18 2) Maintaining detection capabilities concerning states, sub-state armed groups and terrorist organizations, including identifying course alternating at all levels: strategic, operational and tactical. 3) Intelligence enabling the planning of operations for the purpose of causing substantial damage to the enemy. c. Defense and Protection: 1) Defense in all four dimensions (land, sea, air and cyber). 2) Defending the citizens of Israel and its residents, its infrastructure and physical integrity (maintaining sovereignty). 3) Preventing the enemy from achieving any territorial gains once the conflict ends, and reducing the enemy's achievements in all other dimensions. d. Defeating the Enemy: 1) Realizing military superiority to achieve the operation's goals as defined by the political echelon, in order to improve the State of Israel's strategic position. 2) Maintaining the continuity of the economic and military effort by means of effective and multi-dimensional defense (land, sea, air, cyber). 3) At the tactical level – defeating the enemy in all encounters. The Purpose of Military Action 3. A number of key political and strategic goals may be defined for the use of force: a. Delaying the next conflict via the use of force during routine. b. Maintaining or improving the strategic situation once the enemy has launched hostilities characterized by its changes of operating patterns and intentions. c. Fundamentally altering the situation up to a change in the strategic balance by neutralizing enemies or by significantly changing their capabilities or status. 4. Beside the succession of the operational framework, continuity is defined in military functional situations, as distinguishing between three situations: Routine, Emergency and War (REW). The Chief of the General Staff determines the above