Photograph: AFP via Getty ImagesDespite the undoubted military successes chalked up in the first few days of the war in Iran, Israel and the US are not entirely on the same page when it comes to the war’s aims, and this could cause difficulties down the line. Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday reiterated that the military campaign will create the conditions for regime change in Iran. “You’re not going to have an endless war because ... this terror regime in Iran is at its weakest point,” he said. “This is going to be a quick and decisive action.”While there is a wide consensus in Israel – including among Netanyahu’s opponents – on the need for regime change, Washington is sending out mixed messages. US president Donald Trump sometimes mentions regime change and sometimes doesn’t.

Source: The Irish Times March 04, 2026 12:04 UTC