This is not merely because Washington prefers diplomacy, but also because the United States may be unwilling to back an Israeli military strike against Tehran. Yet he has simultaneously announced the deployment of a second carrier strike group to the Gulf, signaling readiness to strike Tehran should diplomacy fail. Before anything else, however, we must acknowledge a fundamental reality: the prediction of social transformations and revolutions has historically failed—often spectacularly. Even the most advanced intelligence services and the most distinguished scholars have repeatedly proven incapable of forecasting such upheavals. What would be the repercussions of Israeli military action on the protests inside Iran?

Source: Daily News Egypt February 18, 2026 20:25 UTC