, Columnist
Israel's Devastation of Hezbollah Puts Iran in a Corner
A remarkable show of military prowess has altered the regional balance of power, put Tehran on the defensive and sent a message to the Gulf Arab states.
Israeli tanks ready to roll.
Photographer: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images
The Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah deep in his Beirut bunker was the culmination of one of the most lethally effective, targeted military campaigns in modern history. Over a few days, and in some extraordinarily creative ways, Israel has set Hezbollah back years.
This tactical brilliance hasn’t solved Israel’s grave strategic problems. But it has restored, for the moment, the all-important aura of Israeli power and changed the terms of the struggle for the larger Middle East.