As the US and Israel are taking on the Islamic regime in Iran again (known in the US as Operation Epic Fury), I am sending you the relevant extract from my book that can explain the Israeli state of mind and modes of operating at such times. This chapter is currently being revised to reflect recent developments.

Whoever rises to kill you, rise early to kill him first

הקם להורגך, השכם להורגו

This is a blunt ancient Hebrew expression that appears in various Jewish sources, including the Talmud. It serves as the basis for an extensive discussion of self-defence laws. Jewish law emphasises that pre-emptive action is permitted only as a last resort, when there is no other way to defend against the attacker. It also correlates to the ethos of ‘If I am not for myself who will be for me?’.

Chapter 9 of my book – ‘Revealing Israel secrets’, is the only chapter which covers Israeli politics. It focuses on the guiding principles behind Israel’s political decision-making process. As Israel was created as a safe haven for the Jewish people following the Holocaust, one of the principles has always been ‘Whoever rises to kill you, rise early to kill him first’. This is to make sure that never again would an antisemitic enemy, bent on destroying Israel (and the Jews) will be given a chance to do so.

October 7 and events leading to it marked a huge negligence by the Israeli defence forces and political establishment that caused a catastrophic day. However, following the IDF’s pounding of the “Axis of Resistance” and after Iran’s first ever direct missiles attack on Israel in April 2024, Israel retaliated by directly bombing Iran on the 13th of June 2025 and started what became known as the ‘Twelve Day War’. The trigger was an analysis by the Israeli intelligence agencies that indicated that Iran accelerated its drive to attain an atomic bomb.

The initial Israeli surprise attack, in June 2025, was guided by Mossad agents on the ground and military and artificial intelligence. After years of preparation, Israeli airplanes and armed drones, smuggled into Iran to quickly incapacitate many of Iran’s air defences and ground missile systems, bombed key nuclear sites and killed top generals and nuclear scientist.

Iran retaliated by shotting hundreds of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and combat drones towards various sites in Israel all over the country. Iran intentionally targeted civilians to demoralise the nation which had already been over 18 months at war with its proxies. The ‘Twelve Day War’ ended in an uneasy ceasefire after the USA entered the conflict and bombed Iran’s three key nuclear sites and claimed to have destroyed them. This ceasefire was terminated on the 28th of February 2026.

The ‘Twelve Day War’, as Operation Epic Fury, proved to be an example that highlights the Israeli qualities at their best. It revealed the nation’s secrets that have made it so successful and have been covered in detail in the book.

True grit in the face of tragedy

Israel’s initiative came at a high cost as some of Iran’s missiles broke through its air systems and hit the ground. 29 civilians of diverse religions lost their lives, hundreds were injured, thousands of people lost their homes, including a residential home for the elderly in Tel Aviv, a Mosque in the north of the country and a key hospital was very badly hit in the south. The Weizmann Institute lost two buildings (one of the world leading Life Science research facilities and a brand-new chemistry facility full of new equipment) a significant loss for all humanity.

When interviewed, most Israelis, who were hit, stated very clearly that if this war would bring an end to Iran’s nuclear threat, then the end justifies the means. They could see beyond the short-term pain as they looked forward to improving the life prospects of their children (as well as the children of their enemies).

Israel adapted quickly to the “Blitz Spirit” communities united, first aid responder professionals and volunteers rushed to the sites, people listened to the instructions of the Home Front commands and acted responsibly. While schools were closed and entertainment businesses suffered badly, people worked from home and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange remained open.

Inspiration

During the ‘Twelve Day War’, the phrase ‘whoever rises to kill you, rise early to kill him first’ had been often used in Israel. It’s a call for unity and a call of duty to the pilots and their support teams, as well as to the people sitting at home facing incredible danger. It signifies the will to fight for a just cause that would benefit Israel, the region and what still looks like some ungrateful western allies.

Initiating this action was also driven by a true belief that getting rid of the core evil threat, in the Middle East, would encourage more Arab countries to join the Abraham Accords leading to increased stability and prosperity in a historic turbulent region. Before this war, no one in Israel imagined that peace with Syria could be possible. Within 12 days, in June 2025, the road had been paved for this dream to be realised.

Innovation

Israel’s success is a direct result of its advanced high-tech industry whether it is used by the intelligence forces, the missile defence systems, the sophisticated precision weapons dropped or in cyber warfare. As a result, a country of 10 million was able to completely overwhelm a nation about ten times its size over 2,000 miles away.

Scores of nuclear scientists and senior Iranian regime commanders have been eliminated, and the atomic bomb programme has been set back for many years to come.

An estimated sixty-five per cent of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers have been destroyed by Israeli strikes. Between 800 and 1,000 missiles were eliminated on the ground before they could be launched, through pre-emptive airstrikes and precision targeting. Whole operational missile launching units in western Iran have been rendered inactive or destroyed, including those in key provinces like Kermanshah and Khuzestan. Iran’s stockpile has been reduced to about a quarter of its previous strength.

The Iranians have constructed facilities with the intention of building 8,000 ballistic missiles in the near future, three to four times more than what is estimated that they have had before the war. These facilities have been significantly degraded, and this process now continues in the second round . The missiles would have had the range to target the UK.

On the receiving end Israel’s state of the art defence systems’ missiles intersection statistics have been significantly better than expected. Of the 550 Iranian ballistic missiles launched at Israeli territory, only about 50 reached their destination, with eight of those strikes resulting in casualties.

Spontaneity and improvisation

During the war there were numerous occasions when the IDF pilots have had to change their plans while in the air. Some fighter jets returning from Iran with excess bombs have been directed by the intelligence forces to targets in Gaza before they landed. There are very few armies in which such flexibility would be possible, if at all.

On the ground in Israel, the Home Front and defence systems’ personnel have had to adjusted quickly to the different types of weapons used and the locations targeted by Iran. In the period of 18 months prior to the operation, Israel was able to import and improvise the fabrication of thousands of spare parts for its warplanes, some of which have been more than forty years old. During the ‘Twelve Day War’ no aeroplane had a mechanical fault over Iranian territory, and all returned home safely.

Reacting in real time to changing circumstances is a core element of the Israelis’ spontaneous character where the ability to improvise solutions is a unique selling point.

Humour

In one of the videos, circulated after the bombings, a homeowner shows around his damaged home to a journalist. As he was going up to show the damage to the roof (that had been mostly blown away) he laughed saying ‘I now have better wind and light circulation at my home’. This type of humour is a true reflection of the strong Israeli survival mode and stoic character.

Reality check

The new campaign has already led to casualties in Israel and other countries in the region but, everyone in Israel and the region knows that, as long as Islamic fanatics are in power in Iran, the danger is not over. These people have invested tens of billions of dollars setting up a regional operation, an intercontinental ballistic missiles industry and an atomic bomb programme with the sole intention of destroying the State of Israel. Claiming that the Jews are the reason for the suffering of the Iranian people serves as their uniting force, nothing new here, we have seen it endless times throughout history.

Let’s hope that as the whole region is now united against this evil regime, we will see its demise sooner rather than later.