October 7: The Day That Set Israel Back 70 Years

WANA (Oct 07) – Two years have passed since Operation al-Aqsa Storm—an assault that shattered not only Israel’s security barriers but also its narrative about itself. Now, on the second anniversary of October 7, Tel Aviv and its allies are facing a persistent question: Was this the beginning of Israel’s end?

In the fall of 2023, a major plan was about to take shape—a U.S.-brokered agreement meant to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and effectively erase the Palestinian question from the Arab world’s agenda. Around that same time, Iran’s Supreme Leader warned that “the enemy’s carefully crafted plan for normalization and Zionist domination” was reaching its final stage. Just days later, al-Aqsa Storm upended everything.

From Tehran’s perspective, the operation was not merely a military response but a reaction to the gradual erasure of Palestine. Regional affairs analyst Jafar Ghannadbashi described it as “a last-minute intervention to disrupt the American order.” What Hamas did struck at the heart of Washington’s strategy to reshape the Middle East around Israel’s security.

Hamas October 7 Attack. Social media/ WANA News Agency

For the first time in decades, Israel’s intelligence agencies failed to detect any sign of an impending attack. Both Mossad and Unit 8200 were blindsided by a plan conceived within the besieged Gaza Strip. Strategic analyst Seyed Hadi Afghahi called the event “the end of Israel’s intelligence superiority.”

The consequences were immediate. Thousands of settlers fled from northern and southern parts of the occupied territories, the Israeli army went on constant alert, and public trust collapsed. As The Times of Israel put it, “October 7 turned Israel from a powerful nation into an anxious society.”

But al-Aqsa Storm was more than a battlefield confrontation. It sparked a global shift in perception. For the first time, massive protests against Israeli policies erupted in the streets of Paris and New York. The BDS movement was revived, and Palestinian flags were raised across Western universities in defiance.

In Tehran, these developments were seen as “the return of Palestine to the world’s collective memory.” General Esmail Qaani remarked, “Today, resistance is not only in Gaza—it lives in the hearts of Western capitals.” From the perspective of the Resistance Axis, the conflict had moved beyond the local to become a global and narrative war.

Two years on, Gaza lies in ruins—but Hamas has not been destroyed. Critics ask: Was the cost of October 7 greater than its gain? The Resistance Axis answers through the concept of “reverse deterrence”: Israel failed to achieve any of its objectives. In war, victory belongs to those who meet their goals. Israel neither eliminated Hamas nor subdued Gaza. Meanwhile, the resistance—despite losing key leaders—still stands and has even extended its reach to Lebanon and Yemen.

As Iran’s Supreme Leader said at the time, “O Zionist oppressors, you brought this disaster upon yourselves.” In this framing, al-Aqsa Storm was not a random outburst but the inevitable consequence of Israel’s own actions.

Hamas October 7 Attack. Social media/ WANA News Agency

According to international relations scholar Foad Izadi, “After October 7, Israel entered a state of chronic defense. This is something the U.S. cannot provide a long-term solution for.”

Two years later, Israel remains in crisis. As one Israeli analyst put it, “The range of opportunities has turned into a range of threats.” Once hoping to integrate the region through normalization with Arab states, Israel now faces cabinet infighting under Netanyahu, reverse migration, and collapsing foreign investment—all signs of internal decay.

Protesters rally across Australian cities to demand end to Gaza genocide. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Meanwhile, the United States, having vetoed 14 UN resolutions against Tel Aviv, now finds itself defending a regime more isolated than ever in global opinion.

Dr. Ghannadbashi describes this new reality succinctly: “America has turned from Israel’s strategic ally into a hostage of its policies.” Unconditional support for Israel has damaged Washington’s global image and accelerated a worldwide awakening against Zionism.

Today, two years after October 7, Israel faces the same existential anxiety it did in its early years—a struggle for survival, as Iran’s Supreme Leader once called it. Only this time, the threat is not just external but deeply internal.

As Netanyahu began his address at the UN General Assembly, a large number of diplomats from various countries walked out of the hall. Social media / WANA News Agency