Israel-Iran 'victory' claims mask strategic failures on both sides: Analysis

Sina Azodi, Assistant Professor of Middle East Politics at George Washington University, analysed the Iran-Israel conflict’s political fallout, noting both sides claim victory despite heavy losses. "Israel can argue it degraded Iran’s military infrastructure," he said, "but Iran frames forcing a ceasefire as a win against a nuclear-armed power." On Netanyahu’s domestic gains, Azodi warned: "Short-term polling boosts won’t erase long-term strategic failures—Israel didn’t cripple Iran’s nuclear program." Regarding Tehran’s stability, he dismissed regime-change speculation: "Aerial campaigns don’t topple governments… attacks have rallied even critics behind the leadership." However, he acknowledged Iran’s military faces generational challenges after losing "its most experienced commanders" to Israeli strikes. "The new cadre lacks Iran-Iraq war experience," he noted, "but politically, the regime shows no fragility." Azodi concluded that regional tensions remain unresolved, with both nations spinning narratives to mask unresolved vulnerabilities. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #Israel #Iran #IsraelIranWar #BenjaminNetanyahu #DonaldTrump #MasoudPezeshkian #IsraelIranConflict #IsraelIranAttacks #TruePromise3 #OperationRisingLion #OperationHeraldOfVictory #OperationRisingLion #IsraelIranCeasefire #AlJazeeraEnglish