to civilian infrastructure like universities, steel plants and energy reserves as part of pressure strategy.
- Levy warns this looser definition of regime targets risks war crimes and aims to create Gulf dependency on Israel.