Share this Story : National Post Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Vivian Bercovici: The dying Islamic Republic's final mad gasp

The future of Iran will soon be the hands of its people

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

On Saturday morning, sirens wailed throughout Israel at 8:13 am. Once they had everyone’s attention The Home Front Command issued an alert that overrides all media and cell phone settings. The written notice is preceded by a horrible, piercing sound that could pierce cement, reminding 10-million people to follow directions from official channels only.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.

Unlimited online access to National Post.

National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.

Unlimited online access to National Post.

National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.

Enjoy additional articles per month.

Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments

Enjoy additional articles per month

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

The long-anticipated war with Iran had begun.

Vivian Bercovici: The dying Islamic Republic's final mad gasp Back to video

We learned later that in the first minute of the initial air attack on Iran, 40 of the most senior members of the regime leadership were killed in multiple locations. Among those felled in those initial 60 seconds was Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

This newsletter tackles hot topics with boldness, verve and wit. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays)

There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Platformed will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

American and Israeli forces had been planning this tightly choreographed attack for months. The intelligence gathering was possibly one of the most complex operations ever, drawing on decades of field preparation and cultivation of “assets,” as human agents are called in that line of work. We also know now that last minute information received by the CIA caused the tightly coordinated militaries to adjust the time of the opening attack.

Surprise is the most critical aspect of the beginning of war. The first air attacks involved approximately 200 combat aircraft flying more than a thousand kilometres from Israel and other bases in the region to Iran. Refuelling was done in the air. On Friday, after an email sent to Embassy staff by U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, was “leaked,” it was clear that war was imminent. Huckabee urged anyone wanting to leave Israel to do so that day, as there may be no commercial flights from Saturday.

Many people heeded his advice and a few photographed 22 U.S. military refuelling jets on the tarmac at Ben Gurion Airport, parked in between commercial aircraft. All that visibility, of course, was staged. Israelis had no difficulty deciphering the meaning. War is upon us. Again.

Adam Zivo in Tel Aviv: That sound you hear is Israelis shrugging

What we've lost (1): Masculinity

Advertisement 1Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}});

The final plans had Israeli and U.S. aircraft launching the attack on Iran under cover of darkness. But when the CIA received information of a last-minute change of time and location for a meeting of Ayatollah Khamenei with other key officials, plans were adjusted. The first strikes were delayed slightly and went down at 8:10 am local time in Israel, 9:30 am in Iran, instead of a nighttime assault.

Broad daylight. Very audacious.

Within hours, the Israeli and American militaries had established dominance of Iranian air space, a necessary condition for the subsequent waves of attack. Targets included infrastructure supporting the IRGC, Basij police force, intelligence operations and other state institutions that have been deployed to murder and repress tens of thousands of Iranians since protests against the regime started in late December.

Alberta and Quebec are going in very different directions on MAID Canada

Alberta and Quebec are going in very different directions on MAID

Mayhem after killing of cartel leader unlikely to end at Mexico's borders World

Mayhem after killing of cartel leader unlikely to end at Mexico's borders

Advertisement 2Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}});

Iranian-owned, Toronto-area boxing gym targeted by gunfire Canada

Iranian-owned, Toronto-area boxing gym targeted by gunfire

Royce Koop: Pierre Poilievre outshines a flailing Carney NP Comment

Royce Koop: Pierre Poilievre outshines a flailing Carney

FIRST READING: The most successful anti-woke party in Canada NP Comment

FIRST READING: The most successful anti-woke party in Canada

Since Saturday morning, Iran has pounded Israel with hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones. Sirens sound and you have a very short window in which to get to a safe shelter. Where I live in the south we have 30 seconds. After the first few alarms early Monday morning I decided to sleep in my safe room. Which, of course, is safe, though not entirely so. Every Israeli home built after the early ’90s is required by law to have a specially reinforced room in which to take shelter. These structures, though, are designed for much lighter rockets and weapons — like those launched by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iranian ballistic missiles are massive, heavy and only a fortified structure quite deep underground would provide adequate protection.

Which is why at least nine Israelis were killed and more than 20 injured on Saturday, when a missile slammed directly into a public shelter. Approximately ten people are missing and presumed to be buried in the rubble.

Within minutes of the opening alarm on Saturday I raced to the Tel Aviv area to pick up my daughter and bring her to relative safety in the south. The trip back took considerably longer than usual because of the frequent sirens warning of incoming Iranian missiles. We pulled over to the side of the road and were fortunate to be near shelters. Truth is, they are everywhere in this country. We jammed into the bare concrete bunkers with young families holding babies and toddlers, scrambling to reach relative safety and calm in the south. Reserve soldiers on the way to their bases were also in the mix. No one was out for an aimless frolic on this Saturday morning.

In spite of the massive American military buildup in the region in the last two months, much of the world did not believe that the U.S. would follow through on its stated commitment to intervene to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and slaughtering its own people by the tens of thousands.

At 3 am on Saturday, Feb. 28, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered an eight-minute address explaining forcefully why America was attacking Iran, in close co-ordination with Israel. A nuclear Iran, he said, is a threat to the world. Trump said that America was acting to destroy Iranian nuclear aspirations, once and for all. Iranian leadership had been unserious about diplomatic negotiations, he said, leaving the United States with no choice but to attack.

President Trump delivered a great wartime address. Short. Clear. Strong. Determined. America was taking this opportunity to act preventively and decisively to eliminate the possibility of a much graver challenge. He reminded Americans, and the world, of the murderous conduct of the regime from inception in 1979 towards US citizens and interests.

For Israel, a nuclear Iran would be catastrophic. But the immediate existential threat was Iran’s significant ballistic missile arsenal and launch capability. No air defence systems can successfully intercept everything. And Iran’s strategy – which they have been deploying for three days now – is to blanket Israel in waves of missiles and attack drones, overwhelming the air defence systems in place.

Iran has also attacked numerous countries in the region in addition to its foresworn and foremost enemy, Israel. Hotels and the airport in the UAE have been hit by Iranian missiles as have civilian targets in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Cyprus and more. Turkey — a steadfast supporter of Iran’s Islamist government — has, notably, remained untouched.

There are numerous theories as to why Iran is lashing out at its allies and supporters — Qatar key among them. Perhaps it reflects a leadership in chaos after the top commanders have been eliminated. Perhaps it is intended to pressure Gulf countries to demand that America cease hostilities. Or perhaps it is the final mad gasp of a fanatical, murderous regime knowing that its days are numbered and reflecting a resolve to take out as many Israelis and enemy nations as possible. “Go out in a blaze of shaheed glory,” as Beni Sabti, an Iranian expert born in Tehran and now living in Israel, said to me recently.

Meanwhile, the long-oppressed Iranian people are literally dancing in the streets. This conflict will likely continue for several weeks but as Trump made clear in his Saturday morning speech: the future of Iran will soon be in the hands of the people. One can only hope they can organize and seize this opportunity.

Share this Story : National Post Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Vancouver brand teams up with L’Oreal Paris for International Women's Day collaboration Iconic 'I'm Worth It' hoodie available in Canada for the first time 43 minutes ago Fashion & Beauty

Vancouver brand teams up with L’Oreal Paris for International Women's Day collaboration

Iconic 'I'm Worth It' hoodie available in Canada for the first time

What’s streaming March 2026 in Canada: New on Netflix, Prime Video and more From a new Young Sherlock series to a Nicole Kidman thriller, theres plenty to watch in March 3 hours ago Entertainment

What’s streaming March 2026 in Canada: New on Netflix, Prime Video and more

From a new Young Sherlock series to a Nicole Kidman thriller, theres plenty to watch in March

Shop these Canadian fashion brands for great basics Local labels offering stylish, made-in-Canada T-shirts, sweats and more 6 hours ago Lifestyle

Shop these Canadian fashion brands for great basics

Local labels offering stylish, made-in-Canada T-shirts, sweats and more

Advertisement 3Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}});

A Canadian take on better sleep: Inside the Douglas Hybrid Mattress Tired of tossing and turning the night away? Douglas delivers comfort, durability and value, earning more than 20,000 five-star reviews. 7 hours ago Shopping Essentials Advertised by GoodMorning.com

A Canadian take on better sleep: Inside the Douglas Hybrid Mattress

Tired of tossing and turning the night away? Douglas delivers comfort, durability and value, earning more than 20,000 five-star reviews.

How to get skin that looks hydrated, luminous and glowing It’s less about transformation and more about refinement and revealing the healthiest, freshest version of your natural skin. 1 day ago Fashion & Beauty

How to get skin that looks hydrated, luminous and glowing

It’s less about transformation and more about refinement and revealing the healthiest, freshest version of your natural skin.

© National Post