It may take time before the world fully understands the magnitude of what happened during the “12-Day War,” but the implications are already clear in Jerusalem, Washington, and—most notably—in Tehran.
What unfolded was not just another round of Middle East violence. It was, in strategic terms, one of the most consequential Israeli victories since the Six-Day War in 1967. A nation of 10 million decisively dismantled the nuclear ambitions of a regime of 90 million—a regime that had spent decades preparing for a day of reckoning and lost.
On the surface, the headlines focused on tragedy: The rocket that struck Beersheva, killing and wounding families even inside shelters. Iran’s mullahs, humiliated but defiant, issued theatrical declarations of victory. But behind their bombast is the truth: The regime has been dealt a crippling blow, one that has cost it billions, shattered its military infrastructure, and left its nuclear program in ruins.
Even as U.S. President Donald Trump, boarding a helicopter for NATO, reportedly quipped about Israel and Iran, “They don’t know what the f**k they’re doing,” Israel did what it always does when survival is on the line: It acted.
A ceasefire had been in place. But when it was violated—again—Israel responded. It had done so before. In November, when Hezbollah fired rockets during a truce, Israel hit back with 40 strikes. Hezbollah has remained silent ever since.
This time, after a direct call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump, Israeli jets turned around mid-mission following a symbolic strike on Tehran’s radar. It was a show of restraint but also a signal: Don’t test us again!
Beyond the headlines, however, a historic achievement emerged. Iran has lost its path to the bomb. That was Netanyahu’s core objective—pursued not just for years, but for decades. With the help of key strategists like Ron Dermer, Israel executed one of the most precise and disciplined operations in its history.
Not a single Israeli jet was downed. Not a single airman lost. Thousands of kilometers from home, Israel destroyed missile factories, air-defense systems and the nuclear development infrastructure itself.
Working with the Mossad, Israel eliminated entire networks of scientists, military officers and technicians tied to the nuclear program. Evin Prison, where the regime tortured its dissidents, was struck. So was the state-run television complex.
And behind the scenes, America was there all along.
For months, Washington denied involvement. Analysts predicted that Trump had politically abandoned Netanyahu. But when the moment came, American B-2 bombers dropped bunker-busting bombs on three major nuclear sites, while U.S. submarines launched 30 Tomahawk missiles to finish the job. The damage was devastating—and undeniable.
No matter what Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, intends to do now, his options are gone. The nuclear infrastructure is not recoverable in the short term. And his regime—hollowed out from within—is running out of time.
The real power to change Iran’s future now lies with its people. For the majority of Iranians who despise the regime, this moment opens a door. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ grip on power has been broken. Its international terror apparatus—Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the Syrian dictatorship—has been decapitated or degraded.
The winds have changed. Trump and Netanyahu are poised to solidify one of the most consequential alliances for peace and prosperity in modern history. The Abraham Accords may now expand. Europe, watching Iran falter, may begin to recalibrate. And Hamas, isolated and reeling, could be next.
In Israel, life is beginning to return to normal. Children are back on playgrounds. Families are venturing out. Shops are reopening. There is one dream that has not faded: To see the 20 living hostages come home and the remains of the 30 others brought to Israel for burial.
As Israel begins to breathe again, the surviving architects of Oct. 7, 2023—those who thought the Jewish state would hesitate or fracture—are surely realizing the full weight of their miscalculation.
They gambled on fear. Instead, they awakened a people with resolve.