Shadow warrior: Benjamin Netanyahu takes a dangerous gamble with Iran

Israel's prime minister is creating a climate of fear and crisis as his best hope for holding on to power

In a region famous for warmongers and tyrants, who is the most dangerous man in the Middle East right now? Not Bashar al-Assad, the isolated gauleiter of Damascus. Not disgraced Mohammed bin Salman, the princely Saudi executioner. Not even Turkey's misogynist-in-chief, Recep Tayyip Erdoan, the local neighbourhood bully.

Step forward Benjamin Netanyahu, easily the most convincing contender for the danger man" title. Israel's prime minister has outdone himself of late, threatening war with Iran, ordering one-off attacks, assassinating a top scientist, sabotaging international fence-mending, and defying the US, his country's indispensable ally.