▲ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Analysts suggest that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who launched attacks on Iran alongside the United States, is facing a crisis both at home and abroad after failing to achieve his core war objectives.
The Financial Times (FT) reported on June 21 (local time) that Israel's "gamble" to achieve regime change in Iran through this war has failed.
According to the FT, Israel pushed for the war under the assumption that the Iranian regime would soon collapse following anti-government protests that erupted earlier this year. However, this assessment proved wrong, and the Iranian regime has only solidified its position.
Dan Shapiro, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, criticized both U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, stating, "They were too greedy." He added, "They were blinded by hubris and misjudged the goals they could realistically achieve."
As the U.S. and Israel enter ceasefire negotiations without having produced any tangible results, public opinion within Israel is increasingly turning against them.
According to a poll by Israel's Channel 12, only 11% of Israelis believe their country won the war, and just 13% expressed confidence that President Trump would protect Israel's interests in the future.
It remains uncertain whether Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud party and his right-wing coalition will be able to secure a parliamentary majority in the upcoming general election in October.
"The blow dealt to Prime Minister Netanyahu by the agreement between the U.S. and Iran is by no means small," Israeli political strategist Nadav Shtrauchler told the FT. "If an election were held tomorrow, he would face significant difficulties."
Furthermore, it is reported that relations between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump, once his strongest ally, have recently cooled.
The friction stems from conflicting interests: President Trump wants to end the war quickly and withdraw from the Middle East, while Prime Minister Netanyahu seeks to continue the conflict.
In a recent media interview, President Trump took a jab at the Prime Minister, saying, "He doesn't have the final say." It was also reported that earlier this month, Trump called Netanyahu and berated him with profanities.
Facing both internal criticism and pressure from the U.S. to end the war, Prime Minister Netanyahu finds his room for maneuver severely limited.
Ultimately, some point out that Netanyahu’s only remaining hope is for the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to collapse, potentially leading to a resumption of the war.
Miki Zohar, Minister of Culture and Sport and a member of Netanyahu's Likud party, hinted at the possibility of the negotiations with Iran falling through in a recent radio interview, stating, "President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu will bring us a few more surprises before the general election in October."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.