In this "ask ian," Ian Bremmer explains why the Trump administration may be looking for a way out of the US–Israel war with Iran, even as Israel appears determined to keep fighting.
“The easiest way to declare victory is to narrow the war aims,” Ian says, pointing to US goals like destroying Iran’s navy and ballistic missile capabilities.
But Israel is pushing for a much broader outcome. Israeli leaders want to go further, targeting Iran’s nuclear capabilities and weakening the regime itself. That makes a quick US exit difficult. “Getting the Israelis to stop is hard,” Ian explains, noting that Israel believes it is making real military progress.
Meanwhile, the risk to global energy markets remains high as Iran retains the ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Even if the US wants an off-ramp, Ian argues the conflict may drag on if Israel continues to escalate and Iran continues to retaliate.
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