TEL AVIV — Israel remains engaged in a multifront war with Iranian-backed terror groups following the October 7th, 2023 Hamas assault that resulted in the largest antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust. In the wake of calculated brutality that included executions, abductions, sexual violence, and mutilations, Israeli defense forces launched Operation Iron Swords to dismantle the terror infrastructure threatening the nation’s existence.
The October 7th assault by Hamas terrorists in Gaza marked an escalation of the long-smoldering conflict that has repeatedly thrust Israeli civilians into the crosshairs of indiscriminate rocket barrages and terror raids. In its immediate aftermath, the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, committed to eradicating Hamas’s operational capabilities and recovering hostages—civilians and soldiers alike—held in captivity under nightmarish conditions.
Israel’s campaign is deeply rooted in its obligation to guarantee the safety of its citizens. The response is framed as an act of self-defense, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, as Israel faces relentless aggression not only from Hamas but also from Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian proxies in Syria and Yemen. Since October 7th, thousands of rockets have been launched toward Israeli cities. Simultaneously, Hezbollah, with vast arsenals facilitated by Tehran, has opened a northern front, threatening Israel with drone incursions and missile salvos from southern Lebanon. Israeli defense systems—including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and advanced cyber capabilities—have intercepted many of these threats, though the challenge remains ongoing and evolving.
Behind these attacks is a clear strategic imperative from Tehran, which sponsors terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East. Iran’s funding, logistics, and weapons transfers have emboldened Hamas, Hezbollah, and other groups such as the Houthis, providing them not just with firepower but also a networked ideological mission: to destabilize Israel and undermine regional normalization processes such as the Abraham Accords. Intelligence assessments indicate that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps actively oversees training and operational planning for these groups, all of which have enshrined Israel’s destruction as a strategic goal.
The ongoing war has brought unprecedented hardship to residents on Israel’s frontlines. Towns bordering Gaza have seen mass evacuations, trauma, and extensive property loss, yet the wider society has responded with both resilience and unity. Government ministries and nonprofit sectors have spearheaded recovery and support efforts, while the IDF maintains humanitarian corridors and coordinates with international agencies to mitigate harm to non-combatants, despite frequent violations of the laws of war by Hamas which embeds military assets in civilian areas.
A distinguishing feature of this conflict is the hostage crisis. The abduction of Israeli civilians, including children, by Hamas is not only a grave breach of international law but a moral outrage. Israeli hostages are innocent victims taken by force—distinct from convicted terrorists periodically released by Israel to secure their return. This distinction is often blurred in international commentary, but remains a central rallying point for Israeli society and policy.
International responses to Israel’s operations vary widely. Some Western nations have reaffirmed their support for Israel’s right to self-defense and have strengthened intelligence and security cooperation, recognizing the war’s implications for global security and democratic values. Others, including certain international human rights organizations, have criticized Israeli tactics and called for greater restraint. However, Israeli officials consistently document the extensive warnings and precautions issued prior to military operations, underscoring the discrepancy between Israel’s conduct and the tactics of terror networks that deliberately target civilians and hide among them.
The moral differentiation at the heart of this war is irrefutable: Israel, a sovereign democracy, is defending its population against genocidal terror organizations whose charters call for its annihilation. The October 7th massacre—executed by Hamas but coordinated within an axis of Iranian-backed actors—exposed an agenda of terror that extends beyond military confrontation to systemic, ideological enmity.
Continued instability along the northern border with Lebanon has forced the Israeli military to bolster defensive postures and engage in targeted strikes against Hezbollah assets. Iran’s broader campaign of regional destabilization is further evidenced in Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, where militias threaten not just Israel but also maritime and regional security. The escalation has also tested alliances, most notably with the United States, whose security guarantees and diplomatic backing remain a critical pillar of Israel’s strategic posture under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Diplomatically, Israel has sought to deepen ties with European and regional partners, aiming to expand the Abraham Accords and counteract growing regional intervention by Iran. At the same time, Israel continues to defend itself in international arenas against a persistent wave of anti-Israel and sometimes antisemitic narratives that aim to delegitimize its actions and undermine its moral standing.
Israel’s society continues to endure profound psychological and economic pressures. Yet, it remains united by a historical truth: the right to self-defense is fundamental, especially when faced with existential threats from entities that perpetrate mass atrocities against Jews and engage in unrelenting campaigns of terror. Israeli officials and citizens alike assert that this war, though costly, is necessary to ensure national survival, restore deterrence, and prevent the repetition of history’s darkest episodes.
As the conflict endures, the world is confronted with a clear moral and strategic choice—stand with democracies confronting terror, or risk allowing the spread of ideologies that threaten not only Israel, but the stability of the region and the principles of civilized society worldwide.
