Not an End State but a Long Game: Israel's Strategic Goals in the

Here are Israel's declared strategic and political goals in Operation Iron Swords: • In Gaza: 1) To eliminate Hamas's military power and force the collapse of its rule, with the object of bringing about a situation in which there is no longer any security threat from the Gaza Strip; and 2) to create conditions for the return of the hostages. [...] Israel will have to reach a hostage deal and thereafter to "mow the lawn” in Gaza as it is doing in the West Bank for the foreseeable future. [...] (The Americans, who have spoken about the need for reform in the Palestinian Authority, are aware of this.) The IDF understands that in Lebanon, unlike in Gaza, it is not possible to destroy most of the enemy’s forces. [...] The undeclared goal in Lebanon is to bring Hezbollah to the point where it no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel and is unable to carry out the horror scenarios that were outlined before the current operation, which included a massive invasion of the Galilee and severe damage to army bases, critical infrastructure, ports, airports, and so on. [...] Subsequently, the 5 crossing of the Suez Canal plan matured, and the encirclement of and threat to destroy the Third Army led to an Egyptian request for a ceasefire on terms favorable to Israel.