Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
Overnight June 12-13, 2025
It is approaching midnight (EDT) - soon to be Friday, June 13, nearly 7 AM in Jerusalem. Operation Rising Lion underway for several hours, has Israel preemptively striking the nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Israel’s strikes are designed to prevent a nuclear war, and not start a war.
Israel had no choice but to unleash the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) against the number one state sponsor of terror, who for decades have called for “death to Israel, death to America,” referring to the United States as the Great Satan, and Israel as the Little Satan. When someone tells you they want to kill you, take them at their word.
While Iran’s political leadership sits at the negotiating table, its scientists continue enriching uranium in the laboratories. It’s reminiscent of pre-World War II Germany, building and stockpiling military weaponry underground in remote places while allowing inspectors to visit Germany in a sleight of hand parlor game. Iranian leadership is not an honorable entity; they are terribly disingenuous. Its citizenry, for the most part, desperately wants to see regime change. Every day Iranians have been virtual prisoners in their own country since the Iranian Revolution of 1979. (This revolution saw the capturing of 66 Americans on November 4, 1979, 52 of whom remained hostages in Iran for 444 days, released on January 20, 1981 - the very day President Ronald Reagan took the oath of office.)
The Islamic Republic of Iran is no longer inching toward nuclear weaponry. In recent months and weeks it has made nuclear armament a potential reality by leaps and bounds, thus making Israel’s preemptive strikes necessary - necessary for the actual survival of the nation of Israel. But Iran is not just a threat to the Jewish people, Israel, or even the United States. It is not hyperbole to say Israel is fighting to save the world.
President Donald Trump dearly wanted negotiations to succeed, and still does, letting it be known he played no role in this preemptive strike by Israel, all the time knowing and understanding how vital this operation is. Trump reiterated the importance of Iran never achieving nuclear capability. And the longer Iran’s political leadership sits at a negotiating table, they maintain their jobs and power. But don’t count on continued negotiations - even as there are some scheduled in Oman this weekend.
Quite frankly leaders in the Middle East, in Europe, and the citizenry of Iran also appreciate what Israel must do. They won’t say so, at least not publicly, but behind closed doors, the Iranian citizenry, and even many other leaders are quietly thanking Israel. Iran has long been the bully, a menace, in the Middle East. The success of the Abraham Accords during the first Trump administration gives credence to thinking Israel’s neighbors, save for Qatar, actually appreciate the bold, necessary operations by Israel.
Israel made pinpointed, targeted strikes, and assassinations overnight. The targets included nuclear facilities, ballistic missile sites, and specific leaders in an attempt to end Iran’s quest to become a nuclear nation with the capability of following through on the decade’s long threats to eviscerate Israel, slaughter the Jewish people, and do similarly to the United States. Israel struck Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, with goals of doing likewise at the atomic energy research center in Bonad, the heavy water nuclear reactor in Arak, the nuclear fuel, research, and production center in Isfahan, the nuclear fuel unit in Ardakan, and the nuclear facility in Bushehr.
The pinpointed assassinations included three top level Iranian military figures and six nuclear scientists. The military leaders assassinated were Mohammad Hossein Bagheri - Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Gholam Ali Rashid - Armed Forces Deputy Commander, and Major General Hossein Salami Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Civilians did not suffer during this operation.
Israel’s actions became necessary because under both former presidents Barack Hussein Obama and Joseph R. Biden, Iran could flex its muscles, and did. The United States under both America Last presidents and their policies of appeasement, slathered Iran with pallets of cash to the tune of billions of dollars. Billions of dollars used to fund the proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Hezbollah to Israel’s north, the Houthis to the southeast, and Hamas to the south and west. Hezbollah and Hamas have it written in their charters the call to wipe Israel off the face of the globe, and slaughter the Jewish people. This is the same Hamas that, unprovoked, slaughtered more than 1,200 Israeli children, women, and men, and kidnapped hundreds more on October 7, 2023, violating the cease fire that existed on October 6. More than 50 hostages remain in captivity.
As of 8 AM, Jerusalem time, 100 drones had been launched by Iran, heading toward Israel. Israel naturally anticipated retaliatory actions and advised its citizenry to stay as close to the bomb shelters as possible. Schools are closed, businesses are closed, outdoor activities have been cancelled, yet Shabbat approaches. While Israel’s attacks on Iran were carried out with pinpointed precision and accuracy, Iran’s retaliation will undoubtedly include civilians of all ages - just as their proxies carried out their heinous actions 20 months ago, and continue in the war lasting more than 600 days. As of 9:30 AM, Jerusalem time, Israel had already begun to intercept the Iranian drones, yet the nation remains in a state of emergency and on full alert. Israel enjoyed a very successful overnight and put Iran on its heels. By noon, Jerusalem time, Israel continues to successfully thwart Iran’s drones, none having struck any targets in Israel.
It matters not what international criticism befalls Israel, it is used to global condemnation for all the ills of the planet. There can be no compromise with nations wishing to erase you from the planet. How many tens and tens of thousands of missiles and rockets have to be fired into Israel before Israel is granted permission to retaliate? Is Israel not supposed to defend itself? Sadly, there are far too many people in far too many nations who would be satisfied if Israel did not defend itself and just disappeared. More and more of those people are making themselves known, especially in the United States with skyrocketing rates of antisemitism since October 7, 2023. Is Israel expected to wait until Iran is fully nuclear capable and an atomic bomb is headed toward Tel Aviv before it defends itself?
Eighty years ago the Holocaust of European Jewry, the slaughter of six million innocent children, women, and men officially came to an end. This only happened to be another chapter in the history of the Jewish people - a history including expulsions, inquisitions, pogroms, invasions, deadly attacks and bombings, when all the Jewish people want is to be left alone to live in peace amongst their neighbors, within a world that does not seek its eradication. Israel is no threat to a nuclear free Iran. The world is a safer, more peaceful place with a nuclear free Iran. Ever since the Holocaust the rallying cry has been “never again,” and especially since October 7, 2023. Israel will no longer roll over and be led like lambs to the slaughter. As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said overnight, “we have risen like lions to defend ourselves.”
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.
No comments:
Post a Comment