(Reuters) -Israel's effective use of air-launched ballistic missiles in its airstrikes against Iran is expected to pique interest elsewhere in acquiring the weapons, which most major powers have avoided in favour of cruise missiles and glide bombs.

To paraphrase Machiavelli, prudence involves choosing the least of the worst options. And in this case, Israel’s and America’s least-worst option is avoiding preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Israel’s recent strike against Iran notably avoided targeting nuclear facilities, focusing instead on damaging Iran’s air defenses and missile systems. -While Iran downplayed the attack’s impact, U.S.