Trump Wins Global Award – #1 Crown For Terrorism
USA, Israel and Iran: Who Has Used the Most Direct Military Force Abroad?
A fair comparison requires one rule: count military action carried out directly by the state itself—bombing, missile strikes, drone attacks, invasions, ground operations and targeted killings. Do not count proxies, allies, arms suppliers, or military assistance to another country. This is therefore a comparison of direct state violence abroad, not a ranking of who has been legally designated a “state sponsor of terrorism.”
Using approximately 2005–2024, the picture changes considerably.
🥇 #1 — United States
The United States has the broadest record of direct military action abroad among the three.
During this period, U.S. forces conducted major combat operations and air campaigns in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan, among others. The U.S. also carried out targeted killings and special-operations raids, including the 2011 operation against Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
The important point is that these were direct U.S. operations, rather than attacks carried out by an American proxy.
The U.S.-led war in Afghanistan lasted from 2001 until the 2021 withdrawal, while the invasion and occupation of Iraq began in 2003 and the U.S. subsequently returned to combat against ISIS. U.S. forces also conducted hundreds of strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
On geographical reach and scale of direct military operations, the United States is clearly #1.
🥈 #2 — Israel
Israel has also conducted repeated direct military operations outside its internationally recognized territory, particularly in the Middle East.
Major examples during 2005–2024 include:
- Lebanon — the 2006 Lebanon War and the extensive 2024 campaign.
- Gaza and the West Bank — repeated large-scale military operations.
- Syria — hundreds of reported strikes against Iranian, Syrian and Hezbollah-linked targets.
- Iran — covert operations and targeted killings attributed to Israel, although attribution is sometimes disputed.
- Sudan — attacks attributed to Israel against alleged weapons-smuggling infrastructure.
- Iraq — strikes attributed to Israel against Iranian-linked weapons facilities.
- Yemen — Israeli strikes beginning in 2024.
- Iranian targets in Syria — including the April 2024 strike on the Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus, which killed senior IRGC personnel. Israel did not officially claim responsibility. (Reuters)
Israel’s direct military footprint is therefore considerably larger than a simple Israel-vs.-Iran comparison might suggest.
🥉 #3 — Iran
Iran’s direct military footprint is smaller geographically than that of either the United States or Israel when proxies and allies are excluded.
During 2005–2024, clear examples of direct Iranian military attacks include:
Iraq: Iranian ballistic-missile strikes, including the January 2020 attack on U.S. forces following Soleimani’s killing, and the January 2024 strikes in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Syria: Iranian missile strikes against ISIS targets, including operations in 2017, 2018 and 2024.
Pakistan: Iran launched missiles and drones into Pakistan in January 2024 against Jaish al-Adl targets. Pakistan retaliated with strikes against Iran.
Israel: Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel in April 2024 and another large ballistic-missile attack in October 2024. Reuters described the April operation as Iran’s first direct attack on Israel. (Reuters)
These are direct Iranian military actions. They should be distinguished from attacks by Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis or Iraqi militias, even where Iran provided substantial support. Reuters describes these organizations as part of Iran’s broader “Axis of Resistance,” but they are not Iranian military units. (Reuters)
The comparison
| Rank | State | Approximate direct foreign military footprint, 2005–2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | 🇺🇸 United States | Largest — numerous countries, major wars and sustained air/ground campaigns |
| 🥈 2 | 🇮🇱 Israel | Large — principally Middle East, with repeated cross-border operations |
| 🥉 3 | 🇮🇷 Iran | Smaller — primarily Iraq, Syria, Pakistan and Israel |
The crucial conclusion
If “sponsor of terror” means direct military action against foreign countries, rather than financing or directing proxies, then “terror sponsor” isn’t really the most precise term. The more objective question is: Which state has used direct military force abroad most extensively?
Under that definition, the United States ranks first, Israel second, and Iran third for the 2005–2024 period.
That ranking does not mean that every U.S., Israeli or Iranian military operation was terrorism, nor does it determine which state’s actions were legally justified. It simply compares the scale and geographic breadth of direct military action, while deliberately excluding proxy warfare and assistance to allies.
Credits: Reuters; U.S. Institute of Peace; International Court of Justice; Council on Foreign Relations; U.S. Congressional Research Service.