The conflict between Israel and the militant Hezbollah has worsened recently. There is a threat of open war, which would further escalate the situation in the Middle East. The Israeli army is currently preparing for an offensive in Lebanon, including bold announcements.
Defense Secretary Yoav Gallant has been in the US for days to mark battles with Israel’s most important ally. Gallant insists his government prefers a diplomatic solution on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Israel threatens “Stone Age”
Yet he warned during his visit to Washington that the Israeli army was capable of returning Lebanon “to the Stone Age” in a war with the militant Hezbollah, which controls large parts of the country.
Since the start of the Gaza war more than eight months ago, there have been almost daily clashes between Israel and fighters from the Shiite militia, which is armed and financed by Iran, in the border area between Lebanon and northern Israel. Recently, the fighting has become more intense.
Gallant relies on the US
Israeli Defense Minister Gallant reiterated before his departure for the United States that his country was “prepared for any operation that might be necessary, in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and other areas.”
US broadcaster CNN had reported that senior US representatives had assured members of an Israeli delegation that the US would give Israel full support if a major war with Hezbollah broke out.
Israel prepares for action
The intensification of fighting in recent days has been accompanied by an escalation of words. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz threatened Hezbollah with its destruction, and the military subsequently approved the operational plan for Lebanon.
“This was a message to all actors: we are at the end of our patience and if there is no agreement we can live with, this is our next step,” Nitzan Nuriel, the former head of Israel’s counter-terrorism staff, said recently .
The major upgrade since 2006
The last war between Israel and Hezbollah began in July 2006. Within 34 days, almost 1,400 people were killed, including 1,200 on the Lebanese side, most of them civilians. Nuriel was involved in the war as an army commander.
Today, surgery would probably be even more difficult. The terrorist militia has armed itself enormously. Hezbollah is the only group in Lebanon to have retained its weapons after the 1975-1990 civil war. Since the 2006 war with Israel, the militia has vastly expanded the “size and quality of its arsenal,” according to expert Dina Arakji of the consultancy Control Risks.
More than 100,000 missiles and soldiers
According to unofficial estimates, the then 15,000 missiles have increased tenfold in recent years. Hezbollah has mainly acquired modern weapons, especially precision-guided missiles. In the event of war, Israel should also prepare for attacks from the ground, air and water.
According to its own information, the Hezbollah militia can count on “much more” than 100,000 fighters. A number that Middle Eastern experts consider credible. However, there are different assessments of readiness and level of education.
Hamas-style tunnel
What is certain, however, is that, in addition to weapons and fighters in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah has an extensive network of underground tunnels stretching into the Bekaa Valley near the border with Syria. Hezbollah is “prepared for a war of attrition based on the same model as Hamas,” retired Lebanese army general Khalil Helou said. “Their leaders will be inaccessible to Israeli aircraft because they are underground.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
