How the U.S. Shapes Conflicts: Israel, Iran and Ukraine
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Washington can influence conflicts without controlling their outcome. Its tools include security partnerships, arms and financial assistance, sanctions, diplomacy and intelligence cooperation. Congress and the president decide how those tools are used; allies and adversaries still make choices of their own. Direct military action, support for another government and diplomatic pressure therefore need to be assessed separately.
Israel, Gaza, and U.S. policy
The U.S. and Israel have a long strategic partnership. U.S. policy has included military assistance, joint missile-defense programs, diplomatic backing, and efforts to mediate between Israel and Arab states and Palestinians. A 2016 memorandum of understanding set out $38 billion in requested U.S. military assistance over fiscal years 2019–2028. The framework is subject to congressional appropriations and U.S. law; Congress and each administration retain decisions about funding, arms transfers, and diplomacy.
U.S. governments have supported Israel's security while also, at different times, backing a negotiated two-state outcome and criticizing policies they consider obstacles to peace. Critics argue that U.S. military and diplomatic support can reduce pressure on Israel to change course. Supporters argue that the partnership deters threats and gives Washington influence. These are competing assessments. Neither captures the agency of Israelis, Palestinians, or the other parties.
Iran: sanctions, diplomacy, and direct conflict
U.S.–Iran relations became deeply adversarial after the 1979 revolution and hostage crisis, although the two countries have also negotiated. In 2015, Iran and six world powers reached the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which limited parts of Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The United States withdrew in 2018 and restored sanctions.
Current snapshot — September 25, 2026: The United States is now directly involved in a regional war with Iran alongside Israel. Reuters reports that U.S. and Israeli strikes began on February 28, 2026; a ceasefire announced in June unraveled, and strikes resumed in September. This is a fast-moving situation, not a permanent feature of U.S.–Iran relations. For a later report, see U.S. Sends 9,000 Troops and Additional Warships to Middle East (October 1, 2026).
Ukraine and European security
After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the United States provided military, economic, and humanitarian support. Congress authorizes and appropriates much of that assistance. NATO coordinates support from member states, but Ukraine is not a NATO member and is not covered by the alliance's collective-defense guarantee. Aid can strengthen Ukraine's ability to defend itself; it also prompts debate over escalation risks, oversight, costs, and the terms of a settlement.
How to judge U.S. influence
Ask what Washington actually authorized, what conditions apply, what local leaders decided for themselves, and what consequences followed for civilians and regional security. The same policy may deter an attack in one government's view and intensify a conflict in another's. U.S. involvement should therefore be assessed through evidence and stated separately from the objectives of local actors.
Sources and further reading
White House archive — original 2016 assistance memorandum factsheet — September 14, 2016; fiscal years 2019–2028.
- Congressional Research Service: U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel
- Council on Foreign Relations: U.S. Policy on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
- Council on Foreign Relations: U.S. Relations With Iran
- NATO: Support for Ukraine
- Reuters, September 20, 2026: Iran and U.S. trade threats as conflict escalates
Editorial note: The historical sections are intended as evergreen context. The dated snapshot changes quickly and should be updated as events develop.
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