A day after the successful execution of “Operation Days of Repentance,” an anticipated Israeli strike on Iran that attracted widespread international attention, Israelis woke up to a relatively quiet morning, free from immediate threats from their eastern adversary. For now, it appears that the Iranian regime has decided it has had enough of the recent exchanges and lacks the desire to escalate further violence with Israel. Is this restraint due to complex geopolitical calculations, pressure from the Western world and the U.S., or mainly due to Israel’s strategic deterrence achieved in the recent attack?
The answer likely lies somewhere in between, leaning more toward the latter—Israeli deterrence. Israel’s precision capabilities were on full display. According to the information released about Operation Days of Repentance, over 100 Israeli Air Force planes participated, including bombers, fighter jets, support, and refueling aircraft (such as the F15, F16, and F35 models). Among the pilots were several female navigators, along with Major General Aviad Dagan, head of the IDF’s Communication Division. The targets were carefully selected in a multi-hour operation: first, anti-aircraft sites in Syria and Iran were struck, allowing Israeli aircraft greater freedom of movement; then, Iran’s missile and drone launch and storage sites—prepared for retaliation against Israel—were hit (thus preemptively eliminating Iran’s immediate response capability); finally, several key sites in Iran’s weapons and missile production industry, essential for long-range arms development, were destroyed. While assessments of the damage inflicted on the Iranian military vary, the long-term impact remains unclear. Notably, the Israeli Air Force sustained no damage, a highly impressive achievement underscoring the quality of the pilots.
This is the first time in history that Israel has carried out such a complex and extensive airstrike at such a significant distance from its borders (over 1,500 km, with most targets located around Tehran and in western parts of Iran). The decision to proceed with the attack was difficult and required courage, yet it was undoubtedly the right one. If Israel’s deterrence holds for at least a few more months, this would be a significant strategic achievement, allowing Israel to concentrate efforts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip and potentially end the conflicts in these areas under favorable conditions. When Sinwar began the war a year ago, he hoped that Hezbollah and Iran would join him and that Israel would be overwhelmed by multi-front pressure. However, Sinwar was killed by IDF forces, Hezbollah is also severely weakened, and Iran realizes it cannot afford a costly conflict with Israel. Sinwar’s gamble failed, dragging down with him the entire Iranian axis that had been meticulously built against Israel over the decades.
