Back on Top: Israel’s IDF Reemerges as the World’s Dominant Military Force

24 hours into Israel's offensive against Iran, several clear observations can already be made.

Israel may have restored its military prestige in Lebanon with the impressive “Beepers Operation,” but its actions over the past 24 hours have proven that when it comes to efficiency, precision, and lethality, the Israeli Air Force sets the global gold standard.

Furthermore, in the realms of stealth, intelligence gathering, on-the-ground reconnaissance, and deep penetration into the civil-military core of its enemies, Israel now represents the global benchmark. And that’s without even touching on its elite combat brigades and special operations forces.

As of this hour, Israel is believed to have struck over 700 high-value targets in Iran with pinpoint accuracy. In response, Iran launched several hundred missiles, resulting in the tragic death of one Israeli woman and injuries to several dozen others. Remarkably, the vast majority of those missiles were intercepted by Israel’s cutting-edge air defense systems.

Beyond the physical battlefield, Israel is showcasing exceptional cyber capabilities, with credible reports of deep intrusions into Iranian intelligence networks even before the first shot was fired. Even more astonishing are accounts of Mossad agents infiltrating deep into Tehran, allegedly going so far as to establish a drone factory inside the capital, an almost inconceivable feat.

In modern military history, it’s hard to recall such a dramatic comeback in force projection and capability since the Soviet resurgence in 1942. Likewise, within just a year and eight months, the IDF has returned to peak military form, on a massive scale.

At the same time, Israel has masterfully integrated global media into its military strategy and elevated diplomacy into an art. In Lebanon, it was Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech at the UN that coincided with the elimination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. More recently, it was the highly publicized visit of Argentine President Javier Milei to Jerusalem, alongside reassuring press conferences from U.S. President Donald Trump, that preceded what can only be described as the near-total decapitation of Iran’s leadership - and yes, the Americans were 100% on it.

Israel has also redefined the doctrine of targeted assassinations, once seen as limited and tactical, into a broad strategic framework for disrupting and dismantling enemy leadership during operations. The shock factor cripples command chains and impairs the enemy’s ability to regroup.

This operation was conceived and executed by Air Force Commander Tomer Bar (who was blamed for the IAF disappearance on October 7th), Military Intelligence Chief Shlomi Binder (who also held a key role during that failure), and Mossad Director David “Dedi” Barnea - who, while not directly tied to the failures of that day, was a senior figure in the security apparatus.

That, perhaps, is the most astonishing part of this story. More remarkable still: the man overseeing the entire system is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, himself widely criticized for the catastrophic failures leading to October 7th.

This incredible comeback was achieved despite the fact that just a year ago, Israel had a knife to its throat, surrounded by a ring of threats that included 400,000 missiles and rockets, millions of Muslim fighters ready to mobilize, a hostile local Arab population, encirclement by enemy states, and with two global powers, Russia and China, arming its adversaries at an alarming pace.

And that’s without even mentioning the constant scrutiny Israel faces - from The Hague, much of the European Union, and the majority of governments across Asia, South America, and Africa. All this, while operating under an active EU arms embargo and with barely a dozen true allies worldwide - only one of which, the United States, holds real strategic weight.

Just hours after Hamas’s brutal terror attack on October 7th, Netanyahu vowed to change the face of the Middle East. Many scoffed. But now, it can be said with certainty: for once - he didn’t lie.

Pound for pound, Israel once again has the best army in the world - not just in strength, but in creativity, intelligence, adaptability, and audacity.

As for the critics? Tucker Carlson is likely fuming like a socialist campus radical, and Candace Owens? She’s probably having a heart attack.