When American B-2 Spirit bombers destroyed Iran’s nuclear facility in Fordow, many feared the worst. It wasn’t just an Israeli-Iranian clash anymore; it was U.S. military involvement in one of the most volatile regions in the world. News analysts began speculating openly about the outbreak of World War III.
Israel’s initial strikes had already shaken the region. It was a bold move, targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, military assets and personnel, and the price of the escalation was beginning to show. But it was the American response that the world feared could turn the crisis global.
Iran’s immediate vow to retaliate against U.S. bases seemed to confirm what everyone feared. Its coordinated attack on Al-Udeid, the largest American military base in the Middle East, hinted that the situation might not escalate as quickly as thought. And then, just hours later, President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached.
For Israelis, that announcement landed awkwardly. Missiles were still incoming. The Home Front Command was still issuing alerts. After a missile killed several in Beersheva only minutes before the ceasefire was set to take place—and another was fired hours after it had already begun—several Israeli ministers vowed to retaliate. But then, just as it seemed things would escalate again, a presidential F-bomb was dropped, and that was it. Ceasefire activated.
It was, without a doubt, a relief. The outbreak of full-scale war with Iran, particularly one that could have entangled other powers, was a nightmare scenario. Avoiding that outcome was a blessing. But it also comes with a risk—the risk of forgetting what this war was really about.
Fordow may be gone. Iran’s nuclear program has been set back. But the regime behind it—the regime that trained and armed Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis—remains in power. And nothing about its fundamental ideology has changed.
This is the regime that crushes dissent; the regime that has executed tens of thousands of its own citizens since the Islamic Revolution. It is the regime that has turned Syria into a graveyard and props up a brutal war in Yemen. It is the regime that sends weapons and funding to terrorist proxies throughout the region as a central pillar of its foreign policy. It is the regime that continues to call for the destruction of Israel and the death of America. And it is the regime threatened by and dismissive of “Women, Life, Freedom.”
During the conflict, a growing number in the West began to call out the Iranian regime for what it is. Attention shifted beyond the nuclear threat to the regime’s repression at home. Politicians, commentators and supporters of Israel from across the world began to echo the message long voiced by brave Iranians: that the people of Iran deserve to live in freedom.
But now that the guns have quieted, will that clarity fade?
If we were serious about our support for the Iranian people, that support cannot end with a ceasefire.
Some have argued that pushing for regime change is reckless, that it risks further chaos. But it’s time to recognize that the status quo is already chaos. We can no longer treat Iran’s internal repression and external aggression as separate issues. They are two sides of the same coin. A regime that thrives on permanent conflict, that exports violence and crushes its own people cannot be contained forever. Sooner or later, it breaks out.
The war may be over for now. But the moral obligation to stand with the people of Iran remains. Their fight is not over. And if the past couple weeks have shown us anything, it’s that their fight is also ours.