Deception is not a new tactic in warfare. It has been a central part of it since the dawn of time. As such, it has the power to enhance the course of battle. Sometimes it is what makes it possible in the first place. Occasionally, it is the component that leads to victory itself. It has always been this way. Beginning with biblical times, continuing through the two World Wars, and concluding with modern history in the Middle East.
The opening strike of the Six-Day War in 1967 or the “Pagers Operation” in 2024 are representative examples, but they are certainly not the only ones. It is not for nothing that the book of Proverbs states that: “By way of deception thou shalt do war.” This motto is a core aspect of the Israeli operational concept.
The operation launched on June 13th should be viewed as a link in this deceptive chain. What we all witnessed will not only be remembered as a sophistically unprecedented attack on Iran; Collective memory will label it as one of Israel’s most significant deception operations.
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The Israeli achievements in Iran are still being processed, as military moves are ongoing. The meticulous planning, the pilots’ challenges, Mossad’s conduct, and the quality of the intelligence will be learned in military academies worldwide. Complex days lie ahead, filled with information and contradicting views. But one thing can already be said with relative certainty: the attack was preceded by a series of events that were not entirely coincidental.
The announcement of Netanyahu’s departure for vacation. Personal constraints in his life, such as his son’s upcoming wedding. Political trends such as Witkoff’s future arrival in the region, or quotes by Israeli sources that condition a strike on Iran only on the failure of American negotiations. All these conveyed that the H-hour had not yet come. That it may be close, but not necessarily immediate. It is reasonable to assume that some of those circumstances are genuine and stem from sincere youthful love. But some are probably not. And the combination, the sequence of all those elements together, is what created an anesthetic for the ayatollah regime that went to sleep like a loud tiger and woke up like peeling paper.
Yet, the Iranian complacency and Israeli initiative, one must understand, have enormous significance not only in enabling the strike by the latter but also in shaping the context in which it occurred. They have a substantial impact on the personal security perception of every Iranian. The Israeli Air Force operates in the country's skies as if it were across the street.
Symbols of power and senior officials were targeted in their homes, as if they lived right outside Tel Aviv. Hundreds of targets were destroyed. An entire layer of military leadership was wiped out. The direct consequence is that the feeling of infiltration among Tehran's residents is shocking. The loss of sovereignty that many of them are experiencing has not been felt since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
What intensifies this sentiment is the fact that the Iranian people cherish life in principle. This is why their regime has promoted its destructive aspirations by proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis – to do “the job” for them.
Those organizations weren’t just supposed to set as a choke ring on Israel. They were intended to take the hit on behalf of the Iranians as a whole. Moreover, this is why protests against the regime erupt frequently, sometimes more so than in other countries in the region. Living under a dictatorship is not part of the Iranian DNA. The conclusion is that this presents an opportunity for Israel and the free world alike.
The genuine and justified emotions among the Iranian people must be channelled to a constructive place that will lead to the fall of the Ayatollah regime. To do that, Israel must use its resources in every informational platform possible to reach out to the Iranian people and remind them, in their language, that the attack is not against them but against their leadership.
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That if they only want to, freedom is within their reach. And that if they only act, the best is yet ahead of them; ahead of us, together, as partner nations. Such a narrative should run through statements to the world as well, and needs to be adopted by countries worldwide, to frame the Israeli action as it genuinely is – a pre-emptive self-defense strike, not only for Israel, but also for the Iranians.
Gadi Ezra The circumstances that enabled the attack on Iran to be possible are the result of planned moves, fortuitous circumstances, and a bit of luck. But in turn, they created one of the grandest deception moves in the Israeli story. And maybe, just maybe, they are also what will enable a new future for Israel, for the Iranians, and the entire region.
Gadi Ezra is the former director of Israel’s National Public Diplomacy Unit at the Prime Minister’s Office