Do the US, Israel agree on targets, challenges, timelines in a potential third Iran war? - analysis

An analysis examines US-Israeli coordination on targets, timelines, and challenges for a potential third war with Iran, focusing on the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility, underground ballistic missile sites, and the question of whether a short or sustained operation would be effective.

An analysis published by The Jerusalem Post examines the extent of US-Israeli agreement on targets, challenges, and timelines for a potential third war with Iran. The article notes that foreign sources have reported Israeli Air Force rehearsals flying through Syria and Iraq to the Iranian border, and that Israel has used F-35s to eliminate Iranian radar four times since April 2024. Over 200 Israeli fighter jets struck Iran in the first wave in February 2026. The US and Israel carved Iran into sectors, with Israel focused on the western and Tehran sectors and American forces on the southern sector. The piece focuses heavily on the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility, which is deeper underground than Fordow and may be impervious to even US 30,000-pound MOP bombs. Israeli officials have pressed President Trump to deal with the facility. The article also discusses Iran's underground ballistic missile facilities, noting that in early 2026, Israel and the US caused cave-ins that Iran's bulldozer crews reopened within days. Iran has altered its ballistic missile strategy, spreading out crews and firing small barrages. The analysis raises questions about the length of any renewed operation, whether Israel has developed new techniques to neutralize underground missile cities, and whether energy facilities will be struck. It notes that Trump wants a fast three-day operation but that Iran's regime may not cooperate, and that some Israelis, including former defense minister Yoav Gallant, have suggested only a ground operation can neutralize deeply buried enriched uranium.