DID Press: Malihah Lodhi, a veteran diplomat and former ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, United Kingdom, and the United Nations, argues in a recent article titled “Lessons of the U.S.–Israel War Against Iran” that Washington has underestimated both Iran’s national will and its capacity for asymmetric warfare.
Lodhi writes that the U.S. has repeated historical strategic missteps similar to those in Vietnam and Afghanistan, failing to account for Tehran’s unpredictable responses in the Strait of Hormuz. According to her, this oversight has disrupted global energy markets and created a deep divide between the U.S. and its European allies—challenging the West’s technological superiority with Iran’s “will to endure.”
She identifies Washington’s greatest error as ignoring the role of nationalism, a factor that previously altered U.S. military calculations in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Lodi also criticizes contradictory statements by Donald Trump on how Iran might respond, seeing them as evidence of a lack of coherent strategic policy.
Lodhi asserts that by escalating the conflict, the U.S. has entered a “trap of tension,” where increasing the intensity of strikes yields diminishing returns. She emphasizes that no amount of firepower can replace sound strategy.
According to Lodhi, Iran’s use of asymmetric tactics and its role in the Strait of Hormuz have significantly affected energy markets—an outcome Washington failed to anticipate. She argues that U.S. efforts to build a military coalition have faltered, and divisions with Europe and Arab states have deepened Washington’s diplomatic isolation.
In conclusion, Lodhi criticizes what she sees as unpredictable and personality‑driven decision‑making in U.S. policy, with consequences that extend beyond American borders, impacting global security and stability.