Mearsheimer: Iran Has Become Smarter and More Skilled After the 12-Day War
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency, John Mearsheimer, a prominent international relations theorist, emphasized in an interview that two main factors act as deterrents against another potential attack on Iran by the US and Israel.
mearsheimer stated: There are two deterrent reasons for a renewed attack on Iran. First,Iran dealt a severe blow to Israel in the previous conflict. Israeli air defense systems were depleted or close to running out,and America faces limitations in aiding Israel.Moreover, as Iran’s missile attacks progressed, their tactics became smarter.
He added: All militaries learn from experience during war; iranians are no exception. Toward the end of the conflict, they became more skilled at finding gaps in Israeli air defenses. Wiht this experience and their missile arsenal, they could overwhelm Israel-and we must remember that Israel is geographically small. The idea that israel could inflict heavy damage on iran without facing serious retaliation is unrealistic.
Mearsheimer further explained that many believe the US stopped its 12-day war because it saw signs of Iran possibly closing the Strait of Hormuz-a move with catastrophic economic consequences given fragile global markets. “Catastrophic” doesn’t fully capture its severity.
He stressed: If I were Iranian, I would warn America and Israel not to underestimate Iranian resolve. “If you want to play tough,” I’d say “fine-but know I will respond just as harshly.” Both missile strikes on Israel and disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz are options on the table. The notion that one can devastate Iran’s economy without paying a price is illusory; everyone will bear costs. Therefore, attacking should be avoided at all costs.
