JERUSALEM — The State of Israel is currently at the center of a regional war imposed by Iran and a network of affiliated terror organizations, facing unprecedented attacks from multiple directions. In the months since the October 7, 2023 massacre—the deadliest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust—Israel has mounted a wide-ranging military campaign, combining advanced technologies, robust diplomacy, and civil resilience to combat the ongoing threat.
Background facts from Israeli authorities, military sources, and agencies confirm that Israel’s war effort began as an act of self-defense in response to systematic terrorist aggression, most infamously demonstrated in the coordinated attack by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israeli territory from Gaza, brutally murdering over 1,200 civilians and taking more than 240 hostages. These hostages, including women, elderly, and children, remain at the center of Israel’s military and diplomatic campaigns. Their abduction and continued captivity in Gaza are widely recognized as violations of international humanitarian law, in stark moral and legal contrast to Israel’s treatment of convicted terrorists who have seen judicial proceedings and, in several cases, have been released in exchange deals.
At the heart of the conflict is Iran’s longstanding strategy to arm, fund, and direct regional proxies—most notably Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and militias in Syria and Iraq—under the so-called “Axis of Resistance.” This campaign seeks to destabilize Israel through asymmetric warfare, terror campaigns, infrastructure sabotage, and relentless rocket and missile barrages. Intelligence assessments indicate these proxies act in coordination with Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leadership and with increasing sophistication, relying on precision weaponry, UAVs, and information warfare.
In Gaza, Operation Iron Swords was launched to dismantle Hamas’s vast military infrastructure embedded within civilian neighborhoods. Israeli military brass, led by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, emphasizes precision strikes, real-time intelligence, and efforts to uphold the laws of armed conflict—even as Hamas deliberately exploits civilians as human shields. Israel’s government has repeatedly opened humanitarian corridors, facilitated aid shipments, and communicated with international agencies, often to have efforts undermined by Hamas’s diversion of supplies and ongoing rocket fire.
On the northern front, Hezbollah has accelerated its cross-border attacks, launching missile barrages, guided rockets, and drones at Israeli communities. Israel’s response has included precision strikes on military assets deep inside Lebanon and heightened readiness along the border. The risk of a major expansion of the conflict remains high, as Israeli officials have clarified that Lebanese state failure to curtail Hezbollah’s actions constitutes a breach of international law and could trigger broader military operations.
Iranian proxies’ reach is evident far beyond Israel’s borders. The Houthis in Yemen have targeted Israel with cruise missiles and drones, most intercepted by Israeli air defenses. At the same time, Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq continue to target Israeli or allied interests, prompting a series of surgical Israeli airstrikes aimed at preventing the transfer of advanced weapons to the terror frontlines. Israeli defense doctrine prioritizes prevention through intelligence-driven operations, layered missile defenses like Iron Dome and Arrow, and close cooperation with key allies—most significantly the United States, whose military, economic, and diplomatic support remains indispensable for Israel’s security.
Despite mounting security needs, Israel continues to provide humanitarian assistance where possible and facilitate civilian evacuations. The dual challenge of fulfilling security obligations and upholding moral imperatives is at the fore, with Israeli society demonstrating unity and resilience in the face of ongoing rocket fire, mass mobilization, and the complex realities of daily violence.
Internationally, Israel faces waves of antisemitic rhetoric and misinformation seeking to obscure the facts of the conflict. Disinformation campaigns have sought to distort or minimize the October 7 atrocities, draw false parallels between Israeli defensive action and terrorist aggression, and delegitimize Israel’s existence. The Israeli government and civil society organizations remain committed to upholding the truth: the legal, moral, and factual distinction between targeted self-defense and the calculated, indiscriminate violence of terror organizations is stark and substantiated by ample evidence.
Regionally, the aftermath of October 7 has spurred new security coordination among moderate Arab states and placed Iran’s destabilizing ambitions in sharper international focus. The consequences of Israel’s campaign extend beyond its borders, shaping the strategic outlook in the Middle East and reinforcing the importance of normalization agreements, security partnerships, and clarity in the fight against organized terror.
The war continues as Israel balances its commitment to law and morality with operational necessity. The stakes, stated repeatedly by Israeli leaders and supported by the country’s actions, are nothing less than Israel’s survival and the integrity of democratic societies in the Middle East threatened by theocratic extremism and proxy terror. The world’s attention remains on Israel—not merely as a battleground, but as a front line in the defense of civilization against aggression rooted in hate.
