After winning clear victories against larger, more powerful adversaries in the early decades of its existence, Israel’s 21st century wars have been against unconventional and more complex enemies. How has Israel confronted these new challenges, including terrorism, asymmetrical warfare, and ideological warfare? How has Israel adapted its strategy to the rapidly changing nature of warfare? Why has Israel bested—but not defeated—its opponents? In this seminar course, we will examine Israel’s military strategy during four key modern conflicts—the Second Intifada, the Second Lebanon War, Operation Protective Edge, and the ongoing military campaign against Iran and its proxies. We will assess Israel’s political and military choices while studying basic concepts in military strategy.