JERUSALEM, Israel — In the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led massacre, which claimed the lives of over 1,200 civilians in the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust, Israel has launched a broad and deeply consequential military campaign across multiple fronts. The offensive, which the Israeli government asserts is an act of necessary self-defense, targets Iranian-backed terror networks—including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—while seeking to protect Israeli citizens from further large-scale atrocities.
Lede: Israel’s National Security Threatened by Regional Axis Acting on Iran’s Orders
The events of October 7 shocked both Israeli society and the international community with acts of terrorism: Hamas attackers infiltrated Israeli border communities, executing civilians, committing acts of sexual violence and mutilation, and abducting scores—including women, children, and the elderly—into Gaza. These acts have been widely documented and verified by Israeli authorities and international observers, serving as grim evidence of Hamas’s ongoing campaign of antisemitic violence, enabled by substantial Iranian support.
Israel’s immediate military response—spearheaded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir—has unfolded along multiple axes. Airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza aim to degrade Hamas’s military infrastructure and secure the release of innocent hostages still held by the terror group. Concurrently, Israel has confronted escalatory attacks from Hezbollah in the north and intercepted missile and drone threats originating from Yemen and Syria, with the IDF using advanced defense systems such as the Iron Dome and Arrow interceptors to shield population centers.
Expanding Fronts: Iranian-Backed Proxies Intensify Hostilities
Since October, cross-border aggression has broadened as Iran coordinates its proxies to apply pressure simultaneously. Hezbollah has launched near-daily rocket attacks from Lebanon, targeting Israeli communities and critical infrastructure, while the Houthis in Yemen have targeted Israeli and international shipping lanes. The IRGC’s presence in Syria has resulted in periodic missile launches toward the Golan Heights and Israeli positions, requiring calculated retaliatory airstrikes against Iranian and allied militant positions in the region.
Israeli officials maintain that these attacks form part of Iran’s broader strategy to destabilize the region, erode the Jewish state’s international standing, and undermine prospective normalization efforts between Israel and moderate Arab states. This coordinated aggression illustrates the depth and operational capability of the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” with Iran acting as both financier and strategic command center.
Hostages and Civilian Dimension: Contrasts in Conduct
Central to the ongoing conflict is the unresolved hostage crisis. Israeli authorities have confirmed that dozens of civilians, along with foreign nationals, are held in Gaza under severe duress, with credible reports of mistreatment and violations of international humanitarian law. The Israeli government has firmly rejected any form of equivalence between these innocent hostages and convicted terrorists occasionally released in exchange—a crucial legal and moral distinction emphasized in all negotiations and public discourse.
In stark contrast, Israeli efforts to mitigate civilian suffering in Gaza—often at great operational risk—have included the creation of humanitarian corridors and coordination with international agencies to ensure the delivery of food, medical supplies, and essential services. Israeli officials have documented numerous instances of Hamas exploiting civilian infrastructure for military purposes and impeding the passage of aid, contributing directly to the humanitarian distress faced by Gaza residents.
Regional and International Reactions
The Israeli operation has elicited a mixed response from the global community. The United States, under President Donald Trump, has voiced strong support for Israel’s right to self-defense, with military and diplomatic backing. European leaders have largely condemned the Hamas attacks while urging restraint and the protection of civilians, though divisions persist about the efficacy and proportionality of Israel’s military actions.
In the Arab world, reactions have ranged from official condemnation to more discreet security and intelligence cooperation with Israel, especially among signatories to the Abraham Accords. The broader context is one of increasing alignment among the US, Israel, and moderate Arab states to counter Iranian influence—a trend that continues to reshape the geopolitics of the region.
The Legal and Strategic Imperative
Israel’s military conduct, reviewed by both internal and external legal experts, is governed by the principles of proportionality and necessity under international law. Government spokespeople and IDF legal advisers reiterate that precision targeting and warnings to civilians precede strikes on military objectives, despite the considerable operational challenges posed by Hamas’s policy of embedding military assets within civilian areas.
The war has also generated widespread mobilization within Israeli society. Thousands of reservists have reported to duty, and the civilian population has demonstrated solidarity in support of the security forces. Political debates remain robust, but there is near-universal agreement on the need to remove the threat posed by Iranian-backed terror organizations.
Looking Forward: Security and Moral Stakes
Israeli officials stress that their strategic objectives are the eradication of Hamas’s military infrastructure, the secure return of all hostages, and the restoration of deterrence against Iran’s regional network of proxies. Equally important is the message to the international community that Israel’s fight is not only for its own survival, but also for the defense of democratic values and the rule of law in a region dominated by authoritarian, violent actors.
The legacy of October 7 will mark a defining moment for both Israel and the international system’s approach to terrorism and state-sponsored violence. As the IDF intensifies its operations and seeks responsible humanitarian engagement, Israeli leaders continue to call for moral and strategic clarity—and for unambiguous support for a democracy under assault from the world’s most organized network of terror.
In sum, Israel’s war is a response forced upon it by a regional strategy of terror perpetrated by Iran’s proxies. It remains a test of the world’s resolve to distinguish between legitimate self-defense and the criminality of terror, and to uphold the core values that underpin the stability and security of the international order.
