The Soviet Union wasn't a radical "religious" entity. A truly united Middle East with Iran as the acknowledged head would prove to be seriously disaterous for a long time and would eventually require a lot more nukes than anyone in their right mind wants to contemplate to defang. I'm with your Empress for a Day plan - it's our own misguided policies that have given them the current foothold. But, it is far too late in the game for that to serve as a true fix - I would guess that there are some nukes with our name on them waiting for the right time and "provocation. It has all been allowed to go on for far too long to get a "shotless" solution.
I would say that Netanyahu's "saber-rattling" is actually the sound of an Israel that has been backed into a corner by her supposed allies and she will have no choice but to actually take some swipes. Bibi knows as well as anyone what the potential ramifications are and he is hoping for at least some tacit moral support to keep the whole area from going geiger counter hot. For Israel, it's now a true case of fighting for survival and I would posit, that if it were my country I would be willing to take it to any lengths to fight for survival - we have always been a modicum of a deterrent and under this administration we have become openly hostile to Israel which leaves them in the inenviable position of having to make horribly hard decisions.
Of course, I disagree. If Mr. Netanyahu were going to attack, he would just do it. He is agitating for the US to attack. Israel is the strongest military power in the Middle East, and it can protect itself if attacked. Due to demographics and other changes, that may not be true in the future, and that is what worries them. As we have seen, the US is fast losing its ability to control what happens around the world. For us to engage in another conflict now when we are entangled in 2 wars already and we are BROKE, would only hasten our own destruction.
How about we fix the US first?