Ask HN: Why did your government attack Iran?

So far the official answer from the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio is:

Israel was going to attack and US bases and US allies would be the primary counter attack targets, so the US preemptively bombed Iran.

https://theintercept.com/2026/03/03/rubio-trump-iran-israel-...

The real answer, that came out only last week, is that everybody in Trump’s administration, with possible exception to Hegseth, strongly advised against attacking Iran regardless what Israel says. Trump chose to attack Iran believing regime change was probable despite all guidance, from his administration, that it was not possible without a ground invasion.

You'd have to ask our demented leader, but I think it has something to do with Israel

It's been an agenda for the republicans and Israel for decades. It's been reported that Israel tried to encourage Obama and then Biden to do the same. Back during the "normal" political era, even respected republicans like John McCain would joyously sing about bombing Iran.

Trump agreed with Israel that it was a good idea so now here we are.

This will get flagged for being political.

I didn't

I can promise you that whatever reason the administration gives is not the reason.

Beyond that, who even knows? Because Israel whispered in someone's ear about WMDs? Because Trump believes being a "wartime president" will help in the midterms? Holy war to bring about Armageddon? For the oil? To distract from Epstein? Not even the White House can give a straight answer, which suggests there was no real strategy to begin with. Maybe Trump just did it for the lulz. Given this administration it's not impossible.

to distract from the war in venezuela which was to distract from the war in minneapolis which was to distract from the epstein files

Money. Oil. Racism. Oil. Religious ignorance. Oil. General ignorance. Oil. Trumpism. Oil. The Bigger Dick Foreign Policy (TM). Oil. The vacuum between Mike Huckabee’s ears. Oil.

Oh, and trying to get Epstein out of the news before Melania throws him under the bus.