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Trump's delay exposes Israeli limits in Iran war push: NYT

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: New York Times
  • 20 Jun 2025 15:44
  • 2 Shares
4 Min Read

Trump's decision to delay a strike on Iran has exposed "Israel's" military limitations and deepened its economic strain.

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  • A man peeks from a fence a day after of an Iranian missile hit a residential area in Holon, near Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
    A man peeks from a fence a day after an Iranian missile hit a residential area in Holon, near Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

The New York Times on Friday reported that US President Donald Trump's decision to postpone military action against Iran has placed "Israel" in a precarious position, revealing the limits of its military reach and increasing pressure on its overstretched defense systems.

For days, Israeli officials had anticipated American intervention to help strike Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, a peaceful enrichment site deeply embedded in the mountains of northern Iran.

According to analysts cited by NYT, only the US possesses the specialized bunker-busting bombs capable of damaging such a site. But with Trump choosing to delay any decision for up to two weeks, "Israel" is left to confront its own limitations.

This hesitation from Washington reflects a broader strategic truth, that "Israel" is unable to neutralize Iran's nuclear infrastructure without external help. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed, "We will achieve all of our objectives, all of their nuclear facilities. We have the power to do so," Israeli military analysts have openly acknowledged the shortcomings.

Itamar Rabinovich, a former Israeli ambassador to the US, stated plainly, "It probably won't be on the scale of what the US can achieve. If we could do what the US can, we would have already done it."

Meanwhile, Iran's resilience has pushed "Israel" into a war of attrition. Its air defense systems are being depleted by Iran's consistent missile barrages, forcing Israeli command to choose between protecting strategic assets or civilian zones. With each passing day, Israeli cities and military sites face greater exposure, and the economic toll is mounting. Airspace remains closed, commerce has slowed, and public life is heavily disrupted.

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A report by The Wall Street Journal on the same day revealed that "Israel" is spending up to $200 million per day, with interceptor missile costs alone accounting for a major share. Systems like David's Sling and Arrow-3, which cost up to $4 million per use, are draining Israeli resources rapidly. According to Israeli experts cited in the report, a war with Iran lasting one month could cost Tel Aviv approximately $12 billion, adding immense financial pressure to its military campaign.

Gambling desperation

Despite this pressure, Netanyahu continues to float increasingly reckless options, including a potential unilateral assault on Fordow or a ground sabotage mission.

Some within the Israeli establishment have even resorted to public threats of forcing a change of leadership in Iran and assassination, with calls to target Sayyed Ali Khamenei himself, rhetoric that reflects desperation rather than strategic clarity.

NYT also noted that Israeli media and polling data show continued domestic support for the military campaign, reporting that Netanyahu's Likud Party is currently enjoying its strongest polling position since the start of the war on Gaza.

Read more: Iran's response showed 'Israel' as 'paper tiger': Venezuelan minister

Adding to the criticism, former US President Bill Clinton voiced concern over both Netanyahu's motives and the human cost of escalating war. In an interview on The Daily Show, Clinton stated, "Netanyahu has long wanted to fight Iran because that way he can stay in office forever and ever. I mean, he's been there most of the last 20 years."

He also condemned the abandonment of peace talks and the systematic denial of Palestinian statehood; "They're not talking about negotiating peace in the Middle East because the Israelis have no intention of… under Prime Minister Netanyahu, of giving the Palestinians a state."

Clinton, while reiterating his opposition to Iranian nuclear weapons, emphasized that the price is being paid by innocents: "We don't have to have all this outright constant killing of civilians who can't defend themselves, and they just want a chance to live."

  • netanyahu
  • war on Iran
  • Israel
  • Fordow
  • Donald Trump

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