Five Strikes That Shaped the Middle East

The blast hinted at Iran’s weakness. The device had been smuggled in weeks earlier—undetected. The strike also temporarily decapitated Hamas’s diplomatic and fundraising arm. Most importantly, it sent a clear message: nowhere is safe for Israel’s enemies.

Years of surveillance, exploiting Haniyeh’s travel patterns and Iran’s lax protocols ensured the operation’s success. Timed to detonate a few hours after Israel eliminated Hezbollah’s Fuad Shukr in Beirut, the strike sent shockwaves through the Axis. And for Israelis living under the pall of loss following October 7, this was a moment of welcome victory.

Paging Hezbollah

In September 2024, Israel unleashed what US General David Petraeus called a “total decimation of Hezbollah’s leadership structure” by detonating thousands of tampered communication devices across Lebanon to target the terror group’s operatives.

Months earlier, Israeli intelligence infiltrated the supply chain. Working under the guise of a shell company, it embedded explosives in pagers ordered from a Taiwanese manufacturer. Following leader Hassan Nasrallah’s orders to avoid traceable smartphones, Hezbollah had distributed these pagers to its fighters, believing them secure. A coded signal triggered the blasts, killing at least 15 and maiming over 2,750 Hezbollah members. The next day, a second wave hit walkie-talkies, killing 20 more and wounding hundreds.

The operation’s genius lay in turning Nasrallah’s paranoia into his undoing. The Hezbollah leader’s fear was the spring for this elegant and perfectly aimed trap.

The “pager plot” blinded Hezbollah’s commanders and logistics teams, sowing chaos in the ranks. Operatives discarded all devices in fear. Lebanese hospitals overflowed while Hezbollah’s propaganda faltered.

This low-tech mission was executed without risking a single Israeli soldier. It smashed Hezbollah’s network and ability to retaliate, and brought respite to northern Israeli towns battered by 8,000 rockets since October 2023.

The Head of the Snake

In September 2024, Israeli jets struck Hezbollah’s underground headquarters in Beirut, killing Nasrallah. Nasrallah had led Hezbollah for 32 years, amassing 150,000 rockets and overseeing hundreds of attacks against Israel. The Hezbollah chief came to a biblical end in a bunker 60 feet (18 m.) below the ground in a civilian neighborhood.

Months of planning, intelligence and drone surveillance finally revealed Nasrallah’s location. Then, several bunker buster bombs collapsed the structure, ending the terror icon’s reign.

Nasrallah’s successors lacked his acumen, leading to infighting and defections. Iran’s failure to protect its proxy further exposed the Axis’s cracks. The strike came as a relief for ordinary Lebanese civilians weary of Hezbollah’s dominance. For Israel’s northern residents, who had lived under the shadow of Hezbollah’s rockets, Nasrallah’s death was another turning point, restoring a sense of security after years of terror.

The Butcher of Damascus Topples

In December 2024, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham toppled his 24-year regime. Israel’s role was carefully orchestrated and strategically indirect. Since October 2023, Jerusalem had launched over 1,000 airstrikes targeting Iranian arms and Hezbollah positions in Syria. Then, a September 2024 strike on a missile factory killed key Iranian commanders, weakening Assad’s defenses. These strikes severely hampered Assad’s army, enabling the rebels to advance. With Russia distracted in Ukraine and Hezbollah crippled, they captured Aleppo, Hama, Homs and finally Damascus.

As Damascus celebrated the end of Assad’s dictatorship, Israel hit jihadi stockpiles to curb potential threats. Almost overnight, the region was reshaped, and another one of Israel’s hostile neighbors was removed. Israel and Syria are currently discussing a security deal, and under US pressure, Syria is eyeing the Abraham Accords.

As a result of Israel’s strategic intervention, Iran’s reach in Syria is broken, Syrians have a chance at freedom and the Jewish homeland is safeguarded.

The Lion Rises

In June 2025, Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion,” a 12-day air war that crippled Iran’s nuclear program and military elite. Over 200 jets struck hundreds of targets, eliminating key military leaders and nuclear scientists. The strikes destroyed centrifuges and missile factories, delaying weaponization by years.

Although Iran’s retaliation killed 28 Israelis, US and Israeli intercepts blunted the assault. This pre-emptive strike shielded Israel from the existential threat of a nuclear Iran and revealed that Iran’s military has never been much more than a paper tiger.

A New Map

These five victories, executed with determination, faith and skill, have redrawn the Middle East map, dismantling an evil alliance of evil from Beirut to Tehran. They prove that Israel can still topple giants. It is clear Israel has not yet seen the end of the story. Headlines hint that the defeat of Iran’s Axis of Resistance is just the beginning.

The enemies of Israel and the Jewish people are many, and they will continue to rage and threaten loudly, while the faithful will do what they have always done; mixing faith and prayers in the assurance that the God of Israel never sleeps.