Previous:	Post-Apocalyptic War
Concurrent:	Operation Fire Breather Second War for Heshtok Occupation of Palaven Third War for Omega
Next:	Dominion Civil War
Operation Silent Zealot Part of the Terra-Rannochian War
Post-war approximation of Covenant and Dominion military activity during the operation, both planned and enacted.
Date:	16 February 2217 CE - 3 January 2253 CE (36 years, 1 month and 12 days)
Location:	Northern Dominion border/Southern Covenant border
Outcome:	Operation cancelled Neither side make any major gains Dominion forced to call off operation to deal with Dominion Civil War
Engagements:	Covenant raid on Aequitas Zorya Rainforest Wars Assaults on the Maginot Line Battle of Feros First Battle of Zada Ban First Battle of Fortis Second Battle of Zada Ban Battle of Gellix Operation Germanicus Operation Doormat Second Battle of Fortis Battle of the Asteroids Battle of the Echoes Battle of Horphon Operation Torpedo Battle of Sowilo 2250 counteroffensive Third Battle of Caestus Parnitha skirmish Operation Basilisk
Belligerents Galactic Dominion Systems Coalition New Quarian Republic Tuchankan Confederacy Titan Covenant Titan Hegemony Yahg Principality Tilthan Connection Vorcha Hordes Commanders Awarnach Stanford Don Saltzmann Basheer al-Shariff Arnstein Vold Franco Gisbert Juni'Lerrel Nexi'Gerrel Tali'Saefal Churchill Xerxes Curlok Qrarga Khokmor Kronku Sarem Crek'galor Iprarem Grafdelor Graf;spee Belapz;uis Ooosa;veg Porphyrion Enceladus Strength Maginot Line 457 ships 107,000 troops 82 defensive long-range platforms 180 ODPs Dominion Eleventh Fleet 300 ships Coalition Third Fleet 277 ships Rannochian Fifth Fleet 134 ships Tuchankan Fourth Fleet 202 ships Joint Crusader Navy 612 ships 600,000 troops 255 ODPs Casualties A few dozen ships destroyed 848 soldiers killed Hundreds of civilian casualties A few orbital stations destroyed A few dozen ships destroyed 1,300 troops killed Light civilian casualties A few orbital stations destroyed

"This operation has been going on for decades. We're still no closer to an invasion. Our best interests would be suited to seeking a peace settlement with the Holy Covenant. Of course, they won't do that. Connor Faringar and his cronies aren't interested in peace. War is much more profitable, and keeps the military-industrial complex well funded."

— Roman Hanheim, American political analyst.

Operation Silent Zealot, also known as the Maginot Line defensive strategy, the Thirty-Three Year Plan and sometimes, but inaccurately, as the Battle of the Maginot Line, was a three decade long Dominion military operation to harass the Covenant border, with the eventual intention of gathering enough assets and intelligence for an invasion. Following the end of the Post-Apocalyptic War, the Covenant and Dominion temporarily halted hostilities by signing an armistice, with both sides too exhausted and stretched too thin to continue the fighting: however, both sides knew that their conflict would eventually resume, and as such, both made plans for its inevitable continuance. Dominion military and political leadership discussed plans for how to continue, and after two years of deliberation, the Maginot Line defensive strategy was proposed. The operation would take place over two stages: the first phase consisted of the build-up of military assets along the border, the establishment of the Maginot Line through the Parnitha system, and hit-and-run strikes on Covenant worlds and installations deemed to be in range of the Dominion-Covenant border. Once phase one was complete, phase two would be the actual invasion of Covenant space, with the hope of conquering the Covenant, surrounding the Galactic Sanctum on both sides, and forcing it to surrender and be annexed, hopefully leading to Dominion administration over the entire Milky Way galaxy.

The operation was initiated on February 16, 2217 CE. While initial estimates placed full mobilization within a ten-year spectrum, logistical problems and funding issues hindered the operation from the get go. By 2230 CE, only the Maginot Line had been completed, and only small, low level strikes had been authorized. In 2249 CE, the Covenant attacked and captured the planet of Zada Ban, and a Dominion counterattack wouldn't occur until 2252 CE, when they finally retook the planet. Aside from several skirmishes, counterattacks and pushbacks, Silent Zealot never escalated into a full-scale offensive. With the outbreak of the Dominion Civil War in 2253 CE, all plans for Silent Zealot were postponed indefinitely and a large number of assets recalled. Silent Zealot was officially cancelled following the collapse of both the Dominion and the Covenant at the end of the civil war.