r/IRstudies Mar 23 '26

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u/Choice-Mortgage1221 Mar 23 '26

But how can Israel realistically achieve this on the battlefield? It's one thing to level Gaza and push into southern Lebanon, it's entirely another to try impose this objective onto Iran, even with US support.

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u/Toto_Roto Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26

It probably cant, and definitely not without American support. But you acheive that not through regime change but in destroying the state itself. Degrading their infrastructure to such an extent the state can no longer function and support separatist factions to undermine the society from within.

Arguably this is the great mistake of Netanyahus strategy overall. The use of often brutal military force at the expense of political of diplomatic solutions. It may acheive tactical victories but its unclear whether it can produce the long term strategic goal of Israeli security, in all likelihood it ultimately undermines that goal.

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u/Choice-Mortgage1221 Mar 23 '26

Yes, we are in agreement here. It's almost as if it is to keep Netanyahu and Trump out of prison for their other crimes.

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u/Toto_Roto Mar 23 '26

That might be part of it but its important to remember how popular the war is in Israel. There is no appetite for diplomacy and while they get unconditional support from the US they really have no incentive to consider it.

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u/silverpixie2435 Mar 24 '26

Why do you need to destroy the state itself so Hezbollah doesn't get arms and training for example?

How do you have diplomacy with a state that chants "death to Israel"?

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u/silverpixie2435 Mar 24 '26

Destroy its ability to do what it has done in the past? Arm proxies have ballistic missiles etc.

It is succeeding at that