Israeli officials hail the coordinated counterattack as the cornerstone of a regional opposition movement known as a “strategic alliance” against Tehran and applaud a multinational military alliance for thwarting Iran’s direct attack.
According to Israeli officials, a coordinated response involving hundreds of drones and missiles stopped an Iranian direct attack on Sunday.
They defined this concerted action as the cornerstone of a “strategic alliance” that would provide a regional front of opposition to Tehran.
However, an official claimed that as nervous spectators awaited any indication of a resumption of the previous shadow war, Israel’s War Cabinet met without reaching a consensus on what to do next.
Leading the military alliance that looked to include a number of Middle Eastern nations were the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. Israel received support during a period when it felt alone as a result of its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
The alliance may serve as a model for future relations between the governments in the area once the war is over.
“This marked the inaugural instance of a coalition working in concert to counter the menace posed by Iran and its regional allies in the Middle East,” stated Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson.
One question that remains unsolved is which of Israel’s neighbors fired the bulk of Iran’s estimated 350 drone and missile launches.
Important members of the War Cabinet and Israeli military officials alluded to other “partners,” but did not specify who they were. When pressed, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby would not identify them.
Jordan, however, appeared to have defended its actions by citing self-defense.
The military reacted to what was considered to be a real threat—Iranian missiles and marches reaching Jordan.
In an interview with state television Al-Mamlaka, Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi stated that Jordan would respond similarly if Israel presented a threat. On Sunday, US President Joe Biden had a discussion with King Abdullah of Jordan.
In an effort to better integrate Israel and fortify ties with the Arab world, the United States has long sought to form a regional coalition opposed to Iran.
It includes the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic relations between Israel and four Arab countries, and Israel’s membership in the U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East and works closely with the armed forces of moderate Arab countries.
Before Israel’s war in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas attack on October 7, the United States had been trying to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the dominant country in the region.
The war, which has claimed the lives of over 33,700 Palestinians, has put an end to these efforts due to the general outrage among Arab nations.
Still, there appears to have been some clandestine cooperation, and the White House has voiced hope that Israel-Saudi relations could be improved as part of a postwar plan.
