The Israel–Iran War:
Israel’s New Strategic Opening

The June 2025 open war between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran marked a watershed moment in the history of the Middle East and in the evolution of Israeli warfare. While Israel had previously conducted long-range, high-risk operations such as the 1976 Entebbe raid, the 1985 strike in Tunis and operations against the Houthis in Yemen in the Iron Swords war, the Iran war was the first time in its history that Israel waged a sustained, multi-domain campaign against a geographically distant regional power with no shared border. For 12 days, Israel brought to bear the full weight of its long-range strike capabilities, missile defenses, intelligence networks, cyber arsenal and spectrum warfare, demonstrating a level of operational reach, integration and coordination unprecedented in its military history.

Debunking the Genocide Allegations:
A Reexamination of the Israel-Hamas War from October 7, 2023 to June 1, 2025

This research offers a thorough historical exploration and a quantitative-statistical analysis of the allegation that the State of Israel committed genocide against the Gazan population following the October 7, 2023, massacre. Specifically, we address the claims that Israel intentionally starved the Gazan population, that IDF ground forces deliberately massacred civilians, and that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) carried out indiscriminate bombings, failing to distinguish between combatants and civilians and conducting disproportionate strikes.

BESA Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Digest No. 23 (August 2025)

In August 2025, policy papers by the PSCR program at the BESA Center focused on the conflict developments in the South Caucasus and the European part of the post-Soviet sphere.

A Zoom lecture
Moshe Dayan: The Making of a Strategist
by Prof. Eitan Shamir
August 27, 2025

A Zoom lecture by Professor Eitan Shamir on the occasion of the launch of his book on Moshe Dayan Wednesday, August 27, 12 pm Eastern US Time, 07 PM (19:00) Jerusalem Time (GMT+3).

BESA Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Digest No. 22 (July 2025)

In July 2025, the PSCR program focused on extensively analyzing various aspects of Russia’s foreign and internal politics, while also keeping an eye on developments in Central Asia and Moldova.

Analysis and Recommendations for Israel’s New National Cyber Strategy

The Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) recently published an update of the country’s cyber security strategy. While the new strategy develops and updates the principles of its 2017 predecessor, it differs in its fundamental concept. The new version derives from broad national objectives in the cyber domain and focuses on protecting the means of securing core national processes and infrastructure. It addresses issues such as how to define the whole of national cyber security and how to deal with the technological supply network. The document is also influenced by the Iron Swords War in several ways. The strengths of the INCD should be built to the point that it can position itself as a leading part of the governmental and national cooperation network that will be required for implementation.

BESA Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Digest No. 21 (June 2025)

In June 2025, the PSCR program published analytical papers on the political and economic developments in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Ukraine, and Russia.

Perspectives on the Iran war 25.6.2025

Wednesday I June 25th 8:00 - 9:20 PM I Israel time Prof. Eitan Shamir: Introduction Mr. Ran Segev: The background to the decision to attack Prof. Jonathan Rynhold: US CDR. David Levy: US capabilities in the region Dr. Eilai Rettig: Energy in the war Dr. Lauren Dagan Amos: India- Iran-Pakistan Col. (Res.) Shay Shabtai: The day after

BESA Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Digest No. 20 (May 2025)

In May 2025, the operative analysis published by the PSCR program at BESA has extensively focused on the ongoing and potential conflicts in Central Asia, South and North Caucasus, Russia, and Moldova.

Israel’s Next Strategic Vector: Building Up National Strengths

Since October 2023, Israel’s primary strategic vector has been a campaign against its enemies in the region. This campaign is nearing its end. In the coming months, the open security issues of Gaza and Iran will be decided. The next strategic vector should be a reorientation of the national focus from a security-level “strike force” to a national-level “prime force”, as David Ben-Gurion did after the War of Independence. Israel should turn its attention to five “national projects”: a public transportation network, a computing network, advanced computing infrastructure, a health and welfare response to population growth, and a longstanding relevant and strong security force.

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