Strategic Assessment

The Iranian nuclear program has been a principal issue in discussions between the American and Israeli governments in recent years. The intensive contacts and American statements indicate that there are differences of approach between the two sides. While the American and Israeli governments are quite close in their perceptions of the Iranian nuclear threat and have shared objectives in this regard, a concrete dispute between them has developed as to how to meet the threat, particularly concerning a military operation in Iran. This article examines where the two governments agree and where they diverge in how they define objectives concerning Iran and how they would design an answer to the threat.