The United States’ overnight attack could cause further escalation. To Israelis, it is already seen as a victory for Israel, and for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Not for the first time in his nearly 18 years as Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was wobbling. Israel’s opposition had called a vote last week to dissolve the parliament and — infuriated by Netanyahu’s repeated failure to pass a law exempting religious students from military service — the two ultraorthodox parties in Netanyahu’s far-right coalition were threatening to back it.