By now, it should be crystal clear: Sudan is no longer just another African civil war zone—it’s an emerging outpost in Iran’s global terror campaign against Israel and the West. The man at the heart of this transformation is General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and every day he remains in power is another day that Tehran gains ground in its effort to surround, weaken, and ultimately destroy the Jewish state.
Let’s drop the diplomatic niceties. Al-Burhan is not a “moderate,” not a “pragmatist,” and certainly not a force for stability. He is an enabler of radical Islam, an ally of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, and most dangerously, a willing tool of Iran’s expanding influence across Africa and the Middle East.
This isn’t theoretical. It’s operational. Iranian weapons are flowing through Sudan. Intelligence agents are embedding themselves in Khartoum. Drone technology is being quietly shipped and assembled in the shadows of Sudan’s fractured military. This is no longer a potential problem—it’s a live threat, and Israel ignores it at its peril.
We must understand what’s at stake. The Islamic Republic of Iran has long been pursuing its vision of regional domination—stretching from Tehran through Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and now Sudan. Its strategy is simple: surround Israel with firepower, disrupt global shipping routes, and use failed states as bases for terrorism. Al-Burhan has given Iran exactly what it needs: a gateway to the Red Sea, a lawless military structure, and an ideological alignment rooted in Islamism and anti-Western hatred.
At the same time, Sudan under al-Burhan has quietly become a sanctuary for Hamas operatives fleeing pressure in Gaza. While Israel dismantles Hamas’s networks at home, they are already rebuilding abroad—with Sudan a key hub. This isn’t coincidental; it’s coordinated. Sudan is now part of the broader Iran-Hamas axis.
The October 7th massacre taught us a brutal truth: we can no longer afford to treat distant threats as someone else’s problem. What happens in Sudan today could set the stage for a new wave of terrorist activity against Israel tomorrow. The Jewish state must never again be caught off guard by enemies stockpiling weapons and training militants under the radar.
And while the world continues to issue statements and wring its hands over Sudan’s “political crisis,” Israel must remain focused on reality: al-Burhan’s regime is a threat that must be eliminated—through direct or indirect means. This is not only in Israel’s interest, but in the interests of our allies in the region.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates also see the danger. Iran’s foothold in Sudan threatens Red Sea trade, destabilizes their own borders, and undermines the Sunni axis’s attempts to contain Shiite expansionism. But while these countries issue cautious statements and encourage diplomacy, Israel has a different calculus: survival.
Israel cannot afford delay. Sudan is no longer isolated from the global jihadist network—it is part of it. Al-Burhan has permitted extremist groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and even al-Qaeda to operate with impunity. And as we’ve seen across Africa, these groups are quick to metastasize, using failed states as breeding grounds for terror and launching pads for attacks far beyond their borders.
If this were just an internal Sudanese problem, it would still be serious. But this is something far more dangerous: a weak state becoming a forward operating base for Israel’s most implacable enemies.
The international community has proven itself incapable—or unwilling—to stop this trend. Sanctions have done nothing. UN resolutions have been ignored. Diplomatic initiatives have failed. The time for half-measures is over.
What’s needed now is a coordinated campaign to remove al-Burhan and replace his regime with one that is anti-terror, anti-Iran, and aligned with the Abraham Accords vision of regional cooperation, economic development, and peace through strength.
The campaign should have several fronts:
Intelligence coordination between Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to map out Iran’s presence in Sudan—its agents, supply chains, drone networks, and financial hubs.
Targeted economic pressure on al-Burhan’s regime, including sanctions on entities dealing with Iranian arms transfers or harboring Hamas operatives.
Support the parallel government announced in Nairobi that oppose both al-Burhan and Islamist extremism—providing them with covert assistance to take back control and shut down Iranian corridors.
Cyber and covert operations to disrupt Iranian logistics and disable the terror infrastructure being built on Sudanese soil.
Strategic messaging, particularly to the Sudanese people, exposing the regime’s betrayal of national sovereignty by allowing foreign Islamist forces to use Sudan as their playground.
There is also a role here for the United States—especially under President Trump's leadership . The Trump Doctrine emphasized clarity, strength, and results—not endless diplomacy. The Abraham Accords changed the region’s trajectory. That same mindset could help reshape Sudan, but only if Washington recognizes that al-Burhan is not a partner—he’s a proxy.
Ultimately, this comes down to a fundamental truth: Israel must defend itself, by itself if necessary. And in Sudan, the clock is ticking.
Al-Burhan’s removal is not just a Sudanese matter. It is a blow against Hamas. It is a strike at the heart of Iranian expansionism. And it is a necessary step in ensuring that the horrors of October 7th are never repeated—whether from Gaza, from Lebanon, or from a terror nest in Khartoum.
The war against Iranian terror isn’t confined to Israelis borders. It’s regional. It’s global. And in Sudan, it has a name: Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. For the sake of Israel's security, for the sake of our future, Israel must help bring him down—before it’s too late.
Niger Innis is the chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He is the co-founder of the New America organization. He is also a frequent television and radio commentator, having appeared on CNN, CNBC, NPR, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and BBC.