Since the founding of Israel in 1948, the nation has relied on its intelligence community and armed services to defend against those who would do it harm.

And in Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassinations, veteran journalist Ronen Bergman — “arguably Israel’s best investigative reporter,” in the words of David Remnick — pulls back the curtain on the country’s most effective secret weapon. Hear gripping accounts of the dangerous missions undertaken by the Mossad, Shin Bet and the IDF to root out Israel’s enemies before they could attack the Jewish state. And explore the thorny ethical questions that Israeli forces have grappled with as they protected their homeland.