ABC News Daily Is Israel trying to make Iran a failed state?
Mar 18, 2026
Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute and Middle East analyst, explains Israel’s pressure on the US and Netanyahu’s aims regarding Iran. He discusses why regime change may be unrealistic and how a prolonged campaign might be used to degrade Iran. He also covers regional spillover into Lebanon and the long-term security risks of weakening Iran.
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Resignation Signals Israel Pressured US Into War
- Hussein Ibish argues the resignation shows US intelligence didn't support an imminent Iranian threat and that the action was driven by Israeli pressure.
- He cites Joe Kent's letter saying Americans "didn't vote for this" and that Trump was "carrying Israel's water."
US Claimed Strikes Were Defensive To Preempt Retaliation
- Ibish explains US framing that preemptive strikes were defensive to prevent Iranian retaliation after a hypothetical Israeli attack.
- He calls the logic convoluted: US strikes to prevent Iran striking Americans in response to an anticipated Israeli attack.
Israel Sees Lebanon Campaign As Hitting Iran Through Hezbollah
- Ibish frames Israel's Lebanon operations as a parallel campaign aimed at degrading Hezbollah, Iran's most capable regional proxy.
- He notes Israel hopes to deliver a moral blow by targeting Hezbollah guerrillas entrenched in Lebanese society.