Protect and defend a thriller by Vince Flynn

The provided text is an excerpt from the political thriller "Protect and Defend" by Vince Flynn. It outlines a complex geopolitical scenario where Israel's destruction of an Iranian nuclear facility, possibly by sabotage, ignites a crisis and triggers a covert operation. The narrative follows Mitch Rapp, a U.S. counterterrorism operative, as he navigates this escalating tension, including the kidnapping of CIA Director Irene Kennedy by the terrorist Imad Mukhtar. The story explores themes of espionage, international relations, and retaliatory justice, culminating in Rapp's personal pursuit of Mukhtar and a tense confrontation between Iranian and U.S. forces. The excerpts also provide glimpses into the personal struggles and motivations of key characters, such as Rapp's internal conflicts and the political maneuvering within both American and Iranian leadership.