The Wyoming Star, June 8, 2026, quotes Zunes extensively:
The conflict is metastasizing in ways that none of its architects anticipated. The Gaza genocide grinds on, largely ignored by a world fixated on Hormuz. Stephen Zunes, a Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco and a longtime analyst of US policy and nonviolent movements, focuses on the protection the United States gives Israel from any accountability:
“Trump has made it clear to the Israelis that a full-scale resumption of the bombing would be unacceptable, but he is apparently willing to support a low-level war indefinitely. Meanwhile, Israel is expanding its occupation of the Gaza Strip to close to 70% of the territory in violation of the ceasefire agreement and with the apparent support of the Trump administration. Occasional air strikes, with additional civilian casualties, continue as well. And, in the West Bank, settler militias, in ways comparable to the rightwing death squads in Central America during the 1980s, continue to terrorize the Palestinian population with the acquiescence of the Israeli government and, extension, the US government.”
Overall Dr. Zunes puts the current situation in stark perspective:
“There was some real hope a few weeks ago with news of a memorandum of understanding between US and Iranian negotiators, with the apparent support of the Arab Gulf states, Turkey, and Egypt. Trump rejected it, however, because it would involve unfreezing illegally withheld Iranian assets and would allow Iran to continue reprocessing limited amounts of uranium, similar to the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump has repeatedly condemned. Even the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would be hard to depict as a victory since it had been fully open prior to the war. In short, it appears that Trump didn’t want to make it look like the war had been for naught, even though such an agreement may be the only realistic means at this point to end the conflict.”
His warning about Lebanon is particularly pointed:
“It is hard to imagine Iran agreeing to reopen the Strait without a comprehensive ceasefire and possibly an Israeli withdrawal from occupied parts of the country. Israel’s decision to expand its occupation by crossing the Litani River, seizing the strategic Beaufort Castle, and conquering additional territory to the northeast is indicative of a desire to increase pressure on the Lebanese government, even though it is essentially powerless to control Hezbollah. The ongoing destruction of Lebanese villages and farmland and the bombing of civilian targets far removed from Hezbollah military activities constitute major war crimes, but the Israeli government is confident that, as with Gaza, Washington will protect any accountability. Most political factions in Israel either support Netanyahu’s actions or believe he should escalate.”