As U.S. and Iran talk truce, Israel digs in for a ‘forever war’

JERUSALEM –

Even as the U.S. and ⁠Iran seek to cement a ceasefire, Israel is seizing more territory from its neighbors in preparation for a long, drawn-out conflict across the Middle East.

Israel’s creation of “buffer zones” in the Gaza Strip, Syria and now Lebanon reflects a strategic shift after the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, one that puts the country in a semipermanent state of war, six Israeli military and defense officials said.

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.