Did Israel achieve its objectives in Iran?

By: Tahseen Ullah Tasir

The United States has announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, and President Trump stated that the time has come to establish peace. It is important to note that the U.S. did not act as a mediator in this war — in fact, it was an active participant.

The Israeli Prime Minister, accepting the U.S.-proposed ceasefire, claimed that “we have achieved our objectives in Iran.”

But what exactly were the objectives of Israel and the United States?

Their goals were: To dismantle Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs; To overthrow the government of Ayatollah Khamenei; To establish a puppet regime in Iran And to assassinate Ayatollah Khamenei.

Have these objectives been achieved?

No. So, if these goals were not fulfilled, what then was the reason for the ceasefire?

There is no doubt that the war — which began with Israeli airstrikes on Iran on June 13 — inflicted significant damage on Iran. Several high-ranking military commanders were killed, nuclear scientists were targeted, around 300 people were killed, thousands injured, and Israeli bombing also struck civilian areas.

However, Iran did not sit idle. It responded swiftly and decisively to every attack. Iranian missiles targeted Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem. As the war progressed, the intensity of Iranian missile strikes increased. Iran even deployed advanced missiles like the “Kheibar Shekan” and hypersonic variants, which caused serious damage to Israel. Israel likely never imagined that cities like Tel Aviv and Haifa could come under direct Iranian missile attack. Its three-layered air defense system failed, and widespread fear and anxiety spread throughout the country.

Following this, the U.S. attempted to mislead the world by launching attacks on Iran’s key nuclear facilities — Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. B-2 bombers dropped MOP-6 bombs on Fordow, while missiles were launched at the other sites. President Trump, in a triumphant tone, declared that the U.S. had destroyed Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and warned that if Iran attempted any retaliation, the U.S. would respond with even greater force.

Iran, however, stated that its nuclear sites had suffered only minor damage and that enriched uranium had already been transferred to safer locations. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps dismissed the American threats and announced that every attack would be met with an effective response. And that’s exactly what happened — Iran launched missiles at U.S. military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain. Although there was no significant damage — since Iran had issued prior warnings — the symbolic significance of these attacks was undeniable.

At that point, it was widely expected that the war would escalate further and that the U.S. would take a more aggressive stance. But contrary to expectations, President Trump proposed a ceasefire, and both the U.S. and Israel began to implement it.

There could be several reasons for this ceasefire, but in my view, two stand out:

Iran gave Israel a tough time: Iran demonstrated that it could withstand a prolonged conflict with Israel. Israel, on its own, was growing weaker, and since the U.S. had not entered the war directly, it became increasingly difficult for Israel to continue the fight. Iran’s strong and consistent counterattacks gave the impression that it had a vast arsenal of missiles ready. In essence, the U.S. saved Israel by pushing for a ceasefire.

Shift in Arab public opinion: After the massacre in Gaza, public sentiment across the Arab world turned sharply against Israel and the U.S. Most Arab countries are monarchies, and their rulers feared that this wave of public anger could be used by opposition forces to challenge their rule. Therefore, it’s likely that these Arab states also played a role in pushing for a ceasefire, especially since the war was being fought by Israel from Arab territories.

As for Iran’s nuclear program, it will now likely accelerate. Iran has realized that survival without nuclear capability is no longer viable. In fact, it was already in the final stages of developing a nuclear bomb.

Also read: Iran’s unbelievable strike: Israel’s defensive superiority reduced to dust