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Israel Has Regained Its Deterrence
(Israel Hayom) John Spencer interviewed by Ariel Kahana - Maj. John Spencer, who heads Urban Warfare Studies at West Point, said, "Everything that the world has heard about Gaza has actually been counterfactual. It has been wrong. What Israel has done to protect civilians, and despite what Hamas has wanted, has been an amazing achievement that I didn't even, personally as an urban warfare scholar, think was possible." "Israel has once again proven that when attacked, it can achieve the impossible. Its actions in Gaza since Oct. 7 - despite Hamas's 15 years of fortification and preparation, 385 miles of tunnels, a strategy of human shields, the hostage crisis, and simultaneous attacks from Hizbullah, Iran, and the Houthis - are unprecedented. No other army in the world has done this, and I believe none is capable of it. Some might interpret this as Israeli weakness. As a military analyst, I see it as a testament to Israel's unique capabilities." "Until now, Hizbullah and Iran doubted Israel's resolve to destroy Hizbullah....But we're seeing a shift. Israel is demonstrating not just capability, but willingness to act. This week's attacks present Hizbullah with a stark choice about their survival." "Oct. 7 has been transformative for Israel, the Middle East, and hopefully, the world. The Iranian regime's grand strategy aims to destroy Israel, and then target the U.S., using proxy armies. The approach to these terrorist proxies was misguided, not just by Israel but globally." "Yet, as in past crises, Israel has demonstrated its ability to achieve the seemingly impossible when attacked. Moreover, Israel's allies have shown it doesn't stand alone. As an American, I take pride in U.S. military efforts to intercept Iranian rockets, missiles, and drones, with support from Arab nations like Saudi Arabia and Jordan." "I believe Israel's strength has been proven. I think Hamas and Hizbullah expected to inflict much more damage, but Israel's power has been displayed to the world." "I don't think the Iranians will abandon their strategy to destroy Israel, but they'll need to recalculate their approach....So they'll be more cautious about Israel's strength now, but they still believe they can achieve their long-term goal."