A dangerous dance for Israel and Iran

Iran and Israel have long been locked in a volatile confrontation — a cold war chronically in danger of turning hot.

Weaponizing a peculiar brand of Islam that denigrates nationalism in favor of an Islamic state, Iran’s clerical regime has partly defined its divine mission as requiring Israel’s elimination. To that end, Iran has created and armed proxies across the region, from Gaza and Lebanon to Syria and Yemen.

In recent months, however, the proxy warfare and clandestine operations have given way to the possibility of a direct, all-out conflict. While both sides understand the peril of the moment, the Iranian regime is at pains both to save face and to survive, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems keen to strike while his foe is vulnerable.