The ultimate success of the U.S. and Israeli strikes, and so Trump's decision to intervene militarily, depends on how Iran chooses to react. Some analysts fear this action will accelerate Iranian efforts to build a nuclear weapon, with hardliners in Tehran now viewing it as an urgent priority.

Iran’s move will leave the International Atomic Energy Agency blind for now to any renewed nuclear work that Tehran is able to do and unable to verify the whereabouts of its large stockpile of already enriched uranium.