"Thinking . . .

. . . the Unthinkable" is what this sort of analysis used to be called:

It is theoretically possible that the Israeli state, economy and organized society might just survive such an almost-mortal blow. Iran would not survive as an organized society. "Iranian recovery is not possible in the normal sense of the term."

The analysis of a nuclear conflict in the Middle East is from Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic & International Studies. His conclusion is: "The only way to win is not to play." Lest that seem obvious, recall that it conflicts with the conclusion of Iranian "moderate" Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani who has explained:

When the Islamic world acquires atomic weapons, the strategy of the West will hit a dead-end -- since the use of a single atomic bomb has the power to destroy Israel completely, while it will only cause partial damage to the Islamic world.