The US and Israel launch war on Iran

The United States and Israel have launched massive military strikes on Iran. The stated goal: dismantle Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile capabilities. The unstated but increasingly clear objective: regime change.

In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer breaks down what this means.

Iran’s nuclear infrastructure has been damaged before, but not eliminated. This time, leadership targets are also in play. While Tehran has retaliated, its conventional military capacity is limited, and external support from Russia or China appears unlikely.

This is not a coalition war like Iraq or Afghanistan. It is a largely unilateral US-Israel effort. And that matters.

As Ian explains:

“Militarily, the Americans can act with impunity. Globally, there’s no one remotely close to the United States.”

But regime change from the air is far more complicated than destroying facilities. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could reconstitute power even if senior leadership is removed.

The broader risk: instability across the Gulf, energy shocks, and escalation beyond what Washington intends.

This is a pivotal moment for the region and for global order.