Six Months Into the Iran War, Israel Faces Costs Without a Settlement

The Japan Times argues that after six months of inconclusive fighting, Israel may end up in a worse position than it was in before the war with Iran began. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gotten the military campaign he long advocated for, without achieving the outcome he described.

Al Jazeera reports that Netanyahu claims Iran attempted to assassinate one of his sons. The Qatari outlet notes that the claim follows the killing of Iran's supreme leader and four members of his family in Tehran by American and Israeli forces. Iranian officials have not confirmed the assassination attempt Netanyahu describes, and Israel has not published evidence for it.

Domestic political tension is visible as well. Ynet reports that 120 relatives of hostages and soldiers objected to a decision by the Israeli-American Council to make former minister Ron Dermer its lead speaker at three events next month, arguing that he was among the most influential voices opposing several hostage agreements. The families said the choice disregarded people who paid a direct price for those decisions.

Tehran, for its part, wants Washington to act first. Dawn reports that Iranian leaders told Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir during meetings in Tehran that the United States should initiate de-escalation, amid what the paper describes as deep mutual distrust.