The present conflict between Israel and Iran highlights new facts about the Middle East that may overturn the geopolitical balances until now dominated by a looming change in Israel’s strategyas reported by the Washington Post, after the limited-scale attack against Iran.

The escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran, two of the most heavily armed countries in the Middle East, sounded a global alarm as the fear of a direct engagement between the two leading to a spillover of the war into the wider region was more visible than ever.

Although the two rivals have been engaged for decades in a shadow war, have so far avoided escalation through direct conflict, with Iran mainly choosing to attack through Tehran-backed groups.

The balance was tipped when Iran launched its first direct attack last weekend with more than 300 missiles and drones, with Israel responding, following diplomatic efforts by its allies with a limited strike.

The limited Israeli response may indicate a change in attitude: Israel’s decision to subtly reshape its strategy to deter Iran and the Tehran-backed groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Israeli deterrence usually consists in the massive use of aggressive military force.

But this time he chose a different strategy. When Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones last weekend in retaliation for Israel’s April 1 strike against Iranian military leaders in Damascus, Syria, Israel used its Iron Dome defense system and help from allies to absorb the blow. . The almost total interception of the Iranian attack was a stunning display of missile defense.

In the time since, the international community has been waiting with bated breath for the Israeli counterattack with some Israelis calling for an immediate heavy blow against Iran under pressure from President Biden, they waited.

Israel’s announced response came early Friday. According to Israeli reports, the air force struck a site near some of Iran’s largest nuclear facilities, which were not damaged, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. But Israel has sent the message that it can penetrate Iranian air defenses and strike strategic targets when it wants to.

Israel wanted to have the last word in this conflict, and it seems that it succeeded. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday, after talks with officials in Tehran, that “Iran does not want an escalation.” Iran has publicly downplayed the Israeli attack, but, according to the Washington Post columnist, Israel has shown it can strike whenever it wants, in this case, but next time, maybe not. In this sense, Israel has maintained what the generals call “escalation dominance.” He gave the first blow and the last.

The question that begs to be asked is why did Israel show restraint, in a situation where the hawks of the Israeli government were screaming for an all-out attack?

The answer, according to the Washington Post, is that Israel aspires to emerge as the leading force in the regional coalition against Iran. In his measured response, he appears to be weighing the interests of his allies in that coalition — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan — all of whom quietly helped thwart last weekend’s Iranian attack.

This would amount to a paradigm shift for Israel. Rather than seeing itself as the embattled Jewish state fighting alone for its survival against Arab and Muslim enemies, Israel knows it has allies. At the top of the list, as always, is the United States. But the alliance with America has been joined by Arab states that oppose Iran and its proxies as much as the Israelis.

This is the new shape of the Middle East, for now, at least, this friendship between Israel and its former rivals in the region must remain unofficial.

At the same time, the interception of the Iranian attack last week adds another advantage to Israel, that of the victim, but also of the power that possesses high-tech defense. This is a welcome turnaround, after six months of grueling fighting against Hamas in Gaza that has severely tarnished Israel’s international reputation.