Top Israeli Analyst tells Ben Shapiro: Trump Changed Middle East Power Map | WATCH
Israel’s chief political analyst Amit Segal calls President Trump’s June 22 strike on Iran’s Fordo nuclear site a historic embrace of the Begin Doctrine, crippling Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
Twitter
In an exclusive interview with Ben Shapiro for Channel 12 News, Israel’s chief political analyst Amit Segal described President Donald Trump’s June 22 strike on Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility as “one of the bravest actions I’ve ever seen a president take.” The U.S. operation, deploying B-2 stealth bombers to target the site buried under 90 meters of rock, marks a historic embrace of Israel’s Begin Doctrine, named after former Prime Minister Menachem Begin’s 1981 strike on Iraq’s Osirak reactor to prevent nuclear proliferation.
“This is the first time the U.S. has adopted the Begin Doctrine,” Segal told Shapiro, contrasting Trump’s decisiveness with President Ronald Reagan’s condemnation of Begin and subsequent arms embargo. The strike, leveraging America’s most advanced weaponry, has crippled Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with Israel estimating that 70-75% of Iran’s ballistic missile program and nearly all its nuclear facilities are now neutralized.
For Israel, the implications are transformative. “Israel has reshuffled the deck in the Middle East,” Segal said, citing the near-elimination of Hezbollah, the fall of Syria’s Assad regime, and the devastation of Hamas. With Iran’s ballistic missile launchers reduced by two-thirds and nightly attacks largely intercepted, Israel is poised to restore normalcy once 30-50 more launchers are destroyed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy of “silence will be met with silence” signals a potential de-escalation if Iran halts its aggression.
Iran’s response, however, remains a wildcard. Segal noted Tehran’s nightly threats of “fire and fury” have so far yielded limited missile strikes, with most failing to penetrate Israeli defenses. While Iran may target U.S. interests, such as the Strait of Hormuz, Segal warned that escalating against America would be “extremely stupid,” given the U.S.’s capacity to devastate Iran’s economy (85% of which is tied to one island and port) or even target Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei directly.
Looking forward, Segal reframed the conflict as a regional war against Iran, with the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack as its “Pearl Harbor.” This perspective opens paths to resolution in Gaza, where Israel is dismantling Hamas and securing hostages via the GA Humanitarian Foundation, bypassing the UN. “Hamas’s collapse, a partial surrender, or an interim deal securing Israel’s control over Gaza’s perimeter are feasible,” Segal said, predicting a potential Saudi-led peace deal under the Abraham Accords.
Trump’s unwavering support, culminating in the Fordo strike, has made him a hero in Israel. “It’s redder than Montana here,” Segal quipped, estimating 95% support for Trump among Israelis, who see him as critical to their security. The Trump-Netanyahu alliance, he argued, is “one of the most powerful” in recent history, reshaping the region.
As Israel extends stringent Home Front Command guidelines through June 24 amid fears of Iranian retaliation, Segal’s analysis underscores a new Middle East, one where Trump’s bold move has cemented Israel’s dominance and altered the global balance of power.