US applauds Israel: 'We knew they were good, but we didn't know how good'

2026-03-06 - 16:17

Senior figures in the US administration are said to be highly impressed with the performance demonstrated by Israel and its security forces since the beginning of the war with Iran. Sources familiar with the matter say the appreciation comes from US President Donald Trump himself as well as from officials throughout his administration. It reflects both the very high level of performance shown by the Israeli Air Force and Israel's intelligence branches and the fact that those results matched the expectations Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set during his discussions with Trump before the war began. The praise for Israel began first and foremost after the success of the opening strike, in which Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and members of his close advisory circle were eliminated. The intelligence that led to the strike helped drive the joint decision by Trump and Netanyahu to launch the war. Israel's ability to execute the attack flawlessly and achieve maximum results further boosted the already high standing of Netanyahu and Israel's defense establishment in the eyes of senior US officials. "We knew they were good, but we didn't know how good," a source familiar with the details told Israel Hayom. "They proved they could carry out what they promised." US Central Command Chief and IDF Chief of Staff. Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit Operational coordination between the two militaries has also been successful. US officials have been impressed not only by the capabilities demonstrated by Israel's air force and intelligence services but also by Israel's openness in including American counterparts in sensitive operational discussions. On the Israeli side, officials are making every effort to work transparently and in coordination with US forces, including respecting sensitivities and differences between the two militaries and societies. For example, representatives of US Central Command asked Israeli officials to avoid updating others about the American role in the campaign, requesting that each military publicly discuss only its own operations. The Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli government complied with that request and, despite being fully aware of American actions, have refrained from discussing them publicly. A true force multiplier A senior Israeli diplomatic source told Israel Hayom that in frequent conversations between the two countries, including at the highest levels, American officials have emphasized how satisfied they are with the cooperation between the militaries. That cooperation prompted Trump, Hegseth and other senior officials to praise Israel in unusually warm terms. Trump reportedly said in private conversations that the war deserved "a 15 on a scale of 1 to 10." In public statements, Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Central Command chief Gen. Brad Cooper said that the Israeli and US air forces are "the two best air forces in the world." Trump and Hegseth. Photo: AP Hegseth called Israel "a loyal partner" and said that "fighting shoulder to shoulder with such a capable ally is a true force multiplier and a breath of fresh air." "Usually it's us operating with several allies who may have the will but not necessarily the capability," he said. "When allies have both the will and the ability to deliver results, we take certain targets and they take certain targets. That produces remarkable outcomes." Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Thursday: "We are now moving to the next stage of the campaign, in which we will intensify the strikes against the regime's foundations and its military capabilities. We have additional surprises prepared, which I do not intend to reveal." Thousands of Kurdish fighters At the same time, attention is turning to efforts aimed at bringing about regime change in Iran. The idea is to call on Iranians to take to the streets and act to overthrow the government only once the bombing campaign ends. Another significant component of the US strategy to destabilize Iran's central government involves activating opposition minority groups, such as the Kurds who live in the country's north. Peshmerga fighters train in northern Iraq. Photo: Wikipedia Last week, five major Iranian Kurdish groups, some of them armed, announced the formation of a new unified coalition called the "Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan." Among its goals are the overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the promotion of Kurdish self-determination. Bloomberg quoted a senior Israeli military official as saying: "We are working to ensure that Kurdish militants feel secure enough to rise up against Tehran." According to a Kurdish source who spoke with Israel Hayom, thousands of activists are preparing to seize territory inside Iran, although it remains extremely doubtful that they could capture Tehran.