The war between the United States and Israel against Iran has proven that military hegemony alone is no longer sufficient to secure political victory.
Initially, the U.S. and Israel believed that, leveraging their overwhelming military superiority, they could swiftly collapse Iran’s regime through "decapitation strikes" and maximum pressure, forcing it to surrender unconditionally.
However, Iran did not yield. Instead, it demonstrated remarkable resilience and employed clever "asymmetric countermeasures" to neutralize the advantages held by the U.S. and Israel:
First, Iran directly blocked the global oil transport chokepoint—the Strait of Hormuz;
Second, Iran targeted not only U.S. military assets but also attacked the holdings of America’s Gulf allies;
Third, Iran showcased a greater capacity to endure attacks, thanks to its vast arsenal of weapons.
In the end, the U.S. and Israel failed to achieve their original goals of toppling the Iranian regime or completely eliminating its threat. Both sides were ultimately forced back to the negotiating table, and the situation largely returned to its pre-war state.
This outcome reveals a new reality in contemporary international relations:
The will of the strong is diminishing: military powers are increasingly unwilling to bear significant domestic economic and political risks simply to maintain hegemony.
The resistance of the weak is growing: even when conventional military strength lags behind, weaker parties can still inflict heavy costs on stronger adversaries through asymmetric tactics.
The era in which absolute military power guarantees arbitrary political outcomes has come to an end.
Warfare is becoming increasingly complex—military superiority no longer equates to ultimate victory.
This conflict not only undermined U.S. strategic positioning in the Middle East but also sent a clear message to the world: American hegemony is waning relatively, and it is no longer willing or able to shoulder all risks for its allies.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868295446177792/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.