OPINION:
The Middle East is a region that changes constantly. The last few days, however, have brought changes more significant than most, and with them, perhaps the greatest opportunity for America and Israel to deal with the Iranian nuclear threat once and for all.
One year after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel, Hezbollah has been gravely weakened, and Syrian President Bashar Assad’s brutal regime has collapsed. For the first time, marginalized groups such as the Druze and Kurds are experiencing newfound freedom in territories where they have faced persecution for generations.
This moment is a historic opportunity to reshape the region and confront threats looming for decades. Yet this transformation will remain incomplete without addressing the most dangerous element of all: Iran’s nuclear program.
Israel, like a few other countries, faces a direct and explicit existential threat. Iran’s leaders openly call for its destruction, underscoring their intentions with a prominent countdown clock in Tehran. But the threat extends far beyond rhetoric. Over decades, Iran has pursued its vision of regional domination through two main strategies: arming proxy militias across the Middle East and advancing a nuclear weapons program. These twin ambitions have destabilized the region and created persistent threats to Israel and its neighbors.
Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel last year epitomized this strategy. While not directly coordinated with Iran, it was inspired by Tehran’s playbook. Under Yahya Sinwar, Hamas militants invaded Israel, massacring civilians in a brutal attempt to provoke broader regional conflict. They hoped to activate Iran’s proxies — and perhaps even Iran itself — against Israel. Though this strategy partially succeeded, with multiple fronts opening against Israel, it also revealed the limits of Iran’s power and the resilience of the Israeli military.
Israel paid a heavy price, but it has emerged stronger and more determined. Hamas, once a formidable threat, has been decimated. Its leadership is shattered, its military infrastructure destroyed and its political control over the Gaza Strip dissolved.
In the north, Hezbollah has suffered a similar fate. After months of fighting, much of its leadership has been eliminated, and its strategic capabilities — painstakingly built with Iranian support — have been significantly eroded. Though Hezbollah remains a threat, it is battered and forced into a fragile ceasefire enforced by Israel’s military presence.
The collapse of.the Assad regime in Syria marks the most dramatic shift in the region. Within days, Syrian rebels managed to topple Mr. Assad and drive him into exile in Russia, ending 13 years of devastating civil war. This event not only liberated Syria from one of its most oppressive leaders but also severed a crucial link in Iran’s Axis of Resistance. Without Mr. Assad, Iran has lost a key ally and the vital land corridor through which it supplied Hezbollah with weapons and support. Hezbollah, now isolated and surrounded by adversaries, is no longer the threat it once was.
Despite these setbacks, Iran remains the region’s most dangerous actor. With its proxy network significantly weakened, Tehran has accelerated its nuclear ambitions. According to recent reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has enriched uranium at unprecedented levels, bringing it within months of achieving a nuclear weapon. The religious fatwa once cited as a barrier to developing nuclear arms is now being questioned in Iran. Increasingly, it appears that Iran has already decided to pursue nuclear weapons, abandoning even the pretense of restraint.
This escalation demands a decisive response. The collapse of Iran’s proxy networks presents a rare and urgent opportunity to strike its nuclear program. While Israel cannot destroy Iran’s deeply buried nuclear sites on its own, it can deliver a significant blow to delay their progress. For such an operation to succeed, however, Israel requires American support — both operationally and diplomatically. U.S. backing would not only enhance Israel’s ability to target critical sites but also help manage the likely fallout, including Iranian retaliation.
This moment is pivotal not just for Israel but for the entire Middle East and the Western world. Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons would embolden its leaders to escalate their aggression across the region and beyond. Tehran’s fundamentalist regime already sponsors terrorism on multiple continents. A nuclear-armed Iran would threaten the stability of Europe, the security of the United States and the safety of allies worldwide.
The Middle East is at a crossroads. After years of bloodshed, there is an opportunity to reshape the region into one of greater stability and prosperity. But this future cannot be realized while Iran remains on the brink of nuclear capability. Israel again finds itself on the front lines of this battle — not just for its own survival but for the security of the region and the Western world.
Striking Iran’s nuclear program is not merely an act of self-defense; it is a necessary step to secure peace for the coming decades. The United States and Israel must act together, leveraging their combined military and strategic capabilities to neutralize this threat. The consequences of inaction are too dire to contemplate: A nuclear-armed Iran would destabilize the region irreparably and pose an existential threat to Israel and its allies.
The time to act is now. Seizing this historic moment could reset the balance of power in the Middle East, paving the way for a more secure and prosperous future.
• Shuki Friedman is the director general of the Jewish People Policy Institute and a senior lecturer at Peres Academic Center. He formerly served as chairman of the Israeli government committee on the sanctions against Iran.
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