Israel has admitted that it uses cyberspace to attack its enemies.
The confession came in a statement on the Israeli military's website on Sunday.
The website said it was 'for the first time' revealing a document recently written by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Operations Department, detailing the goals and methods of its cyber warfare.
'The IDF has been engaged in cyber activity consistently and relentlessly,' said the statement.
It said it had been using cyberspace for intelligence gathering and 'will' also use it 'to execute attacks' and 'clandestine' operations.
Cyber activity would also be used to maintain Israel's military edge over its enemies, and to curtail their military capabilities.
Another goal was 'thwarting and disrupting enemy projects' targeting the Israeli military and government.
The statement comes less than a week after one of the world's top virus-hunting agencies said it discovered a virus codenamed Flame on computers in Iran and several Middle East countries.
The virus was designed to carry out cyber espionage by stealing images, audio conversations and other data, and had been in use for more than two years without being noticed.
Flame targets computers running the Windows operating system and apparently spreads through infected thumb drives, websites and manipulated emails.
The Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab said most infections (189) were found in Iran, and, although other infections (98) were also found in Israel and the Palestinian territories, its sophistication has triggered media speculation that it was created by Israel.
Kaspersky Lab compared Flame to Duqu and Stuxnet, two other virus programs that targeted Iran.
There has also been speculation Israel was behind Stuxnet, a worm that infiltrated industrial systems of the German company Siemens, apparently to disrupt uranium enrichment in Iran.
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IDF defines its activity in cyber space as a platform to improve operational effectiveness and defense. IDF has been relentlessly operating in the field
IDF Operations Department recently defined the essence of IDF cyber warfare, putting together instructions that define the military's operational methods in cyber space and clarify its goals in facing potential enemies. IDF Website exclusively reveals these instructions for the first time.
According to the document, cyber space is to be handled similarly to other battlefields on ground, at sea, in the air and in space. The IDF has been engaged in cyber activity consistently and relentlessly, gathering intelligence and defending its own cyber space. Additionally if necessary the cyber space will be used to execute attacks and intelligence operations.
There are many, diverse, operational cyber warfare goals, including thwarting and disrupting enemy projects that attempt to limit operational freedom of both the IDF and the State of Israel, as well as incorporating cyber warfare activity in completing objectives at all fronts and in every kind of conflict. Moreover, it will be used to maintain Israel's quality and advantage over its enemies and prevent their growth and military capabilities, while limiting their operation in this field.
Additional goals defined by the document published by the Operations Department include creation of operational conditions that will assist in fulfilling IDF capabilities in combat as well as influence public opinion and raise awareness by advocating in the cyber space.
Overall cyber space will be used to improve the operational effectiveness of the IDF, both during war and peace time. This will be done through clandestine activity, while maintaining confidentiality and expertise.
