Israelis demonstrate against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 6, 2024, on the eve of the six-month anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack.

Risky Business

Israel proved its military can assassinate anyone, anywhere. But will those killings keep the peace or spark a larger war?

By Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv

The morning after Israel carried out twin assassinations with pinpoint accuracy—in the capitals of two enemy countries—a surprising number of Israelis came out of their homes and handed out candies to passersby to celebrate the deaths of two implacable foes.

This was a new phenomenon, imitating what many residents of Arab towns do when their enemies are killed.