By Thierry Meyssan
Voltairenet.org
April 4, 2026
For the first time, a people attacked by the most powerful military in history is retaliating against its adversary's military bases and foreign investments. This is a way of waging war, adapted to the age of globalization, that none of our strategists had foreseen. This conflict is unlike any other. It is the first in which a medium-sized country could prevail over a monstrous power.
A "Zionist revisionist" war
Benjamin Netanyahu is the son of historian Benzion Netanyahu, private secretary to Vladimir Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the founder of Revisionist Zionism. The Netanyahu dynasty has always supported Revisionist Zionism against the Zionists. The latter, led by Theodor Herzl, aimed to build a Jewish state, while Jabotinsky sought to create a Jewish empire.
In 1921, in Ukraine, Jabotinsky allied himself with the "integral nationalist" leader Symon Petliura against the Bolsheviks. Petliura continued to organize pogroms against the Jews, whom Jabotinsky claimed to defend. This contradiction led Jabotinsky to resign from the World Zionist Organization (WZO), of which he was an administrator.
During Europe's descent into World War II, Jabotinsky declared himself a "fascist." He created a militia, Betar, in Rome, under the patronage of Mussolini. At the start of the war, he sought refuge in a neutral state, the United States (which only entered the war after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor). Jabotinsky died in the early months of the war, but his men continued his fight alongside the fascists and Nazis. Whether shocking or not, revisionist Zionists organized several negotiations with the Third Reich. Rezső Kasztner (also known as "Rudolf Ysrael Kastner"), a Hungarian revisionist nationalist leader, held discussions until the final weeks of the war with Adolf Eichmann, responsible for the logistics of the "Final Solution" to Slavs, Jews, and Roma. [1]
Throughout his political career, Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed to be a Jewish philanthropist. However, he has acted opportunistically, failing to put his ideals into practice [2]. This period ended on December 29, 2022, with the formation, with the help and support of Elliott Abrams, of a Jewish supremacist coalition [3].
Little by little, Benjamin Netanyahu grew bolder, threatening the Anglo-Saxons in February 2024 with the reconstitution of the "Stern gang" [4], which assassinated the United Nations Special Representative in Mandatory Palestine (1948); declaring in Hebrew on August 23, 2025, his commitment to the creation of a "Greater Israel" and, on September 15, 2025, calling for the transformation of Israeli democracy into a "super-Sparta" [5].
It is therefore an avowed fascist, and no longer a scheming politician, who has indicated that he wants to wage war on "seven fronts" and put an end to Iranian competition.
Exactly one year ago, I anticipated the current Israeli-American war against Iran [6]. It's pointless to quibble over the causes of this conflict: all its official justifications have proven false (there has been no Iranian military nuclear program since 1988; Iran has no intercontinental ballistic missiles; Iran did not threaten the United States; and finally, Iran has had no proxies since 2019). It suffices to observe that it is simply implementing the "Zionist revisionist" agenda. The millions of Israelis who marched against it are not fooled.
Let us now ask ourselves what the first consequences are.
The explosion of the Maga movement
The first consequence of this war was the explosion it triggered within the MAGA (Make America Great Again!) movement. President Trump's main popular supporters suddenly withdrew their confidence in him. They refused to accept that the United States was involved in a war solely at Israel's behest.
Whether Donald Trump was manipulated or whether he acted to maintain the support of the diaspora's major bankers for his country is debatable. Regardless, the fact remains that Donald Trump has lost his popular support. His former supporters will not necessarily switch to the Democratic Party, but intend to continue his fight, without him.
The 3,300 demonstrations on Saturday were not aimed at denouncing the war in Iran, but rather the power of the President of the United States. They brought together not only Democrats, but also Republicans and Jacksonians who owe Donald Trump their awakening, but no longer trust him today.
No one perceives international law the same way anymore.
The second consequence of this war is the realization that, far from defending a country, hosting a US military base actually exposes it to becoming a target of war. As early as February 28, 2026, all the Gulf states targeted by Iran protested vehemently. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar filed complaints with the Security Council. Each denounced "a flagrant violation of national sovereignty and a direct attack on security and territorial integrity." They were so certain of their legal position that they paid no attention to Iran's response. It took two consecutive replies from Tehran for them to face the facts. The UN Charter and international law support Iran's position: any state attacked by another can legitimately take legal action against that state and against any third party whose territory is used for the aggression.
Until now, no state had resisted US aggression in this way. None had been able to turn against their interests abroad, let alone against their military bases.
For the Gulf leaders, it's a rude awakening. Everything they've built up over decades is collapsing. They are left speechless, having no alternative. Conversely, for states aspiring to a multipolar world, it's an opportunity: whatever the price to pay for refusing to host US military bases, it's better to do so than to be drawn into a devastating war.
China immediately revised its plans. In the event of a US attack regarding Taiwan's status, it will not target the island itself, but rather the 24 US military bases in the Asia-Pacific region. The National Liberation Army has already repositioned its missile launchers. All states in the region are therefore preparing to become battlegrounds if they do not thank the Pentagon and politely request its withdrawal from their territory.
The US military is proving to be nothing more than "paper tigers".
As Mao Zedong said, the US military is nothing but "paper tigers." Certainly, they possess an extraordinary arsenal, but they cannot crush those who have prepared to confront them.
While Iran cannot directly target Israeli and American bombers and missiles, it is retaliating against all US ground bases throughout the region. It has struck targets in the Gulf, Jordan, and Cyprus. It could even attack US bases in Germany. Furthermore, Iran has long been preparing for this confrontation. It has stockpiled a large number of inexpensive weapons in secure locations, in tunnels and deep bunkers. For the moment, it is managing to force the Pentagon to defend itself with prohibitively expensive technological marvels. For every $25,000 Shahed missile launch, the United States must respond with two or three Patriot missiles at $1.3 million each. It is now a race against time: which will be crippled first, the Revolutionary Guard or the Pentagon ? And as if economic pressure weren't enough, US stocks are running out and the military-industrial complex cannot replenish them in the short term.
The Trump method has reached its limit
The author of *The Art of the Deal* had always managed, until now, to get his partners to back down, both in trade and political negotiations. But "truthful hyperbole" doesn't work with Iran. He may claim to have "victorious," but it is Tehran that sets the terms.
All hyperbole, far from being frightening, appears as mere boasting. Washington can no longer threaten escalation; it is Tehran that threatens it. Thus, on March 22, Donald Trump wanted to end the war before his armies were disarmed. He threatened to bomb Iranian power plants if the Revolutionary Guards did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz [7]. But Tehran immediately responded by transmitting its escalation plan: to bomb the Israeli electrical system-the plans for which it published-and to target companies in the region with American shareholders [8]. Without waiting, Donald Trump declared that he was negotiating with Tehran and that, there, all the leaders knew they were on borrowed time if they did not negotiate. He therefore gave a five-day deadline to conclude these talks [9].
Tehran denied negotiating and reiterated its threats [10]. Donald Trump caved and announced he was postponing the deadline he had set.
Iran is not backing down. It has attacked the two aluminum smelters of Aluminium Bahrain (ALBA) and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA). Without waiting for the United States to bomb its power plants, Tehran attacked companies whose main shareholders are American.
After the United States or Israel bombed the University of Science and Technology in northeast Tehran and another higher education institution, Tehran warned it would retaliate against US universities with campuses in the Gulf. These include Texas A&M University in Qatar and New York University in the United Arab Emirates.
After the United States or Israel bombed a port on the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran warned that it would attack the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as soon as it came within firing range.
With each new attack, the Revolutionary Guards retaliate against new US targets. They threaten, one by one, every US interest in the Middle East. No one has ever fought like this. It is a lesson from a great civilization: Iran-which does not hesitate to assassinate its citizens when they threaten it from abroad-has never practiced terrorism against civilians, whatever Israeli propaganda may claim. But Tehran has embraced globalization and now strikes US interests, wherever they may be.
President Trump has no escape. His jokes may entertain his audiences, but the Iranian threat is still looming. The only possible outcome is the annihilation of an entire civilization; a prospect no elected leader can contemplate.
Israel is trapping itself
Israel is in the same situation as the United States. Tel Aviv cannot respond to Iranian escalation, especially since its armies are exhausted. They waged a brutal war against the Gazans, not hesitating to commit genocide; they continued this war against the Lebanese, Syrians, Iraqis, and Yemenis.
For Israel, the primary challenge is human, more so than material. Tel Aviv needs men, but cannot recruit them without permanently weakening its economy. It can do everything, but not everything at once.
Many commentators are now discussing how to end the resistance of the Iranian people: following the model President Truman applied against Japan. Using one or two nuclear bombs. That would be the ultimate crime. For the moment, the discussion is focused on how the world would react. Could Israel, once again, shirk its responsibilities?
On the contrary, if Israel were to admit defeat, its very existence would be called into question. This is why it will be all the more difficult for the Israeli opposition to overthrow Benjamin Netanyahu, as it would then be participating in the destruction of its own country. It is therefore crucial for all those who wish to avert this catastrophe to assure the Israeli opposition that it can liberate its country from its current fascist government and submit to international law, which it has never respected.
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[1 ] מדוע חוסל קסטנר " (Why was Kastner assassinated?), Nadav Kaplan, Steimatzky publishing (2024).
[2 ] " Netanyahu and Nazism ", by Thierry Meyssan, Voltaire Network, September 23, 2025.
[3 ] " The Straussians' coup in Israel ", by Thierry Meyssan, Voltaire Network, March 7, 2023.
[4 ] " In Jerusalem, the 'Conference for the Victory of Israel' threatens London and Washington ", by Thierry Meyssan, Voltaire Network, February 13, 2024.
[5 ] " After 'Greater Israel', Netanyahu argues for a 'Super-Sparta' and 'finishing the job in Gaza' ", by Thierry Meyssan, Voltaire Network, September 30, 2025.
[6 ] " After Ukraine, Iran? ", by Thierry Meyssan, Voltaire Network, March 18, 2025.
[7 ] " @realDonaldTrump ", Truth Social, March 22, 2026.
[8 ] Dispatch 5111 "Iran's four priority targets in case of escalation", Voltaire, international news, No. 168, March 27, 2026.
[9 ] " @realDonaldTrump ", Truth Social, March 23, 2026.
[10 ] " A Toothless Iran ? Missile and Drone Strikes Show It Can Still Inflict Pain ", Nicholas Kulish, Helene Cooper, Isabel Kershner & Erika Solomon, The New York Times, March 29, 2026.
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