In Israel, a grim sense of perseverance prevails as the nation continues its defensive struggle against a wide-ranging Iranian-backed terror campaign threatening its existence and the stability of the wider Middle East. Since October 7, 2023, when Gaza-based Hamas terrorists unleashed the deadliest antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust, Israel has been at the epicenter of an unprecedented assault coordinated by the Islamic Republic of Iran. This campaign involves an array of proxy groups—chief among them Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shi’ite militias in Syria and Iraq—targeting Israeli civilians and territory by land, air, and sea. In response, Israel has launched Operation Iron Swords, a series of calibrated military and intelligence operations designed to dismantle terrorist infrastructures while upholding its obligations under international humanitarian law. International observers, including the United States and European allies, have reaffirmed Israel’s right and duty to self-defense in the face of this comprehensive aggression.
The October 7 massacre fundamentally changed the strategic landscape. On that Saturday morning, an estimated 3,000 Hamas terrorists breached Israel’s southern border, infiltrating towns and military bases, and murdering more than 1,200 people, including women, children, and the elderly, according to the Israeli government and international emergency responders. The attack, meticulously planned and executed with Iranian matériel and training, involved mass executions, sexual violence, mutilations, and the abduction of 240 hostages. Subsequent investigations and releases of abduction footage, as reported by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit and corroborated by leading international wire agencies, offered chilling evidence of premeditated atrocities. Israeli officials have made clear that October 7th was not merely an isolated act of terrorism, but a manifestation of longstanding genocidal aims, with explicit support from Tehran and its network of partners across the region.
In the immediate aftermath, Israel’s leadership—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Defense Israel Katz, and Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir—authorized comprehensive military operations against Hamas strongholds in Gaza. These operations were conducted according to established protocols for minimizing harm to civilians. The IDF issued repeated warnings to Gaza residents, implemented evacuation corridors, and facilitated humanitarian aid deliveries in partnership with international agencies, as acknowledged by United Nations and Red Cross reports. Despite these efforts, Israel’s adversaries have consistently used civilian areas as launchpads for attacks, siting command centers and weapon stockpiles in or beneath residential buildings, clinics, and schools, a direct violation of international law as confirmed by United Nations war crimes investigators and battlefield documentation released by allied forensic teams.
The conflict is not confined to the Gaza Strip. From Lebanon, Hezbollah—an Iranian proxy force with a stockpile exceeding 150,000 rockets—has intensified cross-border bombardments on northern Israeli towns, targeting civilian and military assets. The group’s sustained attacks have resulted in casualties, extensive evacuations, and heightened risk of regional escalation, as detailed in IDF operational briefings and reports by recognized security think tanks. Iranian-aligned militias in Syria and Iraq, meanwhile, have sought to exploit gaps in local governance, launching drone and rocket attacks at Israeli positions in the Golan Heights and logistical corridors vital to the country’s defense. In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, Yemen’s Houthis have engaged in long-range missile and drone strikes against Israeli territory and shipping, threatening global maritime commerce and prompting multi-national naval responses, as verified by maritime traffic trackers and defense ministry communiqués.
The broader context hinges on Iran’s strategy, which for decades has involved arming, financing, and directing a constellation of non-state actors devoted to Israel’s destruction. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), designated a terrorist organization by the United States and several European countries, acts as the chief architect of this campaign. Western intelligence assessments—including declassified findings from U.S. and Israeli agencies—demonstrate how Iran’s provision of missiles, explosives, and advanced cyber tools has allowed its proxies to threaten Israeli critical infrastructure and the civilian population at unprecedented scale and frequency.
Within Israel, the trauma of October 7 and the ongoing war have created both immediate crises and long-term challenges. Communities across the south remain displaced; the fate of hostages—civilians unlawfully kidnapped by Hamas—remains a national trauma and a focus of international humanitarian advocacy. Israeli officials and allied governments stress there is no moral or legal equivalence between the innocent hostages and convicted terrorists released in occasional prisoner exchanges. Humanitarian organizations and Western legal experts have also underscored this categorical distinction, characterizing Israel’s actions—focused on hostage recovery, medical evacuation, and protection of non-combatants—as broadly consistent with international law.
Despite the ongoing hostilities, Israel’s compliance with humanitarian norms is reported regularly by international organizations stationed on the ground. These efforts include coordination of medical evacuations, establishment of field hospitals for Gaza residents, and real-time coordination with international agencies to mitigate harm to civilians. Israel’s advanced warning systems, the Iron Dome air defense network, and targeted spectral intelligence have collectively saved countless lives on both sides of the conflict. In public statements and private briefings, IDF commanders stress that such technologies demonstrate not merely military effectiveness but a profound commitment to sparing non-combatants whenever operationally feasible.
The reaction of the Western world, especially the United States, has been one of robust support. President Donald Trump’s tenure, marked by the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the signing of the Abraham Accords, catalyzed expanded regional cooperation against Iran’s terror network. The Biden administration has maintained security assistance and intelligence-sharing, highlighting bipartisan consensus on Israel’s right of self-defense as well as the need to contain Iranian ambitions across the Middle East. European capitals, likewise, recognize the dangerous precedent that unchecked terrorist aggression against Israel would set globally.
A resurgence in anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric worldwide, often fueled by misinformation and online incitement, continues to complicate the diplomatic environment. Israeli and allied governments have denounced efforts to equate Israel’s lawful defense against terrorism with the actions of those perpetrating violence against civilians, urging clarity and intellectual honesty in public discourse. Several leading international jurists and multilateral panels confirm that under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, Israel retains the sovereign right to defend its population against armed attack from foreign-based terrorist organizations.
Looking ahead, Israel’s stated objectives remain clear: eliminate the operational threat posed by Hamas and its Iranian backers, secure the release of every hostage, and deter further aggression on all borders. Achieving these aims requires intensive military, economic, and diplomatic tools. Yet, as Israeli officials consistently remind the world, the war is not merely about territory or retaliation. It is about securing a future based on justice, deterrence, and the universal right of all peoples to safety and dignity. Israel’s resilience—embodied in its commitment to democracy, innovation in defense, and the fortitude of its people—continues to set a powerful example for nations confronting terrorism and authoritarian threats. The world’s response, through continued support for Israel’s defense and condemnation of terror, will determine whether the values of liberty and rule of law prevail amid persistent instability in the Middle East.
