Attacking Iran's Nuclear Program: The Complex Calculus of Preventive Action

March 11, 2025

Author: 

Michael Eisenstadt

Author's Title: 

Kahn Senior Fellow and Military and Security Studies Program Director

Publication: 

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Iran’s nuclear program is one of the most pressing foreign policy challenges facing the Trump administration. While the president has expressed his preference for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, many Israeli officials believe that Iran’s current weakness provides a unique opportunity to destroy or at least set back its nuclear program through a military strike. Should a negotiated deal prove elusive, policymakers will need to weigh the pros and cons of military action and answer several questions, including: How does one define a successful strike? What challenges need to be addressed in planning a campaign to destroy or degrade Iran’s nuclear weapons program? How sustainable is a strategy of prevention? And how might Iran respond to such a campaign?

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Read the full article at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy website.