Commentary

Modi's visit to Israel is no routine diplomatic event. It is a moment that can – and must – serve as the opening shot for crafting a genuinely updated strategic doctrine.

In Washington, few believe a deal with Iran is still within reach, yet Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff continue to seek a breakthrough. At the same time, preparations and public legitimacy for a US military strike are intensifying. The question is no longer whether there will be an attack, but when. 

After two years of war and isolation, Israel is pivoting east – and India is ready to meet it there.

Any deal with Tehran would serve as a lifeline for the regime. Ending the crisis without one, while tightening sanctions to hasten its collapse, is preferable to an agreement that might temporarily curb its ambitions but ultimately ensure its survival.

After 37 years in power, Iran’s supreme leader finds himself without new blood in the system and is once again leaning on a religious aristocratic family sidelined over corruption. The reinstatement of a veteran propaganda chief as the regime’s “No. 2” is not a sign of strength, but evidence of fear within a regime in decline.

The arrival of a US aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean, a broader American military buildup in the region and President Donald Trump’s declaration of a short “window of opportunity” for negotiations all suggest that a confrontation with Iran may have been postponed, but not shelved.

Optimistic statements from Tehran after the latest round of talks stand in sharp contrast to the pessimism voiced in Washington, suggesting that, for now, the chances of a military strike are higher than those of a diplomatic deal. From Israel’s perspective, if there is to be a strike, it must end decisively with the fall of the regime.

For Israel, Rubio’s message carries significant implications. The doctrine he articulated suggests that the United States does not seek weak or dependent allies. On the contrary, it prefers partners that are strong, sovereign, and capable of defending themselves. After years in which certain American approaches seemed to favor a restrained and cautious Israel, the current message is different: a powerful, self-reliant Israel that deters its enemies serves not only its own interests but also those of the United States.

As it restructures its security apparatus to confront mounting regional threats, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has also adopted an increasingly confrontational foreign policy toward Israel. But what begins as incitement often evolves into a domestic threat.

From contested Aegean waters to military bases in Syria and Libya, Jerusalem views Ankara's moves not as separate disputes but as one expanding perimeter that directly affects Israeli security interests.