Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to halt Israel’s military campaign in Iran under a ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump stemmed from a combination of strategic restraint, US pressure and political vulnerability at home, analysts say — even as Israeli officials claimed that key objectives had been achieved.

Operational considerations

First, strategic and operational considerations shaped Israel’s decision to end the fighting. From the beginning, Israeli planners envisioned a short campaign focused on striking Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities rather than engaging in a drawn-out war, senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies Sima Shine told Al-Monitor. “Israel was planning for a short operation, around two weeks. The ceasefire was concluded after 12 days of fighting, so a bit shorter than planned,” she said.

Shine noted that Israel’s approach differed significantly from its operations in Gaza or Lebanon: “It is a different kind of war. Most of the objectives set by the government were in fact achieved. Whatever was not achieved — namely, the full elimination of the Iranian nuclear project — is apparently unachievable.” She stressed that this limitation was understood when the June 13 operation was launched.