The escalating Middle East conflict has reached extraordinary intensity as American and Israeli forces work together to dismantle Iran’s military and economic infrastructure, according to a senior Israeli defense official.
Brigadier General Amir Avivi, who founded and leads the Israel Defense and Security Forum, shared his analysis of the current situation with The Media Line. Despite facing continuous attacks across multiple fronts, Avivi expressed confidence in the coalition’s progress. “Obviously, it’s very, very challenging, but we are winning decisively,” he stated.
The general revealed details of recent joint operations, including a dramatic rescue mission where American forces, supported by Israeli intelligence and special units, extracted a downed US pilot from Iran’s mountainous regions. Avivi described how the airman moved “towards the top of the mountain to … a place where he can hide” while the US “built a whole base in the area in order to support the troops that were involved in the rescue itself.” Israeli forces provided intelligence support and elite unit participation in the operation.
According to Avivi’s assessment, the allied campaign has achieved remarkable success in degrading Iran’s capabilities, destroying 90% of the country’s essential military production facilities and eliminating 85% of petrochemical operations. The economic impact has been severe, with “tens of billions of dollars have gone to the drain,” he observed. The strategy aims to reach a point where “Iran cannot sustain anymore, where this regime cannot pay salaries, cannot sustain its economy and its military capabilities.”
Drawing parallels to World War II strategy against Japan, Avivi explained that current efforts focus on forcing surrender without requiring American ground forces. He noted that President Trump has discussed targeting electrical infrastructure and seizing control of Iranian oil resources. Supporting this approach, Avivi warned, “They have to lose everything,” predicting that “in a few attacks, this country will not function anymore at all.”
Regarding Iran’s interference with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Avivi argued there “shouldn’t be a problem for the US to take over the Strait,” describing it as strategically essential. He emphasized the waterway’s importance, noting “Twenty percent of the oil and gas goes through this Strait” and stressed that “Whoever controls it has a lot of power. And this power shouldn’t be in the hands of this apocalyptic, crazy regime.”
To address potential disruptions to global energy supplies, Avivi described an alternative transportation route through Saudi Arabia and Israel. This corridor would utilize Saudi pipelines and move petroleum from the Red Sea through Eilat to Ashkelon, making “Israel will become a corridor of energy that will supply huge amounts of oil to Europe.” Combined with increased exports from America, Venezuela, and Azerbaijan, he estimated this alternative route could address approximately half of the market disruption caused by strait closures.
The general emphasized that complete victory requires total elimination of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile threats. “If you want to get to the point where the Iranians give all the enriched uranium, where you have forces going in and dismantling all their underground cities with ballistic missiles. … This can be done only when the regime surrenders or falls,” he argued.
Avivi’s most dramatic recommendation involves destroying Iran’s electrical grid to paralyze the government’s ability to function. He believes this would leave the state without operational banking systems, command centers, or computer networks. “When you take down the electricity, they will have maybe a few days to use generators. … But this is good for a few days, not anymore. And once this is done, they’re done,” he explained.
Using biblical imagery, he advocated for “a plague of darkness in Iran, taking out their electricity plants and rendering this regime completely incapable.” However, Avivi clarified that the strategy targets the regime rather than ordinary Iranians. “You can destroy certain elements that can be rebuilt later on,” he noted, seeking to “enable the Iranian people to rebuild their future once there is a change of regime.”
On the home front, Avivi described the ongoing impact of Iranian ballistic missile strikes on Israeli civilians. While Israel’s defense systems intercept more than 90% of incoming threats, he acknowledged the psychological burden on the population. “People wake up in the middle of the night to sirens and in the middle of the day and little children,” Avivi described, adding that Iran’s indiscriminate targeting of civilians proves “It’s not a regime that can continue to exist.”
In Lebanon, Israeli forces have advanced five to six miles into the southern region to reduce anti-tank missile threats. When questioned about the permanence of this presence, Avivi responded, “Probably. We’ll see.” Israeli air operations continue targeting Hezbollah leadership, weapons systems, and financial networks. However, he stressed that Iran remains the primary target, serving as the financial backbone for “militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza.” He noted that “it’s the Iranian regime that is sustaining Hezbollah, that paid them in 2025, $2 billion.”
While Israeli operations have eliminated over a thousand Hezbollah operatives, Avivi argued that logistical advantages over Iran are crucial for overall victory. He pointed out that Israel and America maintain continuous weapons production while Iran’s manufacturing facilities have been destroyed. Quoting a military principle often attributed to General Omar Bradley, Avivi said, “Amateurs talk strategy, professionals talk logistics.”
Despite significant progress, he counseled patience in achieving complete victory. “We are winning the war. But we have to understand what was built in 47 years, you don’t destroy in a few weeks. It takes some time.” He summarized his strategic philosophy by declaring, “Iran is the key. And we really need to cut the head of the snake.”
Avivi strongly criticized NATO’s decision not to participate in the conflict, calling it a historic error that could reshape international alliances. He predicted growing tensions, stating, “I think the US understands that they cannot trust NATO anymore. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the US leaving NATO.” He warned that European nations will need to rebuild their military capabilities to counter Russian threats while observing that US-Israel cooperation is strengthening, potentially expanding the Abraham Accords after the conflict ends. “The US understands that they only have one really serious, capable ally. Nobody else really stepped [up] and helped in this war,” he observed.
Regarding Gaza operations, Avivi confirmed that Israeli forces control more than half the territory while maintaining clear objectives about Hamas’s future. “If anybody thinks that Israel will let Hamas stay armed in Gaza, this is not going to happen,” he stated firmly.
The general also addressed domestic Israeli debates about military conscription during wartime. He criticized exemptions that allow some groups to avoid service during what he considers an existential crisis, arguing that all Israeli society must contribute to defense efforts. “In Israel, everybody needs to serve,” he declared, calling draft avoidance “completely against our Jewish values.”
Looking back on the conflict’s development, Avivi expressed surprise at the rapid success achieved during last June’s 12-day campaign against Iran, particularly the swift destruction of Iranian air defenses within thirty-six hours. Comparing actual results to pre-war projections, he admitted, “With all the challenges that we have now, it’s not even 1% of what we thought it might be.”
