The front in the current aerial war between Israel and Iran is everywhere in the combatants’ countries and other Middle Eastern states.
What follows are parts of emails with friends of 50 and 70 years. Yacov is a retired colonel of the Israel Defense Force. He and his wife live in a suburb of Tel Aviv. David is a physician living with his wife in Ashkelon, near the border with the Gaza Strip. He is a high school classmate of mine who I first met 70 years ago as a bunkmate in Camp Massad Aleph.
The dialogue began with a similar note sent to both of my friends: “My apologies for not reaching out earlier to inquire of your safety and health and that of your family. We all are wishing the war will end soon but know that a successful conclusion requires a positive outcome concerning the buried enriched uranium canisters. They cannot be allowed to remain in Iranian hands.
“Whether Trump understands this issue, whether he knew about it before engaging in battle, whether he realizes the consequences of a troops on the ground war and his capacity to tolerate the political fallout of infantry fatalities, is the big unknown. We all wonder what Israel would do if Trump simply declares ‘we won’ and sends our military home.
“I’m generally a pacifist but the existential nature of the dilemma facing Israel, and to a lesser degree other Gulf countries and the United States, cannot be minimized.”
Here, with their permissions, are their responses:
Yakov: “Thank you for your concern and for reaching out. It means a great deal to us to know that we are in your thoughts during these incredibly challenging times.
“Life here is currently defined by the reality of threats from both Iran and Hezbollah. It often feels like a form of ‘Russian Roulette.’ We never know where the next missiles will strike, as they fall in different locations every time, and we all find ourselves constantly praying that the next one doesn’t land on us. We live between alarms from the Home Front Command app and the sirens that follow.
“We are fortunate to have a reinforced security room (Mamad) in our apartment. When the sirens wail, we gather there, turn on the TV, and wait for updates on interceptions. We stay inside, surrounded by our emergency supplies—flashlights, batteries, water, and radios—feeling safe within those walls, yet always worrying for those without such protection and for the potential damage to our surroundings.
“The scale of the threat is daunting. These ballistic missiles carry hundreds of kilograms of explosives, capable of causing immense destruction. We are incredibly grateful for our defense systems, which are among the best in the world and intercept over 90% of the threats. However, the new tactics—missiles that split into multiple warheads—create new challenges that are difficult for any system to fully stop.
“From our perspective, this is truly an existential war. The Iranian regime has made its intentions to destroy Israel clear, and their enrichment of uranium to 60% is a direct path toward nuclear weapons. To us, the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran is nothing less than the threat of another Holocaust. It is often baffling to us that more of the world does not see this danger as clearly as we do.
“We are deeply grateful to the United States and specifically to Trump for standing with us. We understand that American politics is complex and that many see things differently, having their own priorities and concerns. We are also clear-eyed about the nature of leadership; we know that political winds can shift and that alliances can be unpredictable. But in this moment, that support is vital.
“It is also painful to see the rising tide of antisemitism across the globe and in the U.S. We worry for our Jewish brothers and sisters abroad who must now secure their institutions and remain hyper-vigilant. It feels as though we are all navigating these dark days together, regardless of where we live. We truly believe that a world where Iran is no longer a nuclear threat would be a better, safer world for everyone.”
David: “Fortunately Ashkelon has been little affected by the ongoing hostilities, a mirror image of when Hamas was active, and Ashkelon, Sderot, the Gaza surrounds were constantly bombarded. Now people come to the Gaza perimeter of all places for some peace and quiet.
“Three of our sons have ready access to a safe room in their homes. The fourth lives on the second floor of an apartment building in Ramat Gan (outside Tel Aviv) and when a siren goes off they have to take their two twin boys and run down the steps to the basement. At the beginning of the war it was too much so they came to stay with us for about a week. Since then they’ve been able to cope though they will be with us for the Seder.
“As for broader geopolitics: no one can say what will happen. There’s a political scientist Robert Pape who I heard interviewed on podcasts who talks about an ‘Escalation Trap’ that will turn into Vietnam in which the U.S. will abandon ship with its tail between its legs. Trump had no ideals or ideology and is probably experienced at dumping bad properties. Netanyahu probably sold him a bill of goods about his wonderful soldiers (Begin’s ‘excellent young men’) who will take care of everything and he won’t have anything to worry about and will get all the credit. If that doesn’t happen not only will Trump cut his losses but may turn on Netanyahu.
“Netanyahu is on a mission to maliciously destroy the edifice that Ben Gurion left (the same can be said of Trump vis-a-vis Roosevelt-Eisenhower), with the difference that Trump had Reagan as an intermediary whereas Netanyahu has straddled the entire period, convincing everybody that he was sane. (Reagan also had Nancy whereas Netanyahu has Sara).”
Most of these dialogues with friends transpired in the middle of the night, New York time. I often find it hard to sleep mulling over events of the day, here and abroad.
My doctor friend David prescribed the following: “Stay well and don’t think about what may happen because it won’t help.”
