US involvement in the Iran war is deepening on shaky ground, and Israel's role in pushing it looks increasingly self-serving.

• Israel told Trump that Iran has a plot to assassinate him, and Trump is now saying he's "number one" on Iran's kill list.
• No evidence for the plot has been shared, and Israel has a track record of feeding the US fake or exaggerated intelligence to get what it wants.
• Netanyahu earlier promised Trump a quick, easy win — Iran's missiles gone in weeks, the regime toppled by protests — and none of it happened.
• The war is now 4.5 months in, far past the "two to three weeks" promise, and the ceasefire has collapsed with no plan to end it.
• A senior pro-Israel Democrat, Adam Smith, publicly cast doubt on the Israeli intelligence — a rare break for a US politician.

Outlook: With no exit plan and Trump feeling personally targeted, the conflict looks set to drag on.