[ April 19, 2026 ]
The Wall Street Journal is reporting on how Yahya Sinwar’s bloody gambit changed the Middle East, but not in the ways he imagined.
“Iran is clearly on the back foot. Israel has neutralized some of the strategic threats that it faced, but in doing so may have also created new ones,” said Emile Hokayem, director of regional security and the Middle East at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. “Despite the defeat of the resistance movements, the resistance mindset has not been neutralized—also because now there is more to resist against.”
Before his death, the Hamas leader hoped that the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel would start a decisive battle ending in the Jewish state’s demise. Today, the region has indeed transformed, with Israel’s response resulting in tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza and Lebanon and the first direct conflict between Israel and Iran in history. But in the short term, Sinwar’s strike has only showcased Israel’s military strength, defanged the Iran-led “axis of resistance,” and made the aspirations of Palestinian self-determination more remote than ever, reports WSJ’s Yaroslav Trofimov.
ADVERTISEMENT
BREAKING: Hundreds of Hamas terrorists have chosen to SURRENDER to the IDF.
We’re winning. 🇮🇱pic.twitter.com/36bjvf4Zpm
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) October 19, 2024
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar sought to remake the Middle East with last year’s attack on Israel, dragging Iran, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and much of the region into what he foresaw as a decisive battle ending in the Jewish state’s demise.
The region, and the world’s balance of power, have indeed been decisively altered in the aftermath of that carnage, which killed some 1,200 Israelis.
The Israeli response since then has caused tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza and Lebanon, including of Sinwar and Hezbollah’s chief, Hassan Nasrallah, along with countless Palestinian and Lebanese civilians. For the first time in its history, Israel now is involved in a direct military conflict with Iran.
But, like the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks—in which Osama bin Laden aimed to destroy American power in the Middle East and spearhead an Islamist takeover of the region—Sinwar’s bloody gambit didn’t quite go according to plan. In the short term, it has showcased Israel’s military strength, defanged the Iranian-led “axis of resistance” and made the aspirations of Palestinian self-determination more remote than ever.
ADVERTISEMENTIn part, that is because, instead of facing a concerted attack from its foes, Israel has managed to go after them sequentially.
The Truth Must be Told
Your contribution supports independent journalism
Please take a moment to consider this. Now, more than ever, people are reading Geller Report for news they won't get anywhere else. But advertising revenues have all but disappeared. Google Adsense is the online advertising monopoly and they have banned us. Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter have blocked and shadow-banned our accounts. But we won't put up a paywall. Because never has the free world needed independent journalism more.
Everyone who reads our reporting knows the Geller Report covers the news the media won't. We cannot do our ground-breaking report without your support. We must continue to report on the global jihad and the left's war on freedom. Our readers’ contributions make that possible.
Geller Report's independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our work is critical in the fight for freedom and because it is your fight, too.
Please contribute here.
or
Make a monthly commitment to support The Geller Report – choose the option that suits you best.
ADVERTISEMENT
Quick note: We cannot do this without your support. Fact. Our work is made possible by you and only you. We receive no grants, government handouts, or major funding.Tech giants are shutting us down. You know this. Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Adsense, Pinterest permanently banned us. Facebook, Google search et al have shadow-banned, suspended and deleted us from your news feeds. They are disappearing us. But we are here.
Subscribe to Geller Report newsletter here— it’s free and it’s essential NOW when informed decision making and opinion is essential to America's survival. Share our posts on your social channels and with your email contacts. Fight the great fight.
Follow Pamela Geller on Gettr. I am there. click here.
Follow Pamela Geller on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social. It's open and free.
Remember, YOU make the work possible. If you can, please contribute to Geller Report.
Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spammy or unhelpful, click the ... symbol to the right of the comment to let us know. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
