The world watched with anticipation as the sun rose on June 23, 2025, amid the most significant military escalation between the United States and Iran in decades. Operation Midnight Hammer involved US stealth aircraft and naval forces striking key Iranian nuclear sites. Though US officials regarded the attacks on the nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan as an operational success – the assessment of the strikes as a strategic success has required more time. Strategic success is often hard to define – however, in the months that followed, the Iranian government responded with unusual caution and restraint. This quiet approach likely highlights the effectiveness of the US strikes while exposing Iran’s internal vulnerabilities and the perils of further global isolation.

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