by pazimzadeh | 2026-01-14 00:51:54+00:00
Are you saying that Israel's public statements (and actions) can't be taken at face value? or are you not aware of these:

Netanyahu Urges Iranians To Rise Up Against Their Leaders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcbYzBImi4c

Israel hopes for regime change in Iran
https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/01/11/...

Israel strikes state-run Iranian TV during live broadcast after Iranian missiles kill 8 in Israel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RkR46Wlv6g

Inside Israel's attack on Iran's Evin Prison
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd0e23j9q8o

What is the point of attacking a TV station and a prison, if not for regime change?

For the record, I agree with you that Israel has little "to gain from further injury to the Iranian regime, and something to lose from regional instability." I just don't think the people in charge of Israel see it that way. I think they feel they have a short window to achieve certain objectives they've wanted for a long time while Trump is in power).

And I think they prefer to have regional instability - a bunch of weaker chess pieces that they can play against each other - like how they supported both sides of the Iran-Iraq war in the 80's, funded Hamas, ISIS, and ISIS-derived militias to achieve short-term goals etc..

In case you didn't know about the last few points, here are some links:

Netanyahu defends arming Palestinian clans accused of ties with jihadist groups
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/06/netanyahu-defe...

Report: Israel treating al-Qaida fighters wounded in Syria civil war
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/report-israel-treating-al-...

Ex-Mossad head on Israel medical aid to al-Nusra Front - UpFront
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vweHtxqnh-Y

The Israeli Army Is Allowing Gangs in Gaza to Loot Aid Trucks and Extort Protection Fees From Drivers
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-11-11/ty-article/.p...

Gangs looting Gaza aid operate in areas under Israeli control, aid groups say
https://archive.is/20250606105700/https://www.washingtonpost...

“Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas,” Netanyahu told his Likud party’s Knesset members in March 2019. “This is part of our strategy"
https://x.com/haaretzcom/status/1711329340804186619?s=46&t=s...

A Brief History of the Netanyahu-Hamas Alliance
https://archive.ph/qHya5

By the way, regarding "Israel literally controls Iran's airspace" - Iran don't really have an air force. Their deliberate strategy given their limited resources was to focus on a ballistic missile program and all things considered this has worked ok. By the way, Israel failed to deliver a knock-out blow to Iran even when they had the element of surprise with an attack that was planned 18 months in advance (drafted during the Biden administration) yet somehow Iran was able to begin answering within 48 hours and do enough damage (which required penetrating anti-missile defenses of several major powers) that Israel agreed to a cease-fire.

After the 12-day war, China immediately sold Iran a number of J10-C fighters and air defense options, but it takes months to deliver/train all of them. So Israel is incentivized to deliver a knock-out blow to Iran before this window closes as well. In other words, Israel's war is the 'cause its own necessity' (1).

1 - The Acquired Immune System-A Vantage from Beneath
https://www.cell.com/immunity/fulltext/S1074-7613(04)00307-3