Triumphalism and fatigue shape Israeli mood after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran

Israelis reacted with a mix of resolve, routine and concern on Saturday after Israel and the United States launched joint strikes on Iran that resulted in the confirmed death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, prompting retaliatory threats from Tehran.

In Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, streets were relatively quiet, reflecting both the weekend and heightened security measures. Political analyst Ori Goldberg said the calm was not unusual, reports Al Jazeera.

"It's Saturday, so the streets are naturally quiet," Goldberg said.

Despite the escalation, many Israelis described a sense of familiarity shaped by years of conflict. Some residents referred to a "business as usual" atmosphere, saying returning to bomb shelters had become routine.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid struck a unifying tone.

"I want to remind us all: The people of Israel are strong. The IDF [Israeli army] and the Air Force are strong. The strongest power in the world stands with us," Lapid said.

"In moments like these we stand together – and we win together. There is no coalition and no opposition, only one people and one IDF, with all of us behind them."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was launched to "remove the existential threat posed [to Israel] by the terror regime in Iran."

Among parts of the political establishment, Goldberg said there was "a sense of triumphalism, of having attacked an enemy regime."

"Not really because we're greatly invested in the future of the Iranian people, but because, through the genocide on Gaza, we've devalued human life," he said.

Others voiced unease about the prospect of a prolonged confrontation.

Knesset member Aida Touma-Suleiman questioned official messaging that emphasized preparedness.

"This is what they're saying all the time in the media: How well-trained and ready we are. It's crazy. I don't think any country in the world has experienced more war than we have, so this is what they mean by 'trained'," she said.

"I don't think Israel is ready for that. People are exhausted. The army is exhausted. I don't know if they even have the reserves to manage a long war, and this is what Netanyahu is willing to gamble with..."

Touma-Suleiman also suggested that Washington would influence the course of events. "It will be the United States that determines how long the war will be. They'll continue until they've achieved whatever it is they want," she said.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that "all hell will break loose" as it prepares to target U.S. bases in the Middle East. Iran has launched drones and missiles toward Israel, with Israeli defense systems intercepting projectiles over Haifa, authorities said. At least one injury was reported in northern Israel.

Security analyst Ahron Bregman of King's College London said: "Both Israel and the US are after the Iranian leadership. They hope to weaken it substantially, though I doubt they could topple it from the air."