School of War Ep 277: Behnam Ben Taleblu—Will There Be a War with Iran?
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Feb 23, 2026 
Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at FDD and Iran specialist. He maps the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and why timing matters. He weighs limited strikes versus sustained campaigns. He explores Iranian retaliation paths, missile and maritime threats, hardened nuclear sites, and how ideology shapes Tehran’s choices.
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U.S. Buildup Mirrors 2003 Air and Naval Posture
- The U.S. has massed air, missile-defense, and naval assets near Iran to create leverage short of invasion.
- Behnam Ben Taleblu compares the buildup to 2003 levels and highlights carriers, F-15/18 fighters, and integrated defenses as the core toolkit.
Anticipate Weekend Timing To Limit Political Fallout
- Expect any U.S. strike to be timed for political cover and market cycles, likely after major public events.
- Benham predicts attacks avoid the State of the Union and may occur Friday night into the weekend when markets are closed.
Defanging Iran Means Hunting Launchers Not Just Missiles
- A likely U.S. campaign would focus first on 'defanging' Iran by degrading missile launch capacity and production chains.
- Benham outlines three chains of missile bases and hardened facilities that U.S. air power could target or entomb.