The Question Israelis Are Asking — and Netanyahu Must Answer |
Tactical victories cannot substitute for a clearly defined political end-state.
Israelis have long understood that wars impose painful costs. They understand the necessity of military force when national security is threatened. They understand that Hezbollah represents a serious strategic danger along Israel’s northern border. But as the war continues and more Israeli soldiers are killed, a different question is beginning to emerge in public consciousness — a question that military briefings and reports of successful operations no longer fully answer.
What exactly is the strategic objective?
For many months, Israelis measured developments largely through operational achievements: the elimination of Hezbollah operatives, strikes on infrastructure, destroyed weapons depots, and disrupted command structures. These........