Israel Uniting the Middle East Against Itself
The huge crowds at the Ayatollah's funeral point to Iran rallying regional support after Israeli and US strikes — bad news for Israel's standing in the region.
- Netanyahu, speaking on Fox News, brushed off the massive funeral turnout as a small minority of Iranians who hate their own government.
- The reported crowds were enormous, and delegations from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Christian-majority Armenia showed up to pay respects.
- The strikes killed dozens of top Iranian leaders and, by critics' count, scores of children — actions that would enrage any nation if done to it.
- World leaders attending the funeral reportedly helped hold Israel back from bombing the procession itself.
- Netanyahu's US media tour is seen as laying the groundwork for a future confrontation, with Turkey named as a possible next target.
Outlook: Expect continued pressure to pull the US deeper into Israel's regional fights, with tensions spreading beyond Iran.