America and Israel Remind the World How Wars Are Fought to Victory

To hear administration officials tell it, the objectives it hopes to achieve in Iran run the gamut.

The White House wants to put an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions for all time. It seeks to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and their potential to deny Western military forces access to the Middle East. It intends to arrest Iran’s support for terrorist groups throughout the region. “All I want is freedom for the people,” Donald Trump told the Washington Post, introducing the promotion of liberty abroad as yet another goal of this conflict.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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To hear administration officials tell it, the objectives it hopes to achieve in Iran run the gamut.

The White House wants to put an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions for all time. It seeks to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and their potential to deny Western military forces access to the Middle East. It intends to arrest Iran’s support for terrorist groups throughout the region. “All I want is freedom for the people,” Donald Trump told the Washington Post, introducing the promotion of liberty abroad as yet another goal of this conflict.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.