Israel’s recent preemptive attack on Iran has not only marked a major milestone for the nation but also a turning point for the Middle East. According to former IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, Israel’s primary goal is to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, considering it an existential threat.
In the early hours of Friday morning, Israel conducted a series of airstrikes and covert operations to target Iranian infrastructure and senior leadership. The IDF reported that more than 20 Iranian commanders, including the head of Iran’s Intelligence Directorate and the commander of the country’s surface-to-surface missile array, were killed in the operation.
Conricus emphasized the importance of targeting personnel over infrastructure to have a lasting impact on Iran’s nuclear weapons program. He stated that Israel must work diligently to erase crucial knowledge related to the nuclear program.
The Operation Rising Lion not only dealt a blow to Iran’s infrastructure and leadership but also weakened Tehran’s influence in the region and its proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah. Conricus highlighted the diminishing strength of Iran’s \”ring of fire around Israel,\” indicating a strategic setback for the Iranian regime.
The attack on Iran’s nuclear program has garnered support from several countries, including France and the U.K., who oppose Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Conricus mentioned that many nations are quietly cheering on Israel for standing up to the regional bully, Iran.
Israel’s actions have also impacted Iranian deterrence in the Middle East, potentially influencing how other countries in the region respond to Tehran’s threats. Conricus noted that Iranian deterrence has been significantly weakened following Israel’s operations, giving other countries an opportunity to assert themselves.
See also Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image. The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X she was a “Bronx girl" to make her a point against the president. The 35-year-old congresswoman wrote in part on X: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School where she graduated in 2007. She was considered an accomplished student there and well thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. “There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states. “She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. “Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic." After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign where she eventually ousted former 10-terms Congressman Joe Crowley. New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brash with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. "I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." "Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." "She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed. Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image if her family’s home was posted online. “I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday responding to the post. “My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep." “Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"
While it is too early to predict the domestic implications of Israel’s attack on Iran, there is a possibility that the regime’s stability could be at risk. Iran was already facing internal unrest due to the regime’s suppression of basic rights and freedoms, and the recent events could exacerbate the situation.
Overall, Israel’s preemptive strike on Iran signifies a critical moment in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The operation has not only targeted Iran’s nuclear ambitions but also reshaped the regional dynamics, potentially leading to significant changes in the future.
