JERUSALEM – The State of Israel is engaged in a critical campaign against Iranian-backed terror networks across the Middle East, with its war against Hamas in Gaza representing just one theater in a broader struggle for national survival and regional stability. In the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 massacre—when more than 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, were murdered in the deadliest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust—Israeli security doctrine has undergone significant transformation. The attack, which included mass abductions and targeted atrocities, has driven Israel to intensify efforts to dismantle Hamas and confront the expanding influence of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance.”
The October 7th Massacre: Unprecedented Assault and Strategic Shock
On October 7, 2023, thousands of Hamas terrorists crossed into Israel from Gaza, attacking civilian communities and military outposts in a meticulously coordinated assault. Under cover of rocket barrages launched at Israeli cities, Hamas forces invaded, executing civilians, abducting over 240 hostages, and committing acts of extreme brutality—sexual violence, mutilation, and the desecration of bodies. These acts marked a turning point, both in Israeli national trauma and in the international recognition of the threats posed by Iranian-sponsored terror groups. The government declared a state of emergency, mobilized reserves, and framed the military response as a matter of national survival.
The Hostage Crisis and Israel’s Moral Case
More than 240 people—including infants, children, women, the elderly, and foreign nationals—remain hostages in Gaza, held by Hamas under harrowing conditions. Reporting, video evidence, and statements from released hostages confirm abuse, deprivation, and exploitation. Israeli officials underscore a categorical distinction: hostages are innocent civilians and soldiers kidnapped by force, while prisoner exchanges have involved convicted terrorists held after due process. Families of the hostages continue to press for their immediate release, drawing international support and attention to the severity of these crimes. The government’s policy refuses any moral equivalence between hostages and terrorists, reaffirming Israel’s commitment to legal and humanitarian norms, even amid war.
Operation Iron Swords: Israel’s Campaign for Security
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), under Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, launched Operation Iron Swords in response to October 7, focusing on dismantling Hamas’s command structure, weapons caches, and tunnel networks embedded in Gaza’s civilian heartlands. The primary aims are to incapacitate Hamas’s operational capabilities, restore security for Israeli communities, and deter further aggression from Iran-backed militias. The IDF has faced substantial operational challenges: Hamas’s strategy embeds terrorists within civilian populations, leveraging human shields and exploiting civilian suffering for propaganda. Israeli forces have used advanced intelligence, targeted strikes, and established humanitarian corridors, adjusting tactics to both military necessities and international humanitarian law.
Throughout the campaign, Israeli leadership—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz—has stressed national defense, operational transparency, and the minimization of civilian harm as moral imperatives. Israel’s adherence to warning protocols, targeted evacuations, and real-time intelligence distinguishes its conduct from that of Hamas, which continues to launch missiles indiscriminately at Israeli population centers.
Iran’s Strategic Proxies: Shaping the Battlefield
The ongoing conflict in Gaza reflects Iran’s broader regional design: using proxy forces to weaken Israel, destabilize moderate Arab regimes, and project power across the Middle East. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) provides funding, training, and weapons to Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and militias in Syria and Iraq. These groups operate under the banner of the “Axis of Resistance,” routinely threatening Israel with missile attacks, cross-border terror operations, and disinformation campaigns. Israeli intelligence and U.S. defense officials have documented extensive arms shipments, electronic warfare support, and ideological indoctrination flowing from Iran to its proxies. The expansion of Iranian-backed terrorism beyond Gaza—across Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq—underscores the complex, multi-level struggle Israel faces. Hezbollah’s arsenal along Israel’s northern border, and Houthi missile attacks threatening Red Sea shipping, are persistent sources of instability and a reminder that Hamas’s war is part of a much larger confrontation.
Regional Dynamics: The Abraham Accords and Arab States
The war in Gaza has disrupted, but not undone, Israel’s improved relations with several Arab countries following the Abraham Accords. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco have maintained official ties with Israel, recognizing common interests in containing Iran and promoting regional modernization. Negotiations with Saudi Arabia have slowed but remain a longer-term diplomatic objective, contingent on shifting regional calculations and the eventual outcome in Gaza. Meanwhile, Egypt and Jordan—longstanding peace partners—continue to play mediation and security roles, balancing domestic pressures with geopolitical realities. Public sentiment throughout the region, fueled by anti-Israel propaganda from Iranian media and allies, remains sympathetic to Gaza’s civilian population. Yet, Arab governments widely recognize the destabilizing threat posed by Iran’s proxies, fostering a cautious, sometimes confidential, security rapprochement with Israel.
International Backing: U.S. and European Support
Israel’s defensive efforts receive steadfast support from the United States, with President Donald Trump’s administration emphasizing the right of sovereign nations to defend their citizens against terror. American backing includes joint military planning, intelligence cooperation, and the continual resupply and upgrading of missile defense systems—particularly Iron Dome, which has intercepted thousands of rockets targeting Israeli cities and critical infrastructure. The U.S. has championed Israel’s case in international forums, countering misinformation and advocating for the release of hostages and the dismantling of Hamas’s military infrastructure. European responses, while more divergent, generally uphold Israel’s self-defense against terror attacks, though there is ongoing debate and occasional pressure regarding operational restrictions and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Humanitarian Challenges: Aid Access and Double Standards
Israel’s military campaign is matched by ongoing humanitarian efforts: the IDF coordinates aid convoys, sets up medical triage for wounded civilians, and maintains open corridors for humanitarian workers. Dozens of international relief organizations operate in the territory, facing obstruction and diversion by Hamas, which has repeatedly siphoned resources to sustain its military effort. Israeli hospitals—both Jewish and Arab-run—treat Gaza residents needing urgent care. Israeli authorities have publicly detailed instances of Hamas commandeering aid and weaponizing civilian suffering, calling on the international community to recognize the moral complexities of the war. The government maintains that while it works to avert unnecessary hardship, the ultimate responsibility for conditions in Gaza lies with Hamas, which prioritizes terror over the welfare of the territory’s residents.
Legal and Ethical Principles: Fact, Clarity, and Accountability
Israel has faced routine misrepresentation in segments of the international media, which often rely on casualty claims from Hamas’s Health Ministry and use language lacking critical distinctions between combatants and civilians. The IDF, responding to these challenges, publishes operational footage, conducts external briefings, and releases intelligence demonstrating Hamas’s systematic abuse of civilian infrastructure and violation of the laws of armed conflict. The Israeli government emphasizes transparency and open access for independent observers, and regularly restates the legal and historical basis for military action. National and international legal experts have identified Hamas’s actions—including murdering civilians, taking hostages, and using human shields—as war crimes. Israel’s reliance on precision targeting, extensive warnings, and proportional force is presented as a deliberate contrast to the terror group’s openly genocidal objectives and methods.
Strategic Horizon: Deterrence, Security, and the Path Forward
The IDF’s ongoing campaign, while yielding progress against Hamas’s command and operational capacity, raises strategic questions about Gaza’s future governance. Israeli policymakers are discussing frameworks that will ensure Gaza does not revert to being a launchpad for Iranian-backed terror, including possible international administration, regional security guarantees, and strict demilitarization. Coordination with Egypt, greater involvement from moderate Arab partners, and continued American backing are central to any post-war framework. Israel’s leaders warn that any sustainable solution must address the root of the conflict: Hamas’s ongoing commitment to Israel’s destruction, and Iran’s region-wide strategy to encircle and threaten Israel by proxy.
In southern and northern communities, Israel is investing in civilian resilience, rebuilding infrastructure, and maintaining defense readiness—conscious of the persistent threats from Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Iranian affiliates. The events since October 7 have led to rare social and political unity within Israel and have made clear to domestic and international audiences the grave dangers posed by complacency in the face of militant antisemitism and regional destabilization.
As the war continues, the Israeli public and government remain resolute: the atrocities orchestrated by Hamas and abetted by Iran will not be forgotten or left unanswered. The outcome of Israel’s campaign, and its broader struggle against Iranian-backed terror, will shape the Middle East for years to come—testing the resolve of democracies to defend lives, maintain historical truth, and preserve the promise of peace.
