Israel and the US started the Iran war together. But the killing of Larijani and the striking of the South Pars gas field by Israel are being seen as “unilateral” acts. Has Israel gone rogue?
The US and Israel have historically been perceived to be joint at the hip. The joint was on display as the two carried out airstrikes against Iran in June 2025 and on February 28. However, in the three weeks since the attacks, it seems that an existence-concerned Israel has gone rogue, and is doing everything within its power to prevent an immediate end to the war. Is this true?
First the killing of Ali Larijani, Iran’s national security chief, and then the surprise move to set fire to the South Pars gas field. It was Israel that took the high-stakes decisions and acted upon them. US President Donald Trump appeared taken aback by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s call to hit South Pars.
Before getting any further, we need to revisit the objectives of the three participants in the Israel-US-Iran war. While survival is on top of the mind for Iran, the US wants Tehran’s nuclear programme destroyed. Israel, which considers Iran an existential danger, wants it to be crippled militarily to such an extent that Tehran no longer remains a credible threat. For that, Iran’s clerical regime and ballistic missiles, apart from its nuclear programme, have to be destroyed.
So, what’s the situation right now? Iran has lost its entire pre-war leadership, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and its military assets have been hit. But it continues to strike at will, and has been displaying newer ballistic missiles like the Sejjil. Defence assets of the US in the Middle East have been hit, and it finds itself caught in a quicksand. For Israel, Iran still remains a threat, and its core objective unachieved.
To achieve the singular goal of crippling Iran, Israel has to ensure that the war continues till the time Tehran’s capabilities are demolished.
The assassination of Larijani, considered to be among those who could come to the talks table, has been considered as Israel setting fire to one of President Trump’s off-ramps. Option of talks right now? Killed.
Then came the setting of South Pars gas field on fire. Targeting military sites is one thing, hitting the belly is something else. Pars supports sanction-crippled Iran’s electricity needs. Israel obviously knew what it was triggering.
The IRGC reacted immediately. The Guards, who zealously protect the regime ushered in by the Islamic Revolution, named five sites in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and hit them with the same precision as a child bursting balloons with pins.
Trump feigned ignorance. He said he knew nothing and chastised Israel. It was as good as saying, “You, naughty boy, don’t do such things again.” Reports have suggested Trump had advance information.
Has Israel gone rogue?
NO.
At worst, it might have been a communication gap. At best, the US and Israel are playing ‘good cop, bad cop’.
“Israel is the first of the US’s 51 states,” says Kamlesh Singh, our in-house columnist and satirist.
Israel’s existence is as important for Israel as for the US. There is no dearth of examples to show how governments in DC, be the Red or the Blue ones, have gone to bail out the Jewish state. A bit of acting for the world would be the least a President could do.
There’s a flashback to this in black and white.
Kamlesh Singh reminds us of the phone call that Netanyahu made to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani from the White House in October 2025. Israel tried to assassinate some top Hamas leaders in Doha, but ended up killing five people, including a Qatari guard.
Trump claimed he didn’t know of the plot and made Netanyahu apologise to Thani. The White House issued a black-and-white photograph of Trump holding the telephone as Netanyahu apologised to Thani, reading from a paper.
Then all was good. Everything forgiven.
So, has Israel gone rogue? No. Apprentice-level acting comes naturally to the stiff-faced Trump. And Israel and the US stay joined at the hip.
