Gaza conflict could show shape of wars to come

The brief 2012 Second Gaza War was largely a "push-button war" between Palestinian rocket teams hidden in bunkers and tunnels, and Israeli operators in command shelters and Israeli pilots delivering precision-guided munitions, said Uzi Rubin of the Rubicon defence technology consulting organisation during a presentation to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in Washington, DC, on 18 December 2012. The ground forces had remained on the sidelines in what might be a glimpse of the shape of future wars, he suggested.

Prospective Gulf conflicts with Iran might unfold along similar lines of static "push-button wars", he believed. Active and passive defence of population centres, national infrastructures and military forces might prove crucial if the United States and its allies were to prevail in such conflicts.

During the 2012 conflict, Palestinian rocket teams achieved the highest rate of fire of recent campaigns, launching an average of 215 rockets per day, and targeting around 32% of these against built-up areas. By comparison, the rate of fire during the December to January 2009 conflict was 33 rockets per day, and around 30% aimed at built-up areas.