Jerusalem Sits Out the War It Once Wanted — and Watches the Gulf Take the Fire
For once Washington is the lead combatant and Israel the spectator; Israeli media call staying out "just fine for now," even as Iranian missiles land next to Eilat.
Israeli coverage this cycle is a study in relief at being a bystander. The Times of Israel headlines the non-involvement "just fine for now" while Haaretz simultaneously warns Israel "may be dragged in" — an internal debate over whether sitting out is sustainable once Iranian fire lands near Eilat and Jordan intercepts missiles overhead. Underneath ran a quieter shock: the US and Saudi Arabia signed a civil-nuclear "123 Agreement" permitting Saudi enrichment and reprocessing without the snap-inspection Additional Protocol earlier drafts required, prompting warnings of a regional arms race.
Assessment: The usual dynamic is inverted — Washington the combatant, Israel the anxious spectator, the Gulf Arab states absorbing Iranian and Houthi fire. The 123 Agreement is the sleeper: a mid-war American concession on enrichment that reorders the Gulf's nuclear future while every camera points at Hormuz.