Israel had the target, the aircraft, the doctrine, and the capability, and a post on a website took all of it away seven hours after the order went out. That is the war compressed into a single evening — a country that can reach almost anything and decide almost nothing. The real product of this war isn't the ground or the kill list, it's a permission layer with four addresses, Washington, Tehran, Europe, and Israel's own bench, and not one of them is the trigger Israel will have to take back from its friends.
A state with total capability and no permission is neither sovereign nor safe.
The Israel Brief is the Mitzpe Institute's read on Israel and the region — most mornings, Sunday through Thursday. More at mitzpe.org.