Israels calm returns after Iran attack, with mixed feelings of triumph

Israel has been on high alert since launching joint attacks with the US against Iran. The country’s leaders have consistently portrayed Iran as its nemesis, and the latest strikes were framed in apocalyptic terms by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu announced the attack through a video post on X, stating that Israel and the US had launched attacks to “remove the existential threat posed [to Israel] by the terror regime in Iran”. The Iranian government has retaliated with its own waves of missiles and drones against Israel and US assets in the region. At least one person was reported wounded in northern Israel.

Despite the escalation, many Israelis appear to be taking the situation in stride. Opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on social media that “The people of Israel are strong”, while a Palestinian member of the Israeli parliament, Aida Touma-Suleiman, noted that Israelis have become accustomed to living with the threat of war.

Touma-Suleiman described the relative calm as a result of widespread training and preparedness among Israelis. However, Ahron Bregman, a senior teaching fellow at King’s College London, raised concerns about the potential for a prolonged conflict, suggesting that Israel may not be fully prepared for a lengthy war.

The situation remains uncertain, with many questions remaining unanswered. The extent to which Israel is ready for a prolonged conflict and whether it is a choice or circumstance are unclear.

Source: Al Jazeera