The joint U.S. and Israeli military campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities is progressing ahead of operational expectations, according to Israeli officials, as both countries continue coordinated strikes aimed at dismantling Tehran’s military infrastructure.
Elad Strohmayer, Israel’s Consul General to the Midwest, said the collaboration between the United States and Israel represents one of the closest periods of military coordination between the allies in recent memory. His comments followed an update from U.S. Central Command Commander Gen. Brad Cooper, who reported that Iranian retaliatory capabilities are declining while American and allied combat power continues to expand.
According to Cooper’s assessment, Iran has launched more than 500 ballistic missiles and over 2,000 drones since the conflict began, many of them targeting civilian areas. At the same time, U.S. and Israeli forces have carried out waves of strikes against Iranian command centers, air defenses, missile sites, and military leadership.
Strohmayer said Israel shares the U.S. assessment that the operation is progressing successfully toward its central objectives of preventing Iranian nuclear weaponization and degrading its ballistic missile program.
“For decades the Iranian regime has been a sworn enemy of both the United States and Israel,” Strohmayer said. “What we are doing now is eliminating a threat not just to our countries, but to the entire world.”
The Israeli diplomat emphasized that the timing of the operation was driven by intelligence showing Iran had begun placing key elements of its nuclear and missile programs deep underground, which could have made future military action significantly more difficult.
“This created urgency,” he said, noting that delaying action could have allowed Iran to effectively shield parts of its weapons program from future strikes.
While some political debate has centered on whether the campaign aims to trigger regime change in Tehran, Strohmayer said both governments remain focused on dismantling Iran’s military capabilities rather than directly pursuing political transformation inside the country.
“Our goal is to create the conditions in which the Iranian people can take their future into their own hands,” he said, referring to widespread dissatisfaction with Iran’s leadership after nearly five decades of clerical rule.
Questions have also circulated about the sequencing of the strikes and the degree of coordination between Washington and Jerusalem. Strohmayer dismissed suggestions that either country pressured the other into action, saying the operation was the result of shared intelligence assessments and strategic alignment.
“We assessed the situation on the ground and came to the same conclusions,” he said. “This was done together.”
He described the opening phase of the campaign as exceeding expectations, noting that a large portion of Iran’s senior military and political leadership was eliminated within the first phase of strikes. Israeli officials have suggested that early successes have accelerated progress toward operational goals.
At the same time, Iran’s retaliatory attacks have continued to target civilian infrastructure. Strohmayer said missile and drone strikes have hit residential buildings, airports, and energy facilities in both Israel and Gulf states.
The attacks have forced many Israelis to spend extended periods in bomb shelters, including members of Strohmayer’s own family.
“They are tired and worried, but their spirit is strong,” he said. “People understand why this operation is necessary.”
Israel’s air defense systems, developed in cooperation with the United States, have intercepted many incoming missiles, although some strikes have resulted in civilian casualties. Israeli officials report that more than ten civilians have been killed since the conflict began.
Despite those losses, Strohmayer said Israeli society remains broadly unified in support of the campaign, viewing it as necessary to eliminate what many consider an existential threat.
The broader regional impact may also be shifting the geopolitical landscape. Strohmayer argued that Iran’s decision to launch attacks against Gulf countries has further isolated Tehran while strengthening ties among Arab states, Israel, and the United States.
He said that even after tensions following the October 7 attacks, relations between Israel and several regional partners have remained stable and may deepen if Iran’s influence is reduced.
“Iran underestimated the resolve of both Israel and the United States,” he said. “Countries in the region now clearly see who the destabilizing force is.”
That realignment could potentially expand the Abraham Accords, the diplomatic normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states initiated during the Trump administration.
Strohmayer suggested that broader regional normalization, including potential future ties with Saudi Arabia, could become more feasible if Iran’s military capabilities are significantly weakened.
Although the United States has suggested the campaign could last roughly four to five weeks, Strohmayer declined to provide a specific timeline from Israel’s perspective, saying the duration will ultimately depend on achieving operational objectives.
“We hope it will be swift and decisive,” he said. “But we must finish the job.”
He added that Israelis, while weary after years of regional conflict, recognize the stakes involved in confronting Iran’s military ambitions.
“This is not an endless war,” Strohmayer said. “This is an operation meant to prevent future wars and bring about change in the Middle East.”