Israel launched a massive assault on the Iranian regime and nuclear program yesterday, as Rich describes on today’s edition of The Editors. He points out that while October 7 “was a total catastrophe on all levels for the state of Israel,” the outcome from it “has turned into a massive strategic debacle for Israel’s enemies.”

“I think they have to wrap this up pretty quickly,” says Noah. “There will not be a lot of taste for a prolonged confrontation between Israel and Iran. That being said, the Israelis have experienced what looks to be a very significant first day. And if they’re leaving the prospects for a climb-down from the Iranian regime open, we could see a more successful effort to talk Iran back to the negotiating table.”

“Israel is not always right about everything. It makes mistakes,” says Rich. “Obviously, it underestimated the Hamas threat. . . . But overall, this is an incredibly clear-eyed society that has to be very serious . . . at this sort of thing — and over the last year or two, has demonstrated just how incredibly proficient it is at kind of the dark arts of establishing this intelligence dominance and then using it in incredibly creative ways.”

Ramesh agrees and says that “everything, particularly the surprise attacks, have been operationally just incredibly impressive, magnificent, really.

“When October 7, 2023, happened, people naturally compared it to September 11 in the United States, that it was Israel’s 9/11. But I think in a way it’s turned out to be more like Pearl Harbor and this vicious attack . . . has now led to total catastrophe for the country’s enemies.”

The Editors podcast is recorded on Tuesdays and Fridays every week and is available wherever you listen to podcasts.