Breaking History BONUS: Haviv Rettig Gur and Eli Lake on Israel's Strike
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Jun 13, 2025 
In this insightful discussion, Middle East analyst Haviv Rettig Gur provides a deep dive into Israel’s recent military strikes on Iran. He unpacks the motivations behind these actions and explores the reactions from different global perspectives. Gur discusses the implications for Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the potential for escalating tensions. Additionally, he analyzes the U.S.-Israel dynamic under Trump, the challenges facing Hamas, and what these changes could mean for the future stability of the region.
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Israel Faces Real Threats
- Israel struck Iran to face external evil threatening its existence, not as a political move but a fight against a real threat.
- Westerners often underestimate this threat and the cost of ignoring Iran's destructive actions in the region.
Timing of Israel's Strike
- Israel acted now because Iran was rapidly advancing toward nuclear weaponization and accelerating its bomb-building efforts.
- Israel systematically dismantled Iranian defenses over a year to create conditions for a major strike.
Iranian Public's Opposition
- Large parts of the Iranian population hate their regime and want it to fall, undergoing rapid secularization as opposition.
- Israel would ideally want the regime to collapse, but it doesn't directly control that outcome.
