by Harley Lippman, AIPAC Executive Committee Member, Middle East Forum Executive Committee Member, translated by Hillel Fendel.
[written just before the announcement of a ceasefire in Iran]
The joint bombing of the Iranian nuclear project is much more than a military achievement. Beginning with the Israeli decision to launch the offensive, and up to the arrival of the heavy U.S. B-2 bombers, it exemplifies the strength of the alliance between Jerusalem and Washington.
However, beyond the military aspects of these attacks, we must know that the opportunity has now arisen for the shaping anew of the map of regional alliances. Ever since the Camp David Accords of 1979, and up until the Abraham Accords of 2020 under the first Trump presidency, the United States has filled a central role in normalizing relations between Israel and the Arab world.
This is a rare, historic moment of clarity and opportunity. With correct coordination between Israel and the United States, the entire region can be reshaped, belligerence can be braked, alliances can be shored up, and the vision of "peace through strength" can become reality. Now is the time for courageous leadership that can turn a strategic alliance into ongoing peace.
This
is a partnership that has been built up over decades of cooperation, both
secret and open. It has withstood difficult tests, during both Democratic and
Republican administrations, including public differences of opinions as to the
best way to deal with the Iranian nuclear program.
Last
week, when the attacks against Iran were exclusively Israeli, the American
presence behind the scenes was unmistakably strong.
Israel's
opening strike - early Friday morning in Israel and Iran, June 13 - and the hundreds
of sorties and operations since then, were part of an unprecedentedly complex
operation, involving hundreds of stages and the coordination of intelligence
gathering, surgical strikes, the use of advanced weapons, and much more. Even
though Israel acted alone for the first nine days, many of the capabilities
used were built thanks to the ongoing partnership with the United States. In
addition, and more openly, the defense effort was integrated; tens of percent
of the missile interceptions were carried out by American forces stationed in
the region.
Very
soon after Israel sent its first 200 combat jets to open Operation Rising Lion,
U.S. President Donald Trump and his top brass lavishly praised the attack.
Secretary of State Rubio emphasized, however, that the decision to attack was
Israel's alone, and made clear that the U.S. is committed to regional security
and, of course, the safety of its personnel in the Middle East.
This
mutual cooperation – a joint strategic vision with freedom of tactical action
for Israel – is the fruit of decades of political, security, and intelligence
trust-building between the partners. For both of them it was clear: Iran will
not be allowed to have nuclear weapons, nor to continue to operate its terrorism
proxies in the Middle East.
Nine
days after the onset of Israel's offensive, early Sunday morning, June 22, Trump
sent his B-2 stealth bombers to Iran, with bunker-busters the likes of which no
other army in the world possesses. This was the first time they were used in a
combat mission, and they in fact inflicted a painful blow on the most protected
underground nuclear sites of the Iranian terrorist regime. It is of course too
early to tell precisely how painful was this blow and for how many years it
will set back Iran's nuclear program.
Redrawing
the Middle East
For
the past two decades, pragmatic Arab countries cooperated with Israel far from
prying public eyes, identifying Iran as a mutual enemy. This was, in fact, the
basis on which were built the Abraham Accords. But many other Arab states,
headed by Saudi Arabia, did not join the wave. Now, given the weakened state of
the Iranian terror proxies Hizbullah, the Houthis, and the Iraqi militias, and
when Hizbullah is actually even signaling some restraint, Israel's ability to
operate freely within the heart of Tehran has not gone unnoticed by these
countries. The rare documentation of Mossad agents on Tehran soil putting
together some kind of offensive device caused a stir in Israel, but it made an
even larger impression on decision-makers in other Middle Eastern countries.
In a Middle East where strength and power
create a country's status and standing, Israel's Operation Rising Lion has
strengthened its position as a trustworthy and serious security partner. If
President Trump – who just a few weeks ago paid a very successful visit to the
Gulf states – will know how to translate the military achievements of the past
few days into real diplomatic progress via intelligence cooperation and mutual
security initiatives, a new wave of normalization agreements is very much in sight
– but this time, not based just on economic interests, but also on a meaningful
security alliance as well.