Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is looking to redeem his legacy after a successful strike on Iran, but the ongoing Gaza conflict continues to loom large. The 12-day air assault, ordered by Netanyahu, eliminated many of Iran’s top military commanders and scientists, and targeted multiple missile facilities across the country.
Netanyahu has been widely blamed for not preventing Hamas attacks in Gaza, which have caused devastating losses for Israel and damaged its reputation. However, the Iranian operation marks a significant shift in Israel’s regional position, with analysts predicting increased support for Netanyahu’s government.
A survey released last week found that 83% of Jewish Israelis supported the assault on Iran, while pollsters say Netanyahu’s Likud party is now gaining ground. The Israeli leader has also managed to convince US President Donald Trump to join the attack and hit Iranian nuclear sites with bunker-busting bombs.
However, Netanyahu will still face pressure to negotiate an end to the Gaza conflict, which has claimed 56,000 Palestinian lives according to local health authorities. Opponents have accused him of prolonging the fighting to avoid a political reckoning over who was to blame for the conflict.
The war in Gaza is not yet over, and Netanyahu’s allies are pushing a new narrative to recast the October 7 attack as a necessary wake-up call that finally jolted Israel into confronting its regional foes. However, analysts say that Netanyahu might try to capitalize on the Iran operation by calling elections a year early.
Despite the ongoing tensions in Gaza, the Iranian strike has given Netanyahu a significant boost, and he will likely seek to use this momentum to his advantage in the coming months.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-sees-redemption-iran-war-gaza-looms-large-2025-06-24