Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War (Hardback)

Few armed forces or espionage services in the world attract as much interest and admiration as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Mossad intelligence agency. Since the Second Lebanon War in 2006, Israel has been preparing for possibly the most complex and dramatic challenge it has faced in sixty years - a nuclear-armed Iran. Israel vs. Iran outlines the choices Israel must face: launch a military strike, which could lead to an all-out regional war, or tacitly accept a nuclear Iran, which would lead to a new balance of power in the Middle East. In 2011, Israel appears closer than ever to making a decision. Drawing on in-depth research and invaluable access to the Israeli defense establishment, Yaakov Katz and Yoaz Hendel describe behind-the-scenes Israeli strategic military deliberations and decisions. They outline the IDF's postwar rehabilitation and the way its fighting units have returned to basic conventional military training. They also review how the Iranian threat is perceived and the variety of strategic options to confront it.