There is a famous proverb that says, “Show me your friends, and I will show you your future.” It seems this sentiment is not exclusive to individuals. As the war in Iran continues, it becomes clear America’s behavior and threats are starting to mimic that of a certain friend.

As Israel partially winds down operations in the Gaza Strip, it seems hellbent on ramping them up elsewhere. The most obvious target of their attacks is Iran. Their targets range from the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant to the state broadcaster, the IRINN. Considering that both locations had, at best, an indirect, limited connection to Iranian military operations, one can clearly see Israel overstepped with its target selection.

Israel has a history of committing other crimes against Iran. In April 2024, the Israeli Air Force struck an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria. While I have no love for the IRGC commander killed in the attack, it’s worth noting how dangerous such a precedent is for diplomacy in the Middle East.

Additionally, Israel has never hesitated to assassinate Iranian civilian scientists linked with the nuclear program. If this were allowed, I would be a valid target for my past work with defense contractors.

Some of the IDF’s most glaring crimes occurred in the country of Lebanon, home to the Iranian proxy Hezbollah, which Israel is seeking to dismantle. Just recently, three Indonesian UN peacekeepers were killed. While the source of the attack is currently uncertain, it’s worth noting Israel, unlike most countries, has a history of firing upon and killing UN peacekeepers.

Additionally, Israel recently attacked a neutral Lebanese Army checkpoint. However, this pales in comparison to the hundreds of Lebanese civilians who have died in this year’s invasion.

Moreover, Israel continues to deliberately target journalists. Two consecutive airstrikes killed Ali Shoeib as well as siblings Fatima and Mohamad Ftouni. Israel claims Shoeib was part of Hezbollah’s “Radwan” special forces unit, posting a photograph showing him in military fatigues. When pressed further, the IDF admitted the image was photoshopped.

While Israel continues to claim Shoeib provided targeting support for Hezbollah combat operations, it would be hard-pressed to justify killing the other two. After all, a similar airstrike 10 days earlier on journalist Mohamed Sherri’s residence killed him and his wife and injured his son.

While the IDF claims not to deliberately target journalists, they magically find them anyway. One notable clip shows a Russia Today reporter scrambling just in time to escape the brunt of an airstrike. I do not often find myself agreeing with the Russian foreign ministry, but their statement sums it up best: “given the killing of around 200 journalists in Gaza, the day’s events could not be described as accidental, especially that the missile did not hit an important strategic military facility, but rather a filming location.” As noted by the Committee to Protect Journalists, Israel has killed the most journalists and media workers of any country.

This is the country we are following into Iran. This is a country whose population overwhelmingly supports ethnic cleansing in Gaza. This is a country whose soldiers arrest the victims of settler violence in the West Bank.

Now, as we flatten schools and threaten to destroy power plants and desalination plants (another clear-cut war crime) in Iran, it’s worth noting where our leaders are getting their military playbook from. They are getting it from a country that has no interest in the lasting stability of Iran. It’s a country seeking to destabilize and eliminate any adversary, whatever the cost may be in lives of both Iranians and Americans.