Why Israel is quietly emerging as the biggest winner from the Iran war

Published: 07:00, 2 June 2026 | Updated: 07:03, 2 June 2026 With fighting paused and a peace deal hanging in the balance, the Daily Mail's Battle Board has forensically assessed which nation has gained the most so far from the Iran war. Foreign correspondent Chris Pleasance compared where the US, Israel and Iran stand today against their stated war aims when the conflict broke out on 28 February 2026. Weighing the loss of life and military assets against strategic outcomes, Pleasance argued that Israel is the standout beneficiary of the war, as things stand.  Unlike the US, which sought the nebulous goal of regime change, or Iran, whose sole aim was simply to survive, Israel's calculated involvement has delivered tangible and perhaps lasting geopolitical gains. With fighting paused and a lasting peace potentially close, the Daily Mail's Battle Board has forensically assessed which nation has gained the most from the Iran war Foreign correspondent Chris Pleasance compared where the US, Israel and Iran stand today against their stated war aims when the conflict broke out on 28 February 2026 Weighing the loss of life and military assets against strategic outcomes, Pleasance argued that Israel is the standout beneficiary of the war 'Israel's goal was always to inflict maximum destruction on Iran, its proxy groups and its ability to rebuild after the war,' Pleasance explained. 'Their strategy was therefore to fight as intensely as possible, for as long as possible.' This war aim, Pleasance said, put Israel at odds with its closest ally. While Trump had promised the American people a swift end to the conflict, Netanyahu needed the fighting to keep going. Yet despite the war entering its fourth month, Israel has managed to maintain its crucial alliance with Washington. In that time, according to US military figures, Iran has been crippled, with the majority of its air defences, navy and missile factories reportedly destroyed alongside every one of its drone production facilities. While the US has borne the brunt of the diplomatic pressure and footed much of the bill, Israel has been quietly eliminating many of its most dangerous enemies. Pleasance said: 'Israel has been using a potent mixture of intelligence collected by Mossad, data hacked by Unit 8200, an elite team of cyber warriors, and artificial intelligence. 'When combined, they have been generating a constantly updated list of targets for the Israel Defence Force to strike, with jets sent into Iran and ground forces into Lebanon.' Joint US-Israel strikes killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the conflict, alongside senior regime figures including Iran's security chief Ali Larijani and IRGC Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri. Pleasance also noted that unlike the US, Israel is not burdened with the difficult task of securing a lasting peace with Tehran. Any concessions on Iran's nuclear programme will likely fall to US negotiators, as Washington fights to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, not Netanyahu, will face the diplomatic fallout. 'For Israel, the goal was to draw the war out and cause maximum devastation to Iran,' Pleasance said. 'They have largely succeeded.' Any concessions on Iran's nuclear programme will likely fall to US negotiators, as Washington fights to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, not Netanyahu, will face the diplomatic fallout WATCH THE FULL EPISODE: How Iran's drones flipped the war 'The fighting ultimately lasted a little over five weeks, beyond Trump's initial deadline. The Israelis could have used a bit more time and actually managed to get some by dragging out the fighting in Lebanon. 'For America, the goal was to end the war as quickly as possible and achieve some kind of major concession. Trump looks to have achieved the first objective, but at the cost of the second. 'The US now faces the daunting task of talking Iran into giving up its nukes, handing over its uranium and opening up Hormuz, having failed to do those things by force. It's also having to do this while there is a power vacuum inside Iran. 'Who won the Iran war? Israel seems the clear winner. Its main rival is shattered. It has achieved most of its goals and it has taken few losses in return.' Listen to Pleasance's full analysis of the Iran war by subscribing to Daily Mail World on YouTube. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. 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