Retired Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr. wrote an op-ed highlighting the ineffectiveness of Iran’s missile and drone attacks against Israel over the weekend. He stated that the attacks exposed Iran as a “paper tiger” with a “weak hand” as they were mostly intercepted by Israel’s defense systems. Despite their attempts to escalate tensions, McKenzie argued that Iran failed to have any real leverage against Israel.
McKenzie pointed out that Iran’s strategic priority is protecting its regime, which relies on a strong missile and drone force to overpower its neighbors. However, the recent attack on Israel was described as the Iranian regime’s “maximum effort” and represented a failure in achieving their goal. Not only were most of the projectiles intercepted, but there was minimal damage to a military base and one casualty resulting from the attack.
The former CENTCOM chief mentioned that Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, did not join in the attack against Israel, making it a more manageable problem for Israeli defenses. He recommended a carefully calibrated response from Israel, emphasizing the gap between Israeli competence and Iranian aspirations. While some have called for Israel to destroy the Iranian nuclear enterprise, McKenzie believes it is not the time for such extreme actions.
During a panel discussion with the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, McKenzie estimated that Iran had about 150 ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel out of a larger stockpile. He noted that the US and its regional partners have the capability to track Iran’s military movements, making it difficult for Iran to launch a surprise attack against Israel. Despite Iran’s claims to have warned the US about the strike, US officials denied receiving any notification.
Following the attack, Iran’s mission to the UN claimed that the matter was concluded, but Israel vowed to “exact a price” from Iran in response. President Biden’s administration has reportedly urged Israel to temper its response to prevent the conflict from escalating into a broader war. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby emphasized that while the US will support Israel in self-defense, they do not want to see a wider war or open conflict with Iran. Ultimately, the recent attacks highlighted Iran’s weak position and failed attempts to instigate significant conflict with Israel.
