War had its chance just weeks later. On June 13, Israel assassinated high-ranking Iranian officials and neutralized Iranian air defenses. During the next 12 days, Israel and Iran traded missile strikes. About 1,000 Iranians and dozens of Israelis died. Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” its federation of militias and other allies, did not show up to fight. On June 22, the U.S. bombed three Iranian nuclear sites and declared the conflict over. The Trump administration said that the country’s nuclear program had been “obliterated,” but no public evidence has confirmed that claim. Ledeen, if he were alive, would no doubt note that at the end of the war, Iran did not accept any cease-fire conditions. In fact, Iran’s official position is that it never accepted a cease-fire at all.