In the video: Netanyahu: prepared for any scenario/photo: L.A.M
"We intercepted. We stopped. Together we will win." Only four words were enough for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to sum up in a wonderful way the arrogance that led us to October 7, the painful arrogance because of which 133 of our brothers have been sitting in the tunnels of Hamas in Gaza for more than six months. Those four words are also the winning proof that the leadership of the State of Israel did not learn the lesson in modesty that it should have learned after the Black Sabbath.
Yes, Israel recorded a very impressive strategic achievement tonight. The intelligence that suffered a colossal failure on October 7 knew how to provide an accurate warning of the looming threat (the nature, the intensity, the exact time), which allowed for the correct preparation of the home front and the engagement of the allies in the region and around the world. The impressive capabilities of the IDF, along with priceless assistance from the US and Jordan (but not only) are what enabled an almost hermetic protection of the country's residents.
On the other hand, there is also an overwhelming failure here regarding the ability of Israel and the US to create deterrence against Iran, and it is worth paying attention to this. The threats of the entire Israeli top brass, from the Prime Minister on down, and of US President Joe Biden himself - did not succeed To stop Tehran and thwart the attack against Israel. Iran showed tremendous power and unprecedented courage tonight. Unfortunately this is proof of the collapse of the balance of horror. And the balance of terror against Hezbollah in Lebanon is not exactly "balanced" in recent months.
It is strongly recommended to the Israeli elite to wait a little with the shouts of joy and the victory celebrations. We haven't won yet, to say the least. far from it. The families of the abductees will testify to this. Tens of thousands of residents of the north and south who are still uprooted from their homes and have been moving around as refugees in their country for six months will testify to this.
If anyone still had any doubts, the night's events are a flashing red light that reminds us that we must act in full coordination with the US. This does not mean becoming a patron state, but understanding how much little Israel needs the assistance of its most powerful friend in the world. And perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the willingness And Jordan's impressive ability not only to intercept threats in the air, but also to put on the table the absolute commitment to be on the right side of history in a time of need. If Israel knows how to leverage the international legitimacy it has achieved as a result of the situation, perhaps this will help it free the abductees, defeat Hamas and end the the war
We passed this night in peace considering the circumstances. Israel has no choice but to respond to Iran's massive attack, but the real challenge will be to take a deep breath and not pull a response from the hip. If the Iranians stretched us for two weeks, Israel can also take a moment and think about what it should do, and find the right dose that will not lead to an unnecessary escalation. The IDF is dealing with enough fronts at the same time (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Gaza, Yosh, Cyber) and therefore it is better to act from the head and not from the stomach - and certainly not from a place of arrogance. A little modesty wouldn't hurt.
The writer is the deputy editor-in-chief and head of Walla's news department