TEL AVIV — As the war with Iran enters its fifth week, indications are growing that it is coming to a close, at least in its current form. Although no one in the White House seems to know for sure exactly what is to come or when, as a political associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Al-Monitor, a sober analysis of developments in recent days reinforces this conclusion.

Asked about the state of the war, a senior Israeli diplomatic official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, "You might as well check on Polymarket," referring to predictions betting website. His comment reflects a pervasive sense of embarrassment and frustration at the failure of the combined US-Israeli attacks to bring the Iranian government to its knees.

Nonetheless, the increased pace and intensity of Israeli strikes on Iran’s defense industries, with a focus on ballistic missile storage and production sites, is a sign that Israel is trying to cause as much damage as possible before President Donald Trump orders a halt to attacks.

In an additional indication of assessments that the Iran regime is not about to fall, journalists and pundits close to Netanyahu are downplaying the initial expectations they raised that the war would result in the collapse of the mullah's government. That prediction has since been replaced by statements about creating the conditions for its collapse at some future point in time.