U.S.-Israel Strikes Target Iran: Assessing Objectives, Strategies, and Consequences

The United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran early on February 28, 2026, targeting the country's military capabilities and leadership. The operation, which included more than 2,000 bombs dropped by Israel alone in the first days, aims to destroy Iran's missile industry, navy, and terrorist proxies while encouraging Iranian citizens to overthrow their government.

President Donald Trump announced the strikes, framing them as a war of liberation. The attacks targeted key sites including ballistic missile and aerial defense locations, as well as facilities belonging to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Despite the extensive destruction, international relations scholars caution that military action alone is unlikely to achieve political success.

The historical record shows that U.S. bombing campaigns aimed at regime change have often failed to produce cooperative governments. Past interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya resulted in prolonged instability rather than democratic transitions. The dismantling of Iraq's army after the 2003 invasion, for example, created a power vacuum filled by sectarian militias and eventually ISIS.

The current strikes follow a pattern of escalating tensions that began with the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018, the assassination of Qasem Soleimani in 2020, and previous military engagements in June 2025. Each of these actions was intended to restore leverage but instead eliminated diplomatic off-ramps and accelerated threats.

Iran's political system is institutionalized with multiple power centers including the Guardian Council, Assembly of Experts, and Revolutionary Guard, making it resilient against decapitation strikes. The recent protests in Iran, which represented the largest since 1979, were likely set back by the external military intervention, which tends to unite populations behind their governments.

As the conflict unfolds, key questions remain about the endgame strategy. If regime change is the objective, there's no clear plan for who would govern Iran's 92 million people afterward. The operation risks creating power vacuums and regional instability similar to past interventions. The international community watches closely as this rapidly evolving situation develops.