KLIK SAJA - Last Friday, the world was stunned by an unprecedented military assault launched by Israel against Iran.
Shortly after the operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech in English directly addressing the Iranian people.
He urged them to rise up against what he described as a "cruel and oppressive regime," claiming that the military strike was intended to "pave the way" for their freedom.
Yet behind the façade of moral rhetoric lies a complex web of geopolitical calculations.
Here are four strategic motives that help explain why Israel has taken such a bold step.
- Disrupting Iran’s Support for Militant Proxies
Iran has long been recognized as the chief patron of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza—two militant groups Israel views as existential threats.
By destabilizing Iran internally, Israel likely hopes to sever the logistical, financial, and military lifelines flowing to these proxies.
The recent military success of pro-Western forces in Syria, which pushed back Shia militias aligned with Iran, has likely emboldened Israel.
Tel Aviv sees an opportunity to strike Iran directly, expecting a domino effect that weakens its regional proxies.
- Engineering a Political Coup in Iran
Netanyahu’s address also hinted at Israel’s ambition to influence Iran’s domestic politics.
The hope: that widespread unrest sparked by external attacks would incite an internal uprising—or even a coup—that topples the Islamic Republic.
However, this scenario has not materialized.
On the contrary, the attack has galvanized unity among Iranian leaders and citizens alike.
Instead of fragmenting, Iran has responded with surprising resilience—launching retaliatory ballistic missile strikes that penetrated Israel’s Iron Dome defense and reached Tel Aviv, something the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had not anticipated.