What really decided Israel’s war—not just the battles, but the arguments inside the war room? Elliot Kaufman reveals the inside story behind In the War Room, including the high-stakes decisions and internal rivalries that shaped Israel’s fight against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.Kaufman, a Wall Street Journal editorial board member and co-author with Yonah Jeremy Bob, shares what he learned from conversations with Israel’s top leaders. He explains why Netanyahu hesitated before the Gaza invasion, why Gallant argued for a different path in the north, and how competing views of risk shaped the war.In this conversation with Daniel Mael, they discuss the intelligence failures before October 7, the pressures surrounding hostage negotiations, U.S. policy, and the events that took the conflict with Iran from proxy war to direct confrontation. They also examine what Israel’s leaders got wrong—and what they got right—as decisions made behind closed doors reshaped the war.