2024-10-01 16:16:57
The announcement has been expected for several weeks. After the first round of airstrikes and sabotage which undermined the central control of Hezbollah, turned its communications down and finally removed its leader Hassan Nasrallah, Israel launched ground operations on the night of Monday to Tuesday. “area and concentration” in Lebanon against the Shiite group affiliated with Iran.
Israel’s goals are limited. This includes allowing the return home of some 80,000 Israelis who were pursued by rocket fire from Lebanon’s “Party of God”. Following the attacks of October 7, 2023 by Hamas, Hezbollah began a bombing campaign in northern Israel to show its support for the Palestinian movement, fire to which Israeli aircraft and artillery have been responding for months.
To do this, the ground operation should lead to the rapid destruction of the important offensive capabilities of Hezbollah that were built in recent years with the support of Tehran. The cause is supported by Washington, which he says is convinced, by what his defense minister, Lloyd Austin, has “The need to dismantle the offensive infrastructure” of the Shiite sect. “I don’t know if it’s a matter of hours or days, but certainly not months,” underlined on Tuesday morning on France Inter Israel’s ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, according to whose goal is to force Hezbollah to “no more border”.
“Change the situation in Lebanon”
When he ruled the scene of the attack and, therefore, the occupation of a part of Lebanon, he was sure that Israel would not have. “There is absolutely no intention of repeating the mistake made in 1982”. This year marked the beginning of the mission of southern Lebanon which was the most important in the human world for the Israeli army, and which only ended after eighteen years. Israel’s withdrawal of 2000 was quickly followed by the fallout against Hezbollah of the Christian groups supported by Tel Aviv during the years of occupation.
“Ever since they annexed Lebanon in 2000 and Gaza in 2005, Israel has been behind a defensive wall, and has responded very forcefully to attacks to destroy the enemy’s military equipment,” deciphers Michel Goya, colonel of the navy and military historian.
“Grass clippings”
That’s right “grass clippings”These operations are implemented with regularity throughout the renewal crises which have engulfed the region in the last twenty years and do not aim to eliminate organizations that threaten Israel. A more limited thing is to inflict periodic damage on them by bombardment and limited land invasions to break their offensive power and prevent them from attacking for many years. “I think we’re still in the same mindset today, continued Michel Goya. One might have thought that Israel would want to fill the heart of Gaza again to root out Hamas and release the hostages, but in fact it is not (Israel still maintains a military presence in Gaza today, Editor’s note). ยป
In the absence of work, observers do not exclude that the Israeli authorities may seek to reset the political-military balance in the region in a more long-term way. “Besides accepting displaced Israelis, Israel’s goal in the north is, more fundamentally, not to be under constant threat from Hezbollah,” analysis a French military source.
As such, the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on Friday September 27 has already been, according to Ambassador Joshua Zarka, “An important step that will help change the situation in Lebanon and create a different situation.” This goal can only be achieved with the arrival of a new balance of political forces in Lebanon.
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