Why this war of Donald Trump’s choosing? As death and destruction widen in Iran and across the region, and as oil and gas markets take fright, the US president’s reasons for launching what his administration calls Operation Epic Fury continue to shift, as do the stated scale and duration.

What remains consistent is the White House’s messaging, cranked out over social media by Gen-Z handlers who have taken Silicon Valley’s “move fast and break things” mantra and turned it into memes – some even borrowing actual video-game footage. Is it working? Do the fireballs that kill real human beings in the Middle East inspire admiration and awe among voters in the United States?

The fog of war is inherently performative: show that you are mighty and demonise the enemy. It is also meant to serve as a “rally ’round the flag” moment for leaders. Well, almost always. Is this war different? And how is it going for US and Israeli leaders who stand shoulder to shoulder while talking at cross purposes about its length and objectives?