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What can rightly be called the third Gulf war has already drawn in all eight countries that border the Persian Gulf, along with more than half a dozen others. Iranian drones have rained down on the normally placid cities of the Gulf. Global energy prices have soared. However it ends, the conflict will prove no less transformative than its predecessors. 

Binyamin Netanyahu said he has been waiting for 40 years “to strike the terrorist regime squarely in the face”. The Israeli prime minister had been unable to convince any other American president to confront Iran, until now. In Israel most political parties and a majority of voters back the war right now. But Mr Netanyahu’s personal popularity is still low. Success might rescue him (elections are due by the end of October) but that remains in the balance.

Finally, a programming note: this week’s edition of The Insider, on Anthropic’s battle with the Pentagon, will now air at 6pm London time (1pm in New York) on Friday—24 hours later than planned.