America and Israel United to Fight Iran. Both Will Pay a Price.

When Israeli and American jets joined forces to attack Iran, it was a departure for both countries. The two had grown increasingly aligned over more than three-quarters of a century, but their militaries had never mounted a campaign together. This time, they were synchronized on every aspect: planning, execution, command and control, intelligence and damage assessments.

They were also newly connected in another way. The Israeli military has remained on a war footing for generations. Soldiers sometimes attack the same targets their fathers and grandfathers did. The reason is clear. Israel's political and military leaders have focused on many of the same challenges for decades and often see force as the only available option. Seeing no near-term solutions, Israel's political and military leaders have adopted an approach they describe as mowing the grass. That is, they attack adversaries, and when the adversary rebuilds, Israel merely attacks again.