What Happens Next in 6 Minutes with Larry Bernstein

What Will Success and Failure Be in the Iran War

In this episode of What Happens Next, host Larry Bernstein talks with Hal Brands, a Johns Hopkins professor and former strategic planner for the U.S. Secretary of War, about how success and failure will be measured in the ongoing Iran war. Brands outlines the ambiguous U.S. objectives—ranging from short‑term disarmament of Iran’s navy, missiles and nuclear program to a longer‑term, less clearly stated goal of regime change—while noting Israel’s more explicit push for regime collapse. He explains how President Trump’s penchant for asymmetric, flexible tactics has shaped the campaign and created both operational synergy and diplomatic tension between the U.S. and Israel. Finally, Brands reflects on the broader strategic lessons, including the rapid learning curve for U.S. forces, the emerging U.S.–Israel warfighting alliance, and the implications for other great powers like China, whose military has not seen recent combat.