Benjamin Netanyahu has officially entered his “burn it down and phone Trump” era.

From his relentless judicial power grabs to launching a 200-jet blitzkrieg on Iran, Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister isn’t just playing with fire — he’s dragging the entire region into the bonfire.

And spoiler: it’s not strategic brilliance.

It’s survival politics, covered in rubble and propped up by U.S.

military aid.

Last week’s “Operation Rising Lion”, in which Israel sent 200 jets to obliterate Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, wasn’t just a military gamble.

It was a diplomatic scream for U.S.

backup — a high-stakes Hail Mary from a leader whose grip on power is unraveling at home.

________________________________________ 🎭 Bibi’s Real War: Not Just With Iran — With Democracy Netanyahu is no longer leading Israel.

He’s cornering it.

Under his watch, Israel is now: • Facing the largest domestic protests in its history • Gutting its own judiciary to protect a Prime Minister on trial for bribery and corruption • Managing a full-scale assault on Gaza that’s now expanded to multiple fronts • Engaged in covert and overt war with Iran, Lebanon, and Syria — simultaneously If this sounds like a leader in control, it’s not.

It’s the last phase of a man whose only exit strategy is either a peace deal he controls or a war that distracts everyone.

Enter the Iran airstrikes. ________________________________________ ✈️ Rising Lion or Wag the Dog?

Officially, the strikes on Iran were about “preventing a nuclear threat.” But from Iran’s side — and from any neutral third party looking at a map — it was a preemptive escalation during a period when tensions were already boiling.

Iran responded with 150 missiles and over 100 drones, targeting military sites in Israel and sending a clear message: “You hit first, we hit back.

Don’t play victim.” Netanyahu, of course, is now rallying Western allies, pleading for stronger sanctions on Tehran, increased U.S.

weapons transfers, and solidarity from “like-minded democracies.” Translation: help clean up a mess he started.

________________________________________ U.S. Involvement Isn’t a Bug. It’s the Plan.

Netanyahu doesn’t just expect American support — his entire strategy relies on it.

He knows Israel can’t sustain prolonged regional war alone.

He knows the Israeli public is divided, exhausted, and increasingly skeptical.

But if he can provoke Iran into a big enough response, he drags the U.S.

into direct confrontation.

And once America’s in, Bibi gets cover — politically, militarily, and narratively.

Let’s be real: this tactic isn’t new.

For decades, Netanyahu has positioned Israel as an indispensable Middle East ally, knowing full well that Washington will bend over backwards to avoid the appearance of abandoning it.

But that dynamic is shifting.

Even within the U.S., there’s growing discomfort — especially among younger voters and parts of the Democratic base — with Israel’s actions, particularly the civilian toll in Gaza and its disregard for international norms.

Still, Trump can’t afford to look “weak on Iran,” especially under the shadow of Trump 2.0.

And Netanyahu is milking that tension with expert-level cynicism.

________________________________________ So Where Does That Leave Australia?

On the outside of the mess — and that’s exactly where we should stay.

Australia is a middle power. We don’t have aircraft carriers.

We don’t have nuclear weapons.

What we do have is a chronic habit of following Washington into conflicts we don’t understand, only to regret it a decade later.

If this Israel–Iran conflict escalates — especially with U.S.

involvement — Australia will be expected to "show solidarity".

But here’s the thing: we have no national interest in being part of this drama.

• We don’t get oil from Israel. • We don’t trade with Iran.

• We don’t have a dog in this fight.

What we do have is a volatile region on our doorstep, a $1.2 trillion trade system reliant on foreign shipping, and no capacity to handle global shocks if this escalates.

Jumping on the "Israel has a right to defend itself" bandwagon without questioning why it keeps being the one to start the fire is not foreign policy.

It’s fan fiction. ________________________________________ 📉 Final Thought: If Bibi Falls, Does Israel Rise?

Netanyahu’s leadership isn’t making Israel stronger — it’s isolating it.

The strikes on Iran weren’t a show of power; they were a sign of desperation.

He’s fighting to preserve his legacy, his legal immunity, and his grasp on a divided country.

If the West — and especially countries like Australia — want to be “good allies,” they need to do more than nod along.

They need to ask: Who really benefits when the bombs start falling?

And right now, the answer is one man — Netanyahu. Not Israel. Not the region.

Just him. 🧨 TL;DR: Netanyahu’s leading Israel with a matchstick and a prayer.

The only plan is to bait the U.S. into war.

Australia should back away slowly, quietly, and with both hands in its pockets.