All-out war: How far will Israel and Iran go?

The Debate

The threat had been repeated so often over so many years that it had started to ring hollow. Now, Israel's actually done it: striking Iran in a bid to destroy its capacity to build nuclear weapons. Tel Aviv sees a window of opportunity, and with Tehran's proxies in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza either gone or debilitated, the Israelis are also targeting the senior leadership around Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. So what’s the ultimate goal: military superiority or regime change?

Iran may be reeling but it’s still fighting back, successfully targeting Israel’s largest oil refinery in Haifa. Is a long war ahead? And with Israel lacking the kind of bunker-busting bombs that can reach the underground Fordo nuclear site, will the United States agree to finish the job that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu started?

Since Friday, US President Donald Trump has sent mixed messages: warning Israel against targeting Iran’s supreme leader but cheering on the strikes; still billing himself as peacemaker while providing Israel with military intelligence. We ask about the only man who can end this unprecedented direct confrontation with a phone call.

Produced by Rebecca Gnignati, Aurore Laborie and Ilayda Habip.