[RC_ITR]

Interesting not to also link Operation Scorched Sword.

But saved whom from what? The US still invaded Iraq to the loss of 100's of thousands of lives. Israel has been subject to low-level war with its neighbor states for a half century.

I'm failing to see how any of this violence led to good outcomes.

[guykdm]

Ah, you wouldn't have carried out those "violent" operations? You would have let Syria which later fell into civil war have nukes?

[RC_ITR]

It's a tell of a weak argument to not answer questions directly and instead fear-monger with 'what-ifs.'

To answer your question, a nuclear weapon is an extremely complex system with an international supply chain and I think there are plenty of ways to keep states non-nuclear that aren't direct acts of war.

Now to play Devil's Advocate:

What if Iran strikes Israel's suspected nuclear sites? Would that be justifiable to you?

Because to your very point, there are plenty of people in Iran who see a nuclear Israel to be just as catastrophic as you see a nuclear Syria.

(Again, this is why this content shouldn't be posted to HN per the rules, because now what? We are going to argue about whether or not Iran is an inherently evil state?)