US Pentagon defense strategy hails Israel as 'model ally,' credits IDF role in regional stability

The U.S. Pentagon specifically referred to Israel as a “model ally” in its 2026 National Defense Strategy document that was signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and published on Friday.

Israel's military prowess against the Iran-led terror axis in the Middle East aligns well with the Trump administration’s “peace through strength” doctrine, which stresses the defense of the American homeland and its national security interests worldwide.

The 34-page defense strategy document hailed Israel as an ally, stating that it has the motivation and capabilities to defend American interests without the need for direct intervention.

The authors strongly criticized the former U.S. Biden administration, arguing that it had “tied [Israel’s] hands” instead of empowering its ally following the unprecedented Hamas Oct. 7 attack in 2023.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden expressed strong support for Israel during a solidarity visit following Hamas' attack. Just days later, he vowed to support Israel’s right to defend itself against its enemies.

International and domestic political pressure eventually pushed the Biden administration to adopt positions more critical of Israeli policies, including the IDF's military offensive against Hamas terrorists in Rafah, which, at the time, was considered one of the terror group's main strongholds in the coastal enclave. The IDF eventually evacuated most of the residents and carried out a successful military offensive in southern Gaza with very few civilian casualties.

Furthermore, Israeli forces eliminated senior Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a firefight in October 2024. Sinwar was widely regarded as one of the principal architects behind the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 people were kidnapped from southern Israel. Upon assuming office, U.S. President Donald Trump quickly reversed Biden's Middle East policies.

The new U.S. defense strategy document also credits Israel with degrading the military capabilities of the Iranian regime and its regional allies. Furthermore, the Pentagon emphasized that Israel’s military and intelligence strength is a key pillar in stability across the Middle East region, which serves U.S. interests.

The Pentagon also commended Israel’s Operation Rising Lion against Iran, as well as the U.S.-led “Operation Midnight Hammer,” aimed at Iran’s nuclear initiative. U.S. officials assessed that the strikes set the program back by at least one to two years.

Turning its attention to Europe, the Pentagon’s new defense document defined Russia as a “persistent but manageable threat,” noting that the U.S. would provide “critical but more limited support” while calling on European nations to assume the main responsibility for its defense.