They don't stop with the grandiose statements, so someone needs to tell them the truth. We are no longer in the era of great and decisive victories. Great powers do not win. Even strong states do not win. In recent weeks, this has been evident in the war against Iran. There will be no winners, even if Iran suffers damage exceeding a trillion dollars. Hezbollah will not be disarmed, no matter how many statements Defense Minister Israel Katz makes — five a week or five a day.
We are living in a new era. For more than four years, Russia — still considered a superpower — has been trying to subdue Ukraine. It has failed. The United States is striking Iran, but if the regime collapses, it will likely be due to a popular uprising. Bombings can help, but they do not bring victory. You can cause massive destruction — to industries, to war production, even to infrastructure — but that is not victory. The leader of the world’s most powerful country effectively admitted that he does not intend, and likely cannot, reopen the Strait of Hormuz or extract uranium. But what does it matter — he has already declared victory.
There is no need to look far. Israel is a regional power — even a global one, Netanyahu boasted — in yet another speech in which he seems to believe that words create reality. Israel may indeed be a power, but in the style of this new era — like Russia, like the United States.
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US President Donald Trump gives an update on the war with Iran at the White House
(Photo: Alex Brandon / Pool / AFP)
Israel fought Hamas for two years. Two years. There was no victory, certainly not a decisive one. It was clear from the outset — and written in this column from the very first days of the war — that this was not only a war, but a broader campaign. It was clear that international pressure, including halting arms shipments, would be part of that campaign. It was clear that diplomatic deterioration would come — and it did, in full force. But the “strategist” who led us to October 7 refuses to understand. He replaced victory with words about victory. Hamas still controls nearly half of the Gaza Strip. It is weakened, damaged, hurt — but still standing. Victory?
This did not begin with the current conflicts. The Soviet Union did not win in Afghanistan. It sank into a decade-long quagmire and withdrew. Russia learned nothing and invaded Ukraine, suffering roughly a thousand deaths a day. The United States entered the same quagmire to remove the Taliban, and after nearly two decades handed power back to that very same Taliban.
We have our own boastful speeches. After the ceasefire with Hezbollah in November 2024, Netanyahu said: “This is no longer the same Hezbollah. We pushed it back decades… we destroyed most of its missiles and rockets.” Just over six months later, in an interview with Ayala Hasson at the end of Operation Rising Lion, Netanyahu said: “Hezbollah has collapsed. The moment Hezbollah collapsed, this movement essentially fell to its knees. We are on the way to a huge victory.” And last week, once again, Netanyahu declared a major victory over Iran and Hezbollah: “Israel is no longer just a regional power. It is a global power.”
Ben-Dror YeminiPhoto: YnetAlmost everything Netanyahu said is true: we eliminated, we destroyed, we struck. But that is not victory. The north is still under constant fire, yet declarations of victory seem more important. Not only Netanyahu, but many others — commanders and commentators alike — struggle to grasp that we are in a different era. So why, for heaven’s sake, repeat the same illusions?
These words are not meant to weaken resolve. On the contrary, dismantling the axis of evil in all its forms remains essential. But when residents of the north are promised that Hezbollah will be disarmed, it leads to frustration and national disappointment. Boastful declarations of victory do not strengthen national resilience — they undermine it.