Operation Rising Lion

In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini led a revolution that toppled the Shah of Iran, inspiring militant students to seize the U.S. embassy in Tehran. America stood paralyzed and humiliated as 52 hostages were held for 444 days.

Rather than uniting Iranians with a hopeful vision, the new Islamic regime ruled through fear, torture, and repression, focusing instead on the destruction of Israel and America. It funneled oil wealth to Hezbollah, Hamas, the Syrian regime, and the Houthis to wage proxy wars—while pursuing nuclear weapons and declaring, “Israel is a one-bomb country.”

Since WWII, America has lost wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, leaving it war-weary and hesitant to confront Iran. But Israel, cornered, had no choice but to act—and prevail.

For 3,500 years, Jews have faced repeated threats of extinction. Today, they confront a new existential danger—this time as a fortified sovereign state, ranked second globally in innovation and among the top ten in military strength.

Recent examples of Israel’s David-versus-Goliath resolve include September 2024’s Operation Grim Beeper, which eliminated Hezbollah leaders by detonating over 3,000 pagers in Lebanon, and now Operation Rising Lion targeting Iran. As an Iranian-born Jew who long anticipated this war, I offer a few thoughts:

— King Cyrus the Great of Persia ended the Babylonian Exile, allowing Jews to return and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Nearly 2,500 years later, the Jews return the favor, seeking to free Persia from the death grip of radical Islam.

— Naming the campaign Operation Rising Lion, Israel signals hope to Iran’s oppressed citizens while dismantling the regime’s nuclear infrastructure and eliminating its leadership. Once featured on Iran’s flag, the lion and rising sun may hint at a post-regime vision for a democratic monarchy under exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi.

— The regime’s collapse is inevitable. Families of its leaders are fleeing. Khamenei remains alive for one reason only: someone must sign the surrender.

This time, Jewish history is not repeating—it’s being rewritten.

— Sina.