Sarah N. Stern
History is being made right now as the Middle East — and perhaps the free world — has just been reshaped.
On the morning of June 22 in central Israel, where I have been living and working, we were awoken to the spectacular news that U.S. President Donald Trump launched a deliberate, accurate and successful military attack on Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
The precision and scale of the operation have already sparked waves of speculation and analysis across global media channels. The targets of the strike — key nuclear facilities — have been central to Iran’s controversial ambitions for years, and the swift action has reshaped the geopolitical landscape overnight.
Israel paved the way over the last 10 days, with its bold, audacious and brilliant moves, using the Israeli Air Force, intelligence and cyber capability. However, the Israelis coordinated with the Americans to be able to use the overwhelming military might of the United States and its bunker buster bombs.
Three of the enemies of the United States — Russia, China and North Korea — already possess nuclear bombs. Iran, a genocidal nation with hegemonic ambitions, already possessed over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium and was 90% of the way there. Russia and China, both staunch allies of Iran, have remained conspicuously silent following the attack.
What is evident, however, is the sheer audacity of its timing and execution, which has left allies and enemies alike recalibrating their positions.
We remain incredibly grateful to President Trump. His singling out of the brilliant military coordination between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF means a tremendous amount to us, while we see the toxic hatred against the state of Israel and the Jewish people in so many corners of the world, including in parts of the United States.
Donald Trump has chosen the path of Winston Churchill. A few peripheral members of the Republican Party — namely Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, Rep. Thomas Massie, (R-Ky.), and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) — have chosen the Neville Chamberlain path, and they will be relegated to the dustpans of history, while the Republican Party supports Trump’s decision.
Here in Israel, conversations are tinged with a mix of cautious optimism and the somber weight of what might follow. We have watched the pro-Islamic Republic demonstrations in Tehran, in Baghdad’s Sadr City and the pro-Hezbollah demonstrations in Beirut.
Many here wonder what this means for regional stability and whether it will pave the way for broader diplomatic breakthroughs or a regional escalation of hostilities, perhaps reigniting terrorist proxies against the state of Israel and the U.S. military forces stationed in the region.
The U.S. operation, described by some as a surgical strike of historic proportions, has not only neutralized critical elements of Iran’s nuclear ambitions but also sent an unmistakable message to those who dare to undermine regional security.
Yet, for every voice heralding the brilliance of this act, we know that there is dissension, not only within corridors of the Middle East but in Western capitals, cities and campuses, who are determined to paint Israel as “the enemy,” irrespective of what it has contributed for the betterment of the human condition.
On the Alert in Israel
Families across Israel continue to brace for potential escalation, staying close to home, stocking their mamads (sealed rooms) with emergency supplies, mindful of the unpredictability of Iran’s potential response.
The IDF is on high alert, its coordination with American forces hailed as an extraordinary feat of modern wartime strategy. Nonetheless, the specter of reprisals looms large, with Hezbollah’s arsenal and Hamas’ rhetoric fueling anxiety over possible flare-ups along Israel’s vulnerable borders.
Just a few hours after the strike, at approximately 7:30 a.m. local time, we received an azaka (a “red alert”), calling us into our mamad. We here are well aware of Jewish history, and we know that the Iranian regime might well be on its last legs. Not too dissimilar from Nazi Germany in the final days of the war, they might possibly react in a random, desultory fashion.
Although I always hesitate to make allusions to Nazi Germany, since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, this has been an apt analogy. The Iranian people have been spoon-fed the vilest, most antisemitic and anti-American propaganda, looking like it came straight out of the pages of “Mein Kampf.”
Unfortunately, the long-term effects of this propaganda will not disappear from the region overnight. If one looks at the long arrow of Iran into the mind of the residents of the region, we know that Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, the Popular Mobilizations Units of Iraq and of course the Shi’ite supporters in the Islamic Republic, swallow this whole.
Other nations in the region — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and even duplicitous Qatar — have also been manifestly silent, trying to calm the street, yet hedge their bets on the winning horse.
The U.S. strike’s long-term consequences remain uncertain. Will this bold move galvanize allied nations to adopt stronger stances against Iran, or will it further entrench opposition to the state of Israel and the United States from adversaries who perceive it as an act of aggression?
The delicate balance of power in the Middle East has shifted, and the coming weeks will likely reveal whether this action serves to stabilize the region or ignite new points of conflict.
Meanwhile, the broader geopolitical dynamics cannot be ignored. Will this bring the United States out of the shadows, after its botched departure from Afghanistan and its failures in Iraq and Vietnam? The international community’s eventual response could shape the trajectory of global relations in the months ahead, particularly in the realms of diplomacy, trade, and security.
For Israelis, the strike symbolizes not only military prowess but also a reaffirmation of their nation’s capacity to defend itself against existential threats. The fact that Israelis now have a committed and confirmed ally with the United States under Trump might well serve to keep our common enemies at bay.
Since Israel’s audacious actions of June 13, the sense of unity and resolve here is palpable, as is the awareness of the delicate road ahead. Diplomatic channels are expected to buzz with activity as leaders from neighboring countries and global powers weigh the implications of this unprecedented move.
However, at the end of the day, we are feeling a great deal more sanguine than we were the day before. If you look at every terrorist activity since 1979, including Oct. 7, 2023, the long arm of the sadistic Islamic Republic stands solidly behind them.
Perhaps there will be a brutal continuation of a “war of attrition” against the more secular-leaning Iranian people, against the state of Israel, against the United States and Jews worldwide. Nevertheless, I have a wonderful, yet unconfirmed, feeling that the end of the road for this long war is not too far in front of us.
Sarah N. Stern is the founder and president of the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), a think tank that specializes in the Middle East.
Israel and the U.S. failed to track Iran’s roughly 400 kilograms of uranium — enough to make 10 bombs — in the days before and after the airstrikes.
Open-source satellite images taken Thursday and Friday showed lines of cargo-style trucks outside Fordow, arousing suspicion that the theocratic regime could have moved its stockpile of enriched uranium.