The UCLA Center for Middle East Development hosted the event, "Iran's Attack on Israel and its Consequences for the Region" on April 18, 2024.

Iran's unprecedented and massive drone and missile attack last weekend against Israel has prompted grave concerns about a potential Israeli response and the possibility of all-out war. This special CMED panel discussion featuring two leading analysts will explore the following questions, among others: Was Iran's attack a success or failure? Will the attack change the regional power balance in Iran's favor or Israel's favor? Will the attack lead to a new regional alliance against Iran and its proxies? What impact will last weekend's events have on Israel's relations with other states in the region? Will Jordan's actions in defense of Israel imperil King Abdullah? Will Iran interpret American pressure on the Israeli government to "take the win and not respond" as a green light to attack Israel again in the future? What will Israel do next? After the discussion, participants will have the opportunity to pose questions to our guests.

MEET OUR GUESTS

Mr. Matthew McInnis is a senior fellow at the Institute for the Study of War. Mr. McInnis previously served as the deputy special representative for Iran and as a member of policy planning at the US Department of State. He was also a resident fellow at American Enterprise Institute in foreign and defense policy after serving for 15 years in the Department of Defense as an intelligence officer and advisor on Middle East, China, and non-proliferation issues.

Ms. Robin Wright is a senior fellow at the US Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson Center. She has reported from more than 140 countries for The New Yorker, The Washington Post, TIME, The NYT Magazine, and the LA Times, among others. Wright has also been a fellow at the Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Yale, Duke, Stanford, Dartmouth, and the University of California. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the UN Correspondents Association Gold Medal for international affairs and the National Magazine Award for Iran reportage, and the Overseas Press Club Award for her coverage of African wars. Wright has authored eight books.

MEET OUR HOST

Dr. Steven Spiegel is director of the UCLA Center for Middle East Development. He is also a research professor of political science, focusing on international relations and American foreign policy in the Middle East. He has written over 100 books, articles, and papers. He is the author of “The Other Arab-Israeli Conflict: Making America’s Middle East Policy from Truman to Reagan,” and “World Politics in a New Era,” as well as one of the authors of "The Peace Puzzle: America’s Quest for Arab-Israeli Peace, 1989-2011.”