Seth Frantzman
Key Points and Summary – Following the successful degradation of Iran’s nuclear program and military leadership by recent Israeli and US strikes, Israel is emerging as the dominant military power in the Middle East.
-With its primary existential threat from Tehran neutralized and Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas severely weakened, Israel now sits in a position of unprecedented regional strength. However, this new hegemony presents its own challenges.
-Israel must now navigate a complex diplomatic landscape and guard against the pitfalls that have historically plagued dominant powers, including the risk of becoming overextended in conflicts or inflexible in future peace negotiations.
Israel: A Regional Hegemon with Iran Defeated?
In the wake of Israel’s surprise attack on Iran on June 13, it has become clear that Israel’s military is now among the strongest in the Middle East. For many years, Iran was able to expand its role in the region, funding and arming proxies in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and also the Palestinian territories. Now, Iran’s nuclear program has suffered setbacks, and the country’s air defenses and ballistic missile program appear to be in tatters. These events put a larger spotlight on Israel as a potential regional hegemonic power.
Israel’s rise to power in the Middle East comes after many years of confronting threats. Israel’s success has come due to its close partnership with the United States. For instance, the Trump administration ordered the bombing of several nuclear sites in Iran after Israel had shown that Iran could be bombed for a week and a half without Israel suffering any military losses. Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, killing 28 people and wounding thousands. However, Iran’s military was shown to be inept at repelling the attacks delivered by Israel’s F-35s, F-15s, and other aircraft.
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