This is John Batchel, a conversation with colleague David Dioid of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

about the Iranian regime and the choices it has in front of it, retaliation or worse.

David says to remember this is a practical regime, no matter their ideology. They want to survive.

And how, and when, and fight another day.

Perhaps.

However, there are possible traps ahead.

One is that they do not think they can survive.

And then, here's David Doe. You'll explain. Much more of this

tonight. Netanyahu said advised Israelis not to be euphoric right now to listen to Homefront

Command instructions on their safety, on where to go in terms of confining shelter. So there is an

expectation still that Iran will retaliate.

We'll see kind of how this thing plays out.

He also noted that this strike was supposed to be scheduled in April,

and it was delayed for various reasons.

Now, in terms of the Iranian regional array responding,

look, there's two questions here. There's capability and there's wisdom of it.

I think what Iran wants now, but Iran's always wanted, Iran wants to survive, right? We tend to

confuse, or get confused by the fact that these guys are, yes, they're religious fanatics. Yes, they have a crazy end goal.

But the way they're going about it is highly pragmatic.

They're working from within a system that they despise the international order to bring it down.

They're distinct from ISIS and that ISIS was a totally irrational actor.

And rational actors like that can cause damage, but they're finite.

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