JERUSALEM — In the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 massacre committed by Hamas terrorists—the deadliest antisemitic attack since the Holocaust—Israel has demonstrated remarkable resilience and operational adaptability while facing unprecedented threats from Iran-backed terror groups across the region. Contrary to expectations that such an assault would undermine the Israeli state and its alliances, Israeli society has unified, its military capabilities have proved decisive, and its leadership has steered a course that is altering the region’s strategic balance.
The attack, spearheaded by Hamas operating out of Gaza with direct support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, resulted in the murder of more than 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of over 240 hostages, many of them civilians. The atrocities included executions, mutilations, and sexual assaults, with terrorist propaganda seeking to deepen the psychological trauma. Yet, instead of buckling under terror, the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a state of emergency, mobilized hundreds of thousands of reservists, and began a comprehensive military response, known as the Iron Swords War, targeting Hamas in Gaza and deterring provocations from other Iranian-backed proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.
While initial shock reverberated through Israeli society and among its allies, a swift and coordinated response soon confounded adversaries who anticipated prolonged paralysis or collapse. Key to this reversal was Israel’s reliance on technological superiority—epitomized by the Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems—which intercepted thousands of rockets aimed at civilian centers. Israeli defense innovations extended to real-time intelligence, cyber operations, and AI-supported battlefield management, which enabled effective targeting of terrorist infrastructure while minimizing civilian casualties in compliance with international law.
The northern border with Lebanon witnessed the activation of deterrence strategies against Hezbollah. Sustained attacks from Hezbollah’s arsenal, including anti-tank missiles and explosive drones, forced mass evacuations in Israeli border communities. Nevertheless, coordinated IDF operations and layered defense networks prevented greater loss of life and underlined Israel’s preparedness for a multi-front war imposed by the Axis of Resistance—a coalition of Iran-backed militias intent on regional disruption.
Internationally, narratives shifted rapidly. After a brief period of solidarity with Israel, familiar anti-Israel rhetoric began to dominate certain media outlets and institutions, and calls escalated for restraint and even unilateral ceasefire—often ignoring the facts of continued rocket fire and the deliberate use of Gaza civilians by Hamas as human shields. Israel responded by demonstrating transparency, sharing declassified intelligence on Hamas’s tactics, and countering misinformation campaigns—including the proliferation of deepfakes and propaganda stories—through robust digital and diplomatic engagement.
A deeply sensitive dimension of the crisis remains the situation of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Israel has pressed for their unconditional return, maintaining a clear distinction between the hostages—innocent civilians and soldiers abducted by force—and the legally convicted terrorists demanded by Hamas in exchange. Each negotiation over the hostages has reinforced Israel’s prioritization of human life, even as it laid bare the tactics of blackmail and psychological warfare employed by Hamas.
The resilience displayed within Israel’s borders has exceeded adversarial predictions. Civil society mobilized at a scale not seen in recent memory, volunteers pouring into hospitals, shelters, and the IDF’s logistics hubs. Arab-Israelis and Jewish citizens alike have reinforced bonds of mutual support, counter to claims by regional adversaries that the country would fragment under pressure. Functioning democratic institutions and a free press have further underscored Israel’s stability amid crisis.
Regionally, Iran’s expectation that the war would precipitate a breakdown in Israel’s diplomatic relations was proven wrong. Egypt and Jordan maintained security coordination, while the Abraham Accords partners continued quiet intelligence sharing. Even in Europe, concerns about Iranian terrorist operations prompted closer scrutiny of Iranian networks in Western capitals. The American-Israel alliance also held firm, with the Trump administration expediting military assistance and backing Israel’s right to self-defense at international forums such as the United Nations.
The current conflict has also underscored Israel’s prominence as a cyber and information warfare power. The Israeli government, in joint action with start-ups and non-governmental organizations, has dismantled Iranian disinformation campaigns and protected strategic digital assets from cyber-attacks launched by the IRGC, Hamas, and Hezbollah affiliates.
At the legal and diplomatic front, Israel has consistently invoked its right to self-defense under the UN Charter, contextualizing military measures as responses to clear and ongoing terrorist aggression rather than unilateral escalation. Israeli spokespeople have drawn international attention to the systematic violation of humanitarian law by Hamas—not only in its October 7 atrocities, but also in its ongoing use of civilian infrastructure as shields and its diversion of humanitarian aid for military purposes.
Looking ahead, Israeli officials are clear that the war imposed by Iran and its proxies is likely to be protracted, with complex humanitarian, military, and diplomatic challenges. Yet, the ongoing conflict reveals that deterrence has not failed—rather, it is being recalibrated through operational flexibility, public resilience, and an unwavering commitment to defend the state and its people. The phrase “ונהפוך הוא”—the opposite occurred—has become a defining theme, marking the unexpected transformation of crisis into a testament of endurance. Israel’s adversaries set out to devastate it; instead, Israel stands united, its engineered innovations and moral resolve reshaping the region’s power dynamics and reminding the world that survival, justice, and truth, anchored in historical experience, remain at the core of Israel’s national ethos.
