Israel Walks a Tight Line as Iran Protests Unfold
Israel remains wary of intervening in Iran, viewing Tehran as an existential threat but judging the current protests unlikely to collapse the regime. Analysts say any limited action risks backlash or giving Iran a pretext to escalate, so Israel’s most plausible moves are limited support to opposition groups or awaiting a larger, US-led strategic action. A major strike against Iran would require US coordination, and Israel must balance its security concerns in Gaza and along its borders with the risk of miscalculation or diplomatic fallout. The piece also questions the appeal of Reza Pahlavi as a unifying leader among Iranians and cautions against portraying regime change as a simple outcome of protests.
