The joint US-Israel military operation in Iran is destabilizing the Middle East while exposing deep contradictions in Trump’s “America First” doctrine amid the Epstein scandal.
Iranian counter-strikes, rising oil risks, and symbolic miscalculations show how this development is backfiring.
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The aftermath of the recent joint US–Israel strikes on Iran has been anything but reassuring, from an American (or Israeli perspective).Tehran’s response has been powerful and coordinated: US military bases across Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf have been hit, with images of damaged runways and destroyed infrastructure circulating widely, while the Jewish state itself has suffered unprecedented strikes on Tel Aviv and other urban centers. This is in fact the first time in decades that Israel’s core territory has absorbed such sustained punishment, although the 2025Twelve-Day Warforeshadowed it.
On the ground, the consequences are severe enough. It is true that the Islamic Republic itself has suffered heavy casualties and significant infrastructure damage from joint US-Israeli strikes:hundredsof people have been killed across over 150 cities, with total deaths approaching nearly 800 and counting(and many more wounded). In addition, damage has hit military and civilian sites, with the IRGC command and control facilities, missile sites, plusair defenseinstallationsreportedlyhaving been targeted, as well as the Islamic Republic Broadcastingheadquarters, and entrances to its Natanznuclear facility.
On the other hand, Iranian counter-strikes have been impressive enough:American basesacross the Middle East (in countries likeKuwait,Bahrain, and the UAE) have takenheavy damage, and UStroopshave been killed. The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia has also beenhitby Iranian drones, and so has theCIA stationthere. Meanwhile,Iranian missilesare striking central Israel, with residents seeking refugein shelters. So much for the quick American “victory” Trump promised in his typically boastful manner.
Regionally, the war isdestabilizing Gulf monarchies, risking refugee flows and wider chaos.
Iarguedback in June 2025 that US entry into an Iran–Israel war would be politically and economically disastrous for Trump, and that remains true. Disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries 20% of global oil, could send prices to $100–$150, driving US gas costs to toxic levels. Being a net exporter does not shield the US from global shocks, which would fuel inflation, clash with Trump’s tariffs, and hit consumers — much as gas prices alone sank Biden’s approval in 2022.
The Strait of Hormuz (Public Domain)
Source: Global Research
