Attention to the Unseen

+972 reports: Five days after Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran, this volatile new war shows no signs of winding down. What began with a series of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, military leaders, and scientists has escalated into a tit-for-tat exchange, with civilians in Israel and Iran bearing the brunt of the damage. While Israel has claimed initial tactical victories — establishing aerial dominance and carrying out coordinated operations inside Iranian territory — it now faces mounting…

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Mohammad Eslami and Ibrahim al-Marashi write: Israel appears to have forgotten a lesson from the Iraqi invasion of Iran in 1980. Instead of inducing regime change, it led to the people of Iran rallying behind the Islamic Republic in the name of nationalism, not necessarily out of love for the clerical elite. Rather than fuelling internal dissent, Israel’s recent strikes have similarly sparked a resurgence of nationalist feeling – centred not on support for the regime, but on defence of…

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The New York Times reports: It wasn’t long ago that supporters of burgeoning ties between Israel and Arab countries were promoting Dubai as the epicenter of regional harmony. Israeli influencers were moving to the dazzling Emirati city, which is just a ferry ride away from Iran. Investors were flitting between Dubai and Tel Aviv. Since the war began last week with Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, the Emirates has waived all visa overstay fees for Iranians stranded in the…

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The Times of Israel reports: US President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that he is seeking Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” and that Washington is only holding off on assassinating Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “for now.” Trump’s comments, delivered via social media, suggested a more aggressive stance toward Iran, as he weighs whether to deepen US involvement in the conflict. “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there — We…

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The New York Times reports: Trump knew he was wading into dangerous political territory. More than perhaps any other subject, the Israel-Iran issue splits Mr. Trump’s coalition, pitting an anti-interventionist faction, led by media figures like the influential podcast host Tucker Carlson, against anti-Iran conservatives like the radio host Mark Levin. But inside the administration, despite much hype about disagreements between “Iran hawks” and “doves,” ideological divisions were far less important than they were in Mr. Trump’s first term, when…

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Jeffrey Lewis writes: One reason that many hawkish Israelis and their Washington fanboys opposed the nuclear deal was precisely because it might work. Resolving the nuclear issue would have removed some sanctions on the regime. This initial wave of attacks isn’t about the nuclear threat; it’s about using the nuclear threat to justify an attempt to topple the regime. Netanyahu essentially admitted this, telling Iranians: “Our fight is with the brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years. I…

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The Wall Street Journal reports: Iran has been urgently signaling that it seeks an end to hostilities and resumption of talks over its nuclear programs, sending messages to Israel and the U.S. via Arab intermediaries, Middle Eastern and European officials said. In the midst of a ferocious Israeli air campaign, Tehran has told Arab officials it would be open to returning to the negotiating table as long as the U.S. doesn’t join the attack, the officials said. Iran also passed…

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The New York Times reports: When Israel and Iran clashed last year, they fought in short and contained bursts that usually ended within hours, and both sides looked for off-ramps that allowed tensions to ebb. Since Israel started a new round of fighting on Friday, the two countries have said they will continue for as long as necessary, broadening the scope of their attacks and leading to much higher casualty counts in both countries. This time, the conflict appears set…

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The Daily Beast reports: Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson made waves on Friday when he criticized not only President Donald Trump, whom he described as being “complicit” in Israel’s attack on Iran, but also former Fox News pals like Sean Hannity and Rupert Murdoch for acting as “warmongers.” In his Friday morning newsletter, Carlson wrote of Trump’s prior knowledge of the attack on Iran, “While the American military may not have physically perpetrated the assault, years of funding and sending weapons…

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Middle East Eye reports: The US quietly delivered hundreds of Hellfire missiles to Israel before its unprecedented attack on Iran on Friday, Middle East Eye can reveal. The US sent around 300 Hellfire missiles to Israel on Tuesday in a large-scale stock-up of supplies before its attack, and as the Trump administration was saying it was ready to continue engaging Iran in nuclear talks. The transfer of such a large quantity of Hellfires suggests that the Trump administration was well-informed…

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  We are at the risk of wider war in the Middle East and Persian Gulf. Israel has attacked Iran, both its facilities and its personnel. Iran has responded with ballistic missiles. We will talk to Trita Parsi. He is Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute. His books include Treacherous Alliance, the Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the United States, and Losing an Enemy, Obama, Iran, and the triumph of Diplomacy. We’ll talk about many things including the…

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  Tensions in the Middle East are sky-high as Israel unleashed what it called “preemptive strikes” on Iran last night — in what experts warn could fuel a broader nuclear arms race. In a breaking news live Zeteo Town Hall, Iranian-American academic and policy adviser Vali Nasr speaks to Prem Thakker — and they break down everything you need to know about the conflict. With regards to the region and the Arab world, Nasr says: “If Israel crushes Iran, then…

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Reuters reports: U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Friday it was unclear whether Iran still has a nuclear program following Israeli strikes, but experts say the damage to the country’s nuclear facilities so far has appeared limited. Israel’s attacks succeeded in killing Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists and striking military command and control facilities and air defenses, but satellite imagery did not yet show significant damage to nuclear infrastructure, several experts said. “The first day was aimed at…

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Barbara Slavin writes: As I write this early on a Friday morning, the bombs, missiles, and drones are continuing to fly between Israel and Iran. Diplomacy is at threat, and an already bloodied Middle East is on edge. It is far too soon to predict the outcome of Israel’s massive assault on a long-time enemy — as well as the spillover effects on Israel’s chief ally, the U.S. Already, Iran has lost its top military leadership and its main facility…

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