As US and Iran talk truce, Israel digs in for a ‘forever war’ nt
JERUSALEM, April 9 (Reuters) – Even as the U.S. and Iran seek to cement a ceasefire, Israel is seizing more territory from its neighbours in preparation for a long, drawn-out conflict across the Middle East.
Israel’s creation of “buffer zones” in Gaza, Syria and now Lebanon reflects a strategic shift after the attacks of October 7, 2023, one that puts the country in a semi-permanent state of war, six Israeli military and defence officials told Reuters.
The approach also acknowledges a reality the officials said had become increasingly clear after two-and-a-half years of conflict: Iran’s clerical leadership, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and militias across the region cannot be eliminated outright.
“Israel’s leaders have concluded that they are in a forever war against adversaries who have to be intimidated and even dispersed,” said Nathan Brown, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
The U.S. and Iran agreed on Wednesday to a pause in fighting while they negotiate a broader end to the war, which erupted on February 28. Israel agreed to halt its attacks on Iran but says it will not stop its campaign against Iranian-backed Hezbollah.
Hezbollah joined the war on March 2 by firing rockets at Israel, which then launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon to clear a buffer zone up to the Litani River – a broad swathe of land that makes up about 8% of Lebanese territory.
