According to The Hill on March 20, as U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran enter their fourth week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly emphasized for the first time that airstrikes alone are far from sufficient to achieve a change of regime in Iran, and that a “ground factor” must be introduced.
At a press conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said historical experience shows that “air power alone cannot win a revolution.” While acknowledging the important role of airstrikes, he stressed that truly altering the regime structure requires coordination with ground forces.
He deliberately withheld details, saying there are “many possibilities” for ground operations, but refused to disclose specific plans.
Regarding the situation in Iran, Netanyahu called on the Iranian people to “seize the moment,” suggesting that external military pressure needs to be combined with internal unrest to drive regime change. He also warned against “replacing one Ayatollah with another,” even using the analogy “don’t replace one Hitler with another.”
However, differences in strategic goals between the U.S. and Israel are becoming increasingly apparent.
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Israel favors promoting regime change in Iran, while the U.S. focuses on weakening its military capabilities. U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated at a congressional hearing that Israel’s focus is on “weakening Iran’s leadership,” while the Trump administration’s goals include destroying missile, naval, and mine-laying capabilities.
Former U.S. Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller noted that Netanyahu is trying to “shape an entirely new reality for Iran,” but this goal will ultimately conflict with Trump’s “need to end conflicts.”
Trump publicly denies troop deployment but evaluates options privately
According to CNN on March 21, although President Donald Trump publicly insists he “will not send troops anywhere,” the White House has been evaluating multiple military options, including ground troop deployment, almost daily.
This decision is considered one of the most difficult war-related choices of his presidency. A large-scale ground deployment could weaken his political support in Washington and jeopardize the approval of tens of billions in supplemental military funding.
Nevertheless, Trump has not completely ruled out the option, only stating that “even if troops are sent, it won’t be announced in advance.”
As the conflict drags on, the path to ending the war becomes increasingly unclear. Trump recently hinted for the first time that he would “consider a gradual wind-down,” yet U.S. forces continue to deploy additional troops to the Middle East.
Analysts point out that U.S.-Israel differences are especially pronounced regarding the timeline. An Israeli official told CNN that Trump’s “political clock is shorter and more urgent,” and once he decides to stop operations, he may quickly declare victory and end the war.
In contrast, Israel appears prepared for a longer-term confrontation.
Additionally, Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered global economic shocks, further complicating the situation. U.S. officials privately admit that there is “no clear solution” for reopening this critical waterway, largely depending on how much pressure the U.S. is willing to apply on Iran.
Beyond the battlefield: domestic politics and international alliances under pressure
The war’s spillover effects are also impacting U.S. domestic politics. Ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, voices within the Republican Party are calling for a swift end to the conflict.
At the same time, Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with NATO allies’ “passive stance” on escorting vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, even at one point saying the U.S. “does not need help from other countries.”
On the public opinion front, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll shows about 65 percent of U.S. adults believe Trump will ultimately order a ground war, but only 7 percent support doing so.
As military operations enter a critical phase, the strategic divergence between the U.S. and Israel, rising war costs, and domestic and international political pressures are shaping the conflict’s uncertain outcome.
