The Israel Defense Forces is taking a proactive and preventive approach in its operations against Iran and its regional proxies, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told senior Southern Command officers on Wednesday.

“Important and direct lessons were learned from the events of Oct. 7—we are not waiting. We are preventing threats. We are not waiting for those threats to materialize to the point where it is too late to address them,” Zamir emphasized during the situational assessment.

This shift in doctrine is guiding Israel’s current campaign to neutralize existential threats, particularly those emanating from Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, he said. Zamir highlighted the direct connection between Iran and its regional proxies, underscoring the need for decisive action across all fronts.