How Israel Changed the Middle East

In the War Room offers a glimpse into the decisions that drove Israel’s multifront war. Turn any article into a podcast. Upgrade now to start listening. Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. On October 9, 2023, two days after the deadliest attack in Israel’s history, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a vow—and a prediction: “We’re going to change the Middle East.” He was right. In the years that followed, Israel dismantled the leadership and militaries of Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, helped create the conditions for the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s Iranian-allied regime in Syria, and eventually brought the fight straight to Tehran, culminating in joint military campaigns with the U.S. that devastated the Islamic Republic’s coveted nuclear program and killed its supreme leader. Charlotte Lawson is an editor at The Dispatch, currently based in Florida. She previously reported from Turkey and Israel. Prior to joining the company in 2020, she studied history and global security at the University of Virginia. When Charlotte is not keeping up with world affairs, she is probably trying her hand at oil painting. More We Think You’d Like