Five days in June: Israel, Iran, and the move that could change the Middle East.
“Five days in June” could mark the beginning of a new era — and perhaps a point of no return: a long-postponed geopolitical realignment now seems finally underway. Someone has decided to take the initiative to confront one of the world’s main sources of destabilization: Iran.
Forty-six years ago, the Persian kingdom vanished, replaced by a theocratic regime. Since then, Iran has directed and funded Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and has propped up Bashar al-Assad in Syria. It has also been a key supplier of Shahed drones to Russia in the war in Ukraine, while maintaining ties with the Venezuelan regime through an air bridge used for gold smuggling.
Despite all this, for decades no major power dared to confront Iran directly as a central actor in global instability. The agreements signed in 2005 to halt its nuclear enrichment failed. By 2025, with enrichment levels exceeding 60%, bilateral talks between the United States and Tehran proved fruitless. Even joint negotiations involving Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, and Qatar yielded no real progress.
So, what was left to do?
The only country whose very existence is at stake decided to act: Israel.
Those five days in June may stretch on until the Iranian regime surrenders — or falls.
In this short span, King Abdullah of Jordan announced the protection of his airspace and his willingness to shoot down Iranian missiles. The Syrian government, surprisingly, has not condemned the violation of its airspace or the missile impacts on its territory. Let’s not forget that in September 2023, the Saudi crown prince warned that if Iran acquired the bomb, Saudi Arabia would develop its own.
Donald Trump, back on the political scene, toured the Middle East months ago to press for Iran’s disarmament. Today, he posts messages on Truth Social, and surprisingly, the Iranians seem to be listening: for the first time in years, thousands are protesting in the streets demanding change.
Domestic circumstances do not favor the regime: in 2016, nearly 70% of Iran’s population was aged 15–64; by 2022, the youth unemployment rate exceeded 22%. Today, the United States says it does not seek regime change, although it admits to knowing the whereabouts of Ayatollah Khamenei, who, for now, is not a direct military target.
Israel, however, has a clear objective. It has requested Washington’s approval for the “final solution”: the GBU-57/B bomb, capable of penetrating 60 meters of concrete, delivered by B-2 Spirit bombers, six of which are already deployed at Diego Garcia (The War Zone). The Fordow nuclear facility is the key target: its destruction could contaminate the area with radiation and deliver a fatal blow to Iran’s nuclear program.
Meanwhile, a third American aircraft carrier (USS Nimitz) and a fourth British carrier (HMS Prince of Wales) have joined the region, backed by more than 24 tanker aircraft stationed in the Middle East and Norway.
Will this escalate into an open war? Or will internal pressure in Iran cause the regime to collapse before the final strike?
The pieces are on the board. The game has begun. The world is watching.
Who will make the next move?
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