Let's start with a few words of appreciation for ourselves – IDF, Military Intelligence Directorate, Mossad and, yes, even the Israeli government and its Cabinet.
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Research center belonging to the Assad regime after being destroyed by Israel
(Photo: Omar HAJ KADOUR / AFP)
What has unfolded in Syria in recent days is undoubtedly a major lesson learned from the failures of October 6, 1973. The Israeli Air Force is systematically targeting and destroying every military capability that exceeds the tactical level: aircraft, tanks, ships, research and development facilities, manufacturing capabilities – anything beyond Kalashnikovs and RPGs is being wiped out.
There is absolutely no doubt that if Assad’s regime had collapsed at any other time, pre-October 7 Israel would never have carried out such an operation. We would have waited, analyzed the situation, hesitated—and in the meantime, strategic capabilities would have fallen into the hands of some of the most unhinged groups imaginable.
The moment we face an enemy that is Muslim, religiously fundamentalist, and ideologically committed to our destruction, their capabilities – and they themselves – must be neutralized immediately
One of the most crucial lessons from the invasion, massacre, and mass kidnappings is that we no longer have the privilege of interpreting the enemy’s intentions. There is no room for error.
The organizing principle we should adopt is simple: the moment we face an enemy that is Muslim, religiously fundamentalist, and ideologically committed to our destruction, their capabilities – and they themselves – must be neutralized immediately.
This principle should be immediately applied to the Iranian theater as well, of course while taking into account our technical capabilities and international considerations, such as shifts in U.S. leadership. The top priority must be the destruction of enemy capabilities, followed, as far as possible, by the physical elimination of all those involved.
Israeli Air Force destroying Syrian infrastructure
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Since the situation in Syria remains unclear – regarding intentions, power dynamics, key figures and the dominant ideology – the first step must be a thorough cleansing of the area to the greatest extent possible. This is precisely what is happening now. In light of everything we’ve endured, the people of Israel simply cannot accept anything less. This marks a necessary and fundamental shift in our national security doctrine.
Over the past 14 months, members of the intelligence community, especially Military Intelligence Directorate, have faced extensive – and often justified – criticism for their failure to understand the enemy’s motivations. But in the context of the current operation in Syria, it’s worth offering a few kind words. As outsiders not privy to the discussions within the Cabinet or the National Security Council, we’ll never fully know who pushed for what, or who blocked what.
It’s possible that the operation in Syria was initiated by the political echelon and facilitated by the military – or vice versa. But one thing is absolutely clear: no amount of goodwill would have made a difference without decades of work building and maintaining the intelligence target database. Without an updated and detailed target bank, we would have had no ability to strike the critical targets we are hitting in Syria.
There is something deeply frustrating about the work of building and maintaining a target database. Sometimes, you spend years developing and updating a target, only for it to never be used. Within Aman’s Research Division, there have often been tensions and mutual disdain between analysts working in different fields. Some were dismissed as irrelevant or outdated, their expertise unused since 1973. Then, one morning – after 51 years – a critical moment arrives, and decades of effort suddenly become relevant, even vital.
This offers a profound lesson for all of us about the importance of preserving infrastructure that may currently seem unnecessary. It’s a critical takeaway for intelligence professionals: to continue expanding their foundations and maintaining their grip on all theaters, even those that appear quiet or friendly today.
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And it’s also an opportunity to extend immense gratitude to the thousands of people who built and maintained this infrastructure. Many of them never had the chance to see their work in action, but the tremendous success of these recent days began with them.
Thank you to past generations of intelligence operatives, and equally to those currently serving in Aman’s Research Division, the Northern Command, the intelligence branches of the Navy and Air Force, and the various collection units that supported this entire effort. Thank you for your tireless and meticulous work, often thankless and dopamine-free. The people of Israel – all of us – owe you a great deal.