Desert general offensive before it starts (4)

I believe the answer is:

gobi

'desert' is the definition.
(I know that Gobi is a desert)

'general offensive before it starts' is the wordplay.
'starts' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'general offensive before it' is 'GOBI'.

(Other definitions for gobi that I've seen before include "Plain" , "arid area" , "East Asian desert" , "very dry place" , "Desert in China/Mongolia; cauliflower (Ind.)" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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