Army chiefs’ terms always shift between building up power and using it, between what’s planned in advance and unforeseen developments. When Eisenkot took over in February 2015, the time seemed propitious. The following summer, the world powers signed the nuclear agreement with Iran while the civil war in Syria had worn down the remnants of Bashar Assad’s army. That timeout gave Eisenkot the chance to push his multiyear Gideon plan, following about five years during which previous plans had been crafted only to be shelved. But even though there were no wars or major military operations on Eisenkot’s watch, military force was plentiful. The campaign between the wars, that broad series of attacks beyond Israel’s borders, expanded from a collection of nighttime bombing runs to an entire military doctrine.

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