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Israel's "Campaign between Wars" to Counter Iran's Malign Regional Influence
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Lt.-Gen. (ret.) Gadi Eisenkot and Col. Gabi Siboni - Most of Israel's current security challenges stem from Iran's aspirations for hegemony over the Middle East. To counter such threats, Israel's defense operations have been augmented by what the Israel Defense Forces call the "Campaign Between Wars" (CBW). The nature of the threats to Israel's security have changed profoundly with the weakening of Arab states and their militaries. The rise of new challenges and the destruction wrought by the 2006 Lebanon war spurred the IDF to develop a concept of integrated, low-intensity, preemptive warfare. The CBW strives for proactive, offensive actions based on extremely high-quality intelligence and clandestine efforts. The strategy's main goals are to delay war and deter enemies by constantly weakening their force buildup processes and damaging their assets and capabilities. In Syria, the IDF has sought to prevent Iran from entrenching itself and its foreign proxies, deploying advanced weapons capabilities, and turning the Golan Heights into another front for striking Israel. In Lebanon, the IDF has demolished the Hizbullah/Qods Force plan to attack the Galilee through underground tunnels, and is preventing the development of precision missile capabilities that would pose a serious strategic threat to Israel. Israel has also made substantial contributions to the regional campaign against the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. Israel's military and political leadership are well aware of the risks of a wider military confrontation or even full-scale war. Accordingly, Israel has implemented a stringent risk-management process to account for potentially rapid escalation. As ever, Israel must continue operating under the ancient adage: "If you want peace, prepare for war." Lt.-Gen. (ret.) Gadi Eisenkot served as IDF Chief of Staff (2015-2019). Col. (ret.) Gabi Siboni is director of the Military and Strategic Affairs Program at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University.