Do but don’t die? How war has changed

Israel's military success points to a potential shift in warfare where targeted assassinations of leaders could deter conflicts

Old men start wars. Young men die in them. That has been a tragedy of history since the earliest times. Decisions to go to war are taken by those in no danger of death, but their orders cannot be questioned by those that will die. As Tennyson said, “Theirs not to make reply/Theirs not to reason why/Theirs but to do and die.”
Will this ever change? Something has indeed changed in the latest hostilities between Israel and its foes. Israel has killed opposing politicians and generals while footsoldiers on either side have not fired a shot. Most of the ‘old men’ of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran have been decapitated in a stunning series of assassinations. Iran and its proxies have been brought to their knees, without a million young boys having to shoot one another.