Iran has launched an unprecedented attack on Israel. An estimated 180 ballistic missiles were fired at the Jewish state on Tuesday. This is the second time in less than a year that Tehran has fired missiles from its own soil. And this time, Israel should disregard any American advice to “take the win.”

In April, the Islamic Republic of Iran fired more than 200 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at Israel. The majority were intercepted outside of Israeli airspace. Traditionally, Tehran has used its proxies to launch attacks. But significantly, the April attack came from Iran itself — a clear sign that Tehran was emboldened and that American attempts to prevent Iran from escalating weren’t working.

As the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis has warned, U.S. deterrence in the Middle East has largely collapsed, the predictable result of attempting to fete foes such as Iran while admonishing allies such as Israel. Washington has failed to enforce sanctions against the Iranian regime, often declined to respond to terrorist attacks by Iranian proxies against U.S. forces, and seemingly chosen appeasement at every turn. President Joe Biden’s administration has even provided Iran with sanctions relief while the mullahs try to assassinate former U.S. officials.

In foreign policy, weakness is an enticement to aggression. And Iran has read the room and found American willpower wanting.

Indeed, almost immediately after the April attack, Biden reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “You got a win. Take the win.” The president was referencing the joint effort by Israel, the United States, and Arab allies, which enabled the Jewish state to intercept and destroy most of the incoming drones and missiles. At first glance, Iran’s efforts were a failure. But in fact, they were an omen of what was to come.

The U.S. has spent the intervening months attempting to prevent a widening war between Israel and Iranian proxies such as the Lebanese Hezbollah. But too often, that pressure has fallen on Israel alone. The Biden administration gave Iran sanctions relief after the April attack. By contrast, it has reportedly withheld scheduled weapons deliveries meant for its ally, Israel, while the country is at war on multiple fronts with Iranian proxies who openly seek their destruction. Iran seems to believe that it can attack Israel with little in the way of repercussions from the U.S. Tuesday’s attack, occurring after Washington dispatched military forces to the region, proves as much.

Ironically, by constantly pressuring Israel while giving Iran a pass, the U.S. has arguably helped bring about the very thing that it was hoping to avoid: a large regional war. The Islamic Republic’s barrage was itself a response to Israel taking out Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of its top proxy, Hezbollah, in a strike last Friday. Hezbollah began attacking Israel shortly after the Hamas-led invasion on Oct. 7, 2023. Hezbollah’s attacks killed and wounded dozens and led to the mass evacuation of nearly 70,000 Israelis from homes in the country’s north. Israel responded by taking out top Nasrallah lieutenants, but the Hezbollah chief failed to take the hint.

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In the days before and after Nasrallah’s death, the Biden administration and others pushed for a ceasefire. But that would only allow Hezbollah time to regroup. Iran has chosen war.

Winning will only come by using force to vanquish its proxies, and potentially their master, not by begging or pleading.

Sean Durns is a Senior Research Analyst for CAMERA, the 65,000-member, Boston-based Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis.