Hegseth praises Israel for reshaping the Mideast in bold attack on Iran
“We saw in real time what you are capable of. What you did and what we did remade the region.”
Israel Today
Jul 20, 2025
Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” was a bold, decisive action that, together with US involvement in “Operation Midnight Hammer,” had “remade the Middle East and created incredible opportunities,” US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declared at the weekend.
The operation targeted strategic nuclear sites and missile production capabilities—crippling the Iranian regime’s ability to threaten the region.
“We want to congratulate you on an incredibly successful ‘Rising Lion’ and 12-day war,” Hegseth told Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz upon welcoming him to the Pentagon. “It changed the region and the world and was an example of why Israel is a model ally. We saw in real time what you are capable of. What you did and what we did remade the region and created incredible opportunities, we believe, eventually, should Iran make the choice for peace.”
Katz emphasized the operation’s historic impact: “We destroyed the Iranian nuclear program” and halted missile production.
US Air Force Gen. Dan Caine reinforced the point, confirming the destruction of Iran’s nuclear and missile assets as a pivotal moment for regional security.
Israel’s audacious pre‑emptive action sent two clear messages: one to Iran—it’s time to stand down; and another to Arab capitals—Israel is a security anchor, not a threat. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision-making, once criticized as reactive, is now being recognized as decisive and legitimate self‑defense.
The operation’s ripple effects have shocked Iran’s proxy coalition—the “axis of resistance”—and rattled Hezbollah and Houthi forces. By striking deep into Iran, Israel disrupted the supply lines that once fuelled cross-border violence and missile barrages. For Israel, this is strategic recalibration: no longer confined to defending its borders, Israel now shapes them.
Further, the operation aligns Israel squarely with US policy. The Pentagon’s full-throated endorsement clears the way for expanded military coordination and strategic cooperation. America and Israel now stand shoulder-to-shoulder in dismantling Iran’s regional hegemony—cementing a new era of deterrence.
Critics may argue such strikes escalate tensions—but deterrence requires action, not restraint. Today, as Hegseth assessed, Israel and the US have reshaped the Middle East map. The temptation of unilateral diplomacy lessens, replaced by calibrated strength that redefines regional power dynamics. Israel has proven: when survival demands boldness, boldness delivers security.
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