Over the decades, it became a cliché that, after a terrorist attack, an Israeli spokesman would come on television and say, in the tone of someone who means business, “Israel will know very well how to respond.” Usually, this was true.

After the Hamas atrocities of October 7 2023, it was not true. The shock of the sheer evil of the massacres was compounded by the shock of Israel’s failure to foresee them. That failure made it harder for Israel to react appropriately and fast.

But the other effect of October 7 was to teach Israel no end of a lesson. Ever since its foundation in 1948, it had always said it faced existential threat; yet here was that threat proved in the most bestial way, and it had not been ready.

Israel’s repeated, wide-ranging and successful attacks on Iran’s installations and key military leaders in the small hours of Friday morning and again on Friday night follow the logic of the lesson Israel has re-learnt. In particular, the Israeli air force has displayed the greatest effectiveness since its heroic Operation Focus in the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel knew very well how to respond.

The phrase “existential threat” is bandied about. In a vague sense, the entire world faces existential threats, from nuclear weapons and, some say, from climate catastrophe. But targeted, active existential threat – an enemy trying to wipe you out – is much less universal. In the world just now, only two UN-recognised nations face it. They are Ukraine and Israel.

Vladimir Putin denies that Ukraine is a nation at all. His imperial version of history proves this to his satisfaction, so he feels free to use any amount of violence to return Ukraine to “the Russian world”. It is not racist: after all, he thinks Ukrainians are Russians. But it is ravenously tyrannical: obliterate the Ukrainian state and subjugate its people.

The violent opponents of Israel go one better – or rather, worse. They want not only to destroy the state of Israel, but also to kill all the Jews who inhabit it. In living memory, Jews learnt about that. I was about to call it “lived experience”, but the phrase froze on my lips: most died.

Here in Britain, when the militant Gaza marches, so indulged by our police, surge through our streets, opinions vary. A minority, chiefly Muslim, supports them. Most people find them irksome, disruptive, aggressive. For Jews, it is much more serious than that. When the marchers shout about a free Palestine, “From the river to the sea”, Jews know which river, and which sea. The slogan offers the people of the Jewish state no nation, no room, no life.

Ever since its revolution of 1978-9, Iran has put this destruction at its heart. “Death to Israel” is the constant cry from the ayatollahs’ pulpit, and because Iran is a theocracy, that is not just the aspiration of perverted religion, but a policy. It is why Iran wants the nuclear bomb.

So whereas Western powers undoubtedly do not want a nuclear Iran, seeing it as a menace to regional peace, they regard this as just one of the trickier questions of international relations. It is even, from a diplomatic view, rather exciting. Officials preen themselves on dealing with difficult people: how clever they felt when they concocted with Iran the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), now deceased. For them, the question is not existential. For Israel, it is.

For a long time now, Iran has been the principal orchestrator of global and regional attacks on Israel. Even for Hamas, which is Sunni not Shia, it has been a key backer. With Hezbollah, it has been, in effect, the commander, as it is for the Houthis in Yemen and numerous militias in Iraq.

For just as long, and especially under the premiership of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel identified Iran as its greatest external threat, but the difficulty was to inspire in friends of Israel the necessary sense of urgency. Especially with the administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the United States could always find a reason to stall Israeli efforts to stop the Iranian nuclear programme dead.

But the after-effects of October 7 changed everything. In April last year, by which time it had at last made progress against Hamas in Gaza, Israel decided to hit back at Hezbollah’s attacks as well and killed two Iranian generals in their country’s embassy in Damascus.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Council (IRGC) and Hezbollah then launched Iran’s first ever direct attack on Israel. It was called Operation True Promise, but its results were feeble. Virtually all Iranian drones were interdicted and there were scarcely any casualties. A second Iranian attack in October was a bit more successful but still, overall, a failure.

In July, Israel was able to kill the Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, when he was the honoured guest of the Iranian regime in Tehran. In September, with its famous blowing up of their pagers, Israeli killed dozens of Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon and Syria; shortly afterwards, it assassinated the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. It was also helpful that, before Christmas, president Bashir Assad had fallen in Syria.

The hits were the result not only of prodigious technological precision, but also of the most careful, long-term Mossad penetration of Iran, whose IRGC and wider regime have become more corrupt. The fact that Israel’s attacks succeeded showed that Iran, far from being invincible, had become decadent.

Why not leave it there, then? Why not let Iran stew in its own juice until its people finally muster the courage to overthrow it? Here again, the issue is existential threat. Israeli intelligence recently reported a new Iranian sprint to get the bomb while negotiations were in progress. The International Atomic Energy Authority, usually so reticent, this week announced that Iran had achieved new nuclear capacity in breach of its commitments. Iran itself boasted of its advances. The situation is a bit like Germany’s development of V2 rockets in 1944: it was losing the war, but its power to attempt a desperate last throw made it deadly dangerous.

Historians will debate – indeed they are already debating – how exactly we reached this point. Did Iran deduce that Donald Trump, under the influence of anti-Israel Maga types, was being less hawkish than it had expected? Did it therefore judge that he would block an Israeli attack, and conclude it could get away with proliferation? Did Netanyahu, with a similar worry the other way round, feel the need to force the hand of a hesitating White House? Or was Trump’s recent show of reluctance a coordinated feint which gave Israel the advantage of surprise? It is not clear, though we do know that he was aware of Israel’s intentions.

But what does seem clear is that Israel is winning by prosecuting its long-term existential aims rather than seeking an unavailable peace process. Coverage in the West is obsessed by the idea that Israeli behaviour is the product of Netanyahu’s cynical selfishness in clinging to power. He is certainly intensely controversial within his own country, but not in relation to Iran.

It is that existential point again. Most Israelis agree who their greatest enemy is. Who are we to say they are wrong? For decades, Iran has been their Goliath. Netanyahu, aged 75, is no David. But he must by now have some claims to be their Churchill. He has seized the moment to insist on national survival.

A security official has said that Israel built a drone base on Iranian soil ahead of last night’s strikes on the country’s military and nuclear facilities.

Speaking to Times of Israel, the unnamed official said that as part of the operation, which had been years in the making, precision weapons systems and commandos had also been smuggled into the country.

Key to the operation was close joint planning between the IDF and the Mossad, the official said.

The Israeli drones were reportedly activated overnight, striking surface-to-surface missile launchers aimed at Israel.

Other missiles took out Iran’s air defences and gave Israeli planes air supremacy and freedom of action over Iran.

In addition, Mossad commandos deployed precision missiles near anti-aircraft sites in the central Iran.

The operations relied on “groundbreaking thinking, bold planning and surgical operation of advanced technologies, special forces and agents operating in the heart of Iran while totally evading the eyes of local intelligence,” the official told Times of Israel.

According to Israel Hayom Israeli military and intelligence forces collaborated extensively over several years developing comprehensive intelligence dossiers necessary for executing the preemptive assault that was “Operation Rising Lion.”

This preparations involved gathering detailed intelligence and conducting surveillance operations targeting senior Iranian security apparatus officials and nuclear scientists who were subsequently killed. These efforts ran parallel to a clandestine operational campaign aimed at undermining Iran’s strategic missile capabilities.

Throughout this framework, the Mossad orchestrated intelligence-operational and technological collaboration with IDF units and defense contractors, executing covert sabotage missions deep within Iranian territory, alongside widespread Israeli Air Force operations.

These coordinated operations targeted Iran’s strategic missile infrastructure and air defense networks. The institutional strategy required extended planning periods, demanding bold and sophisticated coordination combined with innovative strategic thinking and operational deception.

Every mission necessitated meticulous research and precision intelligence collection, cutting-edge technologies, and extensive commando force deployment operating clandestinely throughout Tehran and across Iran while evading the Islamic Republic’s security and intelligence surveillance.

Through their operational activities, Mossad operatives introduced specialized combat systems on an extensive scale, strategically positioning them across Iranian territory and directing them toward designated targets with precision and effectiveness.

This operation encompassed three distinct and sophisticated institutional operational frameworks. Initially, Mossad commando units operated throughout central Iran, deploying precision-guided weapons systems in strategic open areas near enemy surface-to-air missile installations. Upon commencement of Israeli operations, coordinated with Israeli Air Force strikes across Iran, these systems received guidance and activation signals, firing precision missiles simultaneously toward designated targets with remarkable accuracy.

Through a secondary operational phase designed to neutralize Iranian air defense systems threatening Israeli aircraft, the Mossad executed clandestine operations deploying attack systems and advanced technologies mounted on mobile platforms. As the surprise offensive commenced, these weapons systems engaged and completely eliminated their designated targets—Iranian defensive installations.

The third operational phase, according to Israel Hayom, involved the Mossad, through agent networks, establishing explosive drone facilities infiltrated deep into Iranian territory well before the attack. During Israeli operations, these explosive drones activated and targeted surface-to-surface missile launchers positioned at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force’s Esfejabad base near Tehran, launchers that represented significant threats to Israeli strategic and civilian infrastructure.

Posting on X, the IDF said: “We can now confirm that the Chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Commander of the IRGC and the Commander of Iran’s Emergency Command were all eliminated in the Israeli strikes across Iran by more than 200 fighter jets.

“These are three ruthless mass murderers with international blood on their hands. The world is a better place without them.”

The IDF said the attack was based on “high-quality intelligence” and “in response to the Iranian regime’s ongoing aggression against Israel.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday morning said that the operation would “continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat,” vowing to stop “the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.”

The IDF told JNS that the Iranian regime had been advancing a secret plan for the technological advancement of all parts of the development of a nuclear weapon, in a programme involving senior nuclear scientists working secretly.

“In recent months, this programme has accelerated significantly, bringing the regime significantly closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon,” the military stated.

A military official, discussing the operation, elaborated on the specific intelligence that made the preemptive strike a necessity at this time.

“We have been closely following developments in Iran for years,” said the official. “Recently, we identified that the Iranian regime significantly advanced towards obtaining a nuclear weapon, and its capability to act in a concrete way against us.”

He detailed three critical components of the threat that had converged. The first, he explained, was the “nuclear trigger,” adding, “The Iranian regime is advancing towards obtaining a nuclear weapon. In recent months, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a number of reports that detail a concerning trend of the advancement of the Iranian nuclear project that goes beyond civilian usage. Yesterday, the IAEA Board of Governors declared for the first time in 20 years that the Iranian regime is blatantly violating nuclear agreements.”

Crucially, the military official revealed for the first time that this went far beyond enrichment. “We are exposing for the first time that the Iranian regime has been advancing a secret programme to assemble a nuclear weapon. In the framework of this plan, nuclear scientists and senior officials in Iran have been working to secretly develop all components needed for developing a nuclear weapon — explosive materials, the core (enriched uranium) and neutron source,” he stated.

A neutron source is a device placed at the core of a nuclear weapon, which, upon detonation, releases a burst of neutrons to initiate the rapid nuclear chain reaction required for an explosion. According to the official, the Iranian regime made a decision to advance this secret assembly, having already accumulated enough fissile material “for 15 nuclear bombs within days.”

The second component of the Iranian threat to Israel, the official noted, was “ballistic missiles.” He said, “The Iranian regime has thousands of ballistic missiles, which it plans to double, and to triple, with the understanding that this is an effective threat against Israel. We are talking about a number of missiles that, even without a nuclear weapon, represents an existential threat.”

The third component was Iran’s ongoing effort in the “distribution of weapons and arms to regional proxies,” with Israel identifying attempts by the regime to arm its proxies across the Middle East with ammunition to be used against Israel. These elements, combined with concrete intelligence obtained over the years of a plan developed by senior Iranian officials with Hezbollah and Hamas to destroy Israel, created what the official termed an immediate and imminent existential threat.

IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said in a separate English announcement on Friday,“Over the past few months, intelligence has shown that Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon. This morning the IDF began preemptive and precise strikes targeting the Iranian nuclear program in order to prevent the Iranian regime’s ability to build a nuclear bomb in the immediate time frame. We have no choice. We are operating against an imminent and existential threat. We cannot allow the Iranian regime to obtain a nuclear weapon that would be a danger to Israel and the entire world.”

The military official stressed that Israel has repeatedly warned the world about the threat.

“We have warned the world for many years,” he said, adding, “We have warned our partners across the world, publicly and privately speaking about Iran advancing, saying this is a global problem, not just an Israeli problem, if the Iranian regime has a nuclear bomb. And we understand if we don’t act now, if we don’t operate now, we’ll get to the point of no return.”

He also addressed Iran’s dual-track strategy of deception: “We understand, and our intelligence shows us that Iran is promoting this nuclear plan right now, in recent months, while the world thinks they are negotiating, at the same time they are promoting a nuclear bomb. As I said before, they have enough enriched materials for 15 nuclear bombs. They are advancing also in enrichment, but also in the weapons group. These are two places that we just cannot accept. A regime that said that their mission is to destroy us with a nuclear bomb that is secretly getting to that nuclear bomb is something we cannot accept, and we must stop it.”

Discussing Israel’s security partnerships, the official stated, “We’ve had great relationships since day one of this war with many of our partners. Leading the way was the U.S. military, saving lives. That’s not an overstatement…. As always, we have a great relations with our partners.”

The Commander of the IDF Home Front Command, Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, urged the public to prepare for widespread alerts. “During this campaign, we anticipate widespread alerts. It is crucial that you take shelter in the best way possible, whether in your private home or in public spaces—preferably in a safe room, shelter, or protected space approved by the Home Front Command. If there are no protected spaces near you, you must enter a stairway or an interior room.”

He added, “Every civilian must be aware of the most protected space in their area. When an alert is received, you must enter the protected space and remain there until further notice. You must avoid unnecessary movement outside and refrain from driving on the road. There are challenging and complicated days ahead of us. We are strong together and prepared to defend the State of Israel.”

In its initial announcement, the IDF stated that “a short while ago, dozens of IAF [Israeli Air Force] jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran.”

The announcement noted, “Today, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon. Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Iranian regime are an existential threat to the State of Israel and a significant threat to the wider world. The State of Israel will not allow a regime whose objective is to destroy the State of Israel to obtain weapons of mass destruction”.

The statement added that for “years, the Iranian regime has been waging a direct and indirect campaign of terror against the State of Israel, by funding and directing terrorist activities via its proxies across the Middle East, while advancing toward obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The Iranian regime is at the head of the axis responsible for all terrorist attacks against the State of Israel since the beginning of the Swords of Iron War, including by arming and funding the Hamas terror organization, which was responsible for the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. During the Swords of Iron War, Iran even directly attacked Israel twice, firing hundreds of missiles toward the State of Israel.”

In a direct address to the Israeli public, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, placed the operation in a historic context. “Civilians of Israel, these are decisive days, we are currently at the start of a new phase in the operation to secure our future. The IDF began Operation ‘Rising Lion’ tonight, in order to strategically strike the threats from the Iranian regime against the State of Israel. We are amidst a historic campaign unlike any other. This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat, by an enemy who is intent on destroying us,” he declared.

Zamir continued, “We cannot afford to wait for another time to operate, we have no other choice. Recent and past events of history have taught us that when the enemy is attempting to destroy us, we must not turn a blind eye. As such, we need to fight for our existence; freedom is given to those willing to fight for it.”

He added, “I warn that anyone who tries to challenge us will pay a heavy price. We are entering this operation together with one goal—to secure a safer future for the State of Israel and its civilians; in a unified effort and faith, we will win.”