The United States faces a complex challenge in compelling Israel to halt its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. This issue is central to the broader U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at ending the Iran war. Although Israel was not a signatory to the deal, Washington continues to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to comply with the truce.
Beyond this immediate concern, a more profound issue looms: Israel’s long-standing Mabam strategy, or campaign between the wars and its potential to undermine long-term peace in the Middle East. This policy, designed to degrade the capabilities of Iran and its allies during interwar periods, has become a cornerstone of Israel’s national security.
The Evolution and Purpose of Mabam
The Mabam strategy was officially codified in a 2015 Israeli Defense Forces document, but its roots trace back to the early 2010s. It evolved from cross-border reprisal operations conducted by the IDF against neighboring countries and the Palestinian Liberation Organization in the 1950s and 1960s.
The core logic of Mabam is to maintain a qualitative military advantage by consistently degrading the capabilities of Iran and its allies. This approach aims to avoid escalation by taking actions that Israel judges will not provoke significant retaliation. As former IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot explained in 2019, Mabam strives for proactive, offensive actions based on extremely high-quality intelligence and clandestine efforts.
Expanding the Scope of Mabam
Initially, Israel focused Mabam on Hezbollah in Syria, where the group’s capabilities were less advanced than in Lebanon. The primary goal was to degrade Hezbollah’s advanced weapons and prevent the entrenchment of terror infrastructures on the Golan Heights border. Israel employed a range of tactics, including airstrikes, cyberattacks, and covert actions, to impede Iran’s ability to resupply Hezbollah.
As the decade progressed, Israel broadened its objectives to include pressuring the Assad regime in Syria and undermining the Iranian-Syrian relationship. Encouraged by its success in Syria, Israel began targeting Iranian-backed groups in Iraq and Lebanon. In summer 2019, Israel reportedly struck weapons depots of Iranian-backed Shiite militant groups in Iraq and targeted equipment linked to Hezbollah’s precision-guided missile program.
The Limits and Risks of Mabam
Despite its successes, the Mabam strategy has its limits. Hezbollah’s missile and rocket force remained substantial, with an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 missiles and rockets prior to the resumption of hostilities in 2026. While Israeli officials argue that Hezbollah’s arsenal would have been larger without Mabam operations, the strategy’s effectiveness is debatable.
Additionally, Israel’s covert actions in Iran, such as the explosion at a key advanced centrifuge assembly facility in, had unintended consequences. Iran was able to rebuild the capability quickly, concentrating on locating future centrifuge assembly capabilities at sites buried deep underground. This highlights the risks and challenges of the Mabam strategy.
The Mabam strategy poses serious challenges for the U.S, which seeks to avoid a renewed war with Tehran. Israel’s proactive military actions risk widening the split with Washington and restarting war with Iran and its allies over the long term. As Netanyahu declared in an early 2026 graduation speech for military cadets, Israel is moving beyond Mabam to more actively confront threats. However, even a force that conducts a high number of military operations like the IDF needs a strategy short of full-scale war.
To retain U.S. support for Israel’s Israel has sometimes coordinated its actions with the U.S, but the ongoing negotiations to end the Iran war have shown a rare degree of distance between the two countries. Coordinating its operations short of war will be a bitter pill for Israeli leaders intent on acting as they desire. It also has the potential to further strain Israel-U.S. relations in the years ahead.
