Harvard’s Meghan O’Sullivan on what the Israel-Iran conflict means for the U.S.

Geopolitical Landscape & Nuclear Proliferation - The Israel-Iran conflict has escalated, potentially pushing Iran to pursue nuclear weapons more aggressively for deterrence against future Israeli military actions [5][6] - Iran was reportedly weeks away from having enough uranium to potentially develop a nuclear bomb, and the Israeli attack may have delayed this [3] - The IAEA has reported that Iran is not complying with the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, raising concerns about its nuclear program [2][5] Potential Military Actions & US Involvement - A crippling strike on Iran's Fordo facility, a key element in Iran's ability to quickly develop a nuclear weapon, would likely require direct US military assistance [6][7] - Israel might attempt to cripple Fordo through alternative means, such as collapsing the entrance or disrupting its power supply [7][8] - The US administration faces a difficult decision on whether to directly intervene to take out Fordo, to prevent Iran from rapidly developing a nuclear weapon [10] Regional Implications & Potential Retaliation - If the US becomes directly involved, Iran is expected to retaliate with all available means, potentially escalating the conflict regionally [12] - Potential Iranian responses could include Houthi involvement, targeting American personnel or bases, attacking Gulf oil infrastructure, or attempting to close the Strait of Hormuz [13]