Wizards of depth – Israel’s area of operations and lessons learned from its depth dimension

ABSTRACT

This article aims to broaden the understanding of Operational Depth (OD) by rethinking how it can be perceived. The emphasis when doing so is dedicated to cognitive effects, thus another dimension of depth, compared to the mainstream physical- or temporal approaches to depth in military thought. The empirical focus draws on Israel and explicitly the case of the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah to provide an example where a lack of physical depth is skillfully handled, hence the title Wizards of Depth. The empiric inquiry is guided by an analytical framework, departing from a theoretical elaboration where OD is approached as a circular trinity: the ability to project, absorb, and manoeuver available coercive assets along offensive and defensive lines of operation. By using this definition in concert with the analytical framework, the article represents a mediation − a dialectic practice between the linear approaches to operations of the West and the more circular, often non-contiguous, and evolving perceptions found further east. When doing so, the article demonstrates how depth can be perceived in various ways, subsequently providing possible avenues to extend depth for actors beyond the Israeli example. A qualitative approach is employed, drawing on extensive fieldwork in Israel.

KEYWORDS:

• Land warfare
• war
• defence
• Israel
• operational depth

Acknowledgments

My greatest gratitude goes to my mentor, operational arts tutor and friend, Shimon Naveh, for his unlimited support, patience, and generosity during my research visits to Israel. Special thanks to my dear friend and tutor, Ofra Graicer, for her extreme helpfulness, responsiveness, and hospitality. Thanks also to Mikael Weissmann, Niklas Nilsson and Markus Göransson, Swedish Defence University, for their support and important contributions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. See, for example, Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), U.S. Army 2018); Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO), Lockheed 2023).

2. For OD discussions, see Gunlicks 1986; Bellamy 1987; Krulak 1999; House 2001; Naveh 1997; Graicer 2015; Glantz 2021.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anders Ekholm

Anders Ekholm is a Swedish Lieutenant Colonel (A) pursuing his PhD in the Department of War Studies and Military History at the Swedish Defence University (SEDU). His research resides within the subject of Operational Art, specifically, the ability to create Depth when physical conditions are limited or absent. In his quest for knowledge and understanding in this area of research, his primary interest is dedicated to the Israeli environment, which is studied in detail, recurring on-site.