Israel attempted to invade Lebanon in 2006 but was defeated by a much weaker Hezbollah if compared to the group’s current military capabilities.
The Israeli military has developed plans to invade neighboring Lebanon with the intent to push back the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah, which has been launching cross-border attacks on Israel in recent weeks in solidarity with Gaza, The Times and Newsweek reported on Monday.
The two publications based their reports on information provided by Israel’s military spokesman, spokesman Jonathan Conricus.
Israel and Hezbollah have seen increasing exchanges of fire since the outbreak of the latest Israeli-Palestinian war in October.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 19,453 Palestinians have been killed and 52,286 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7. Palestinian and international estimates say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
BREAKING:
Israel bombed a funeral in Lebanon.
During the funeral of a Hezbollah soldier in south Lebanon, an Israeli drone bombed a civilian house nearby. Mourners weren’t intimidated and proceeded with the funeral shouting “death to Israel”. More people showed up. pic.twitter.com/i2QrIXv936
— Hadi Nasrallah (@HadiNasrallah) December 18, 2023
Arab Solidarity
Hezbollah has come out in support of Hamas and other Palestinian Resistance groups in Gaza. However, the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has said they will not launch a major offensive against Israel unless it was provoked or Hamas was on the verge of defeat.
Nevertheless, the Israeli military has said that it will not accept the looming threat posed by Hezbollah and has developed a plan to invade southern Lebanon to push the group up north to the Litani River, according to The Times.
Israel is concerned that Hezbollah could potentially launch an October 7-style attack in the north of Israel, according to a senior Israeli military officer who spoke with The Times. The Israeli doctrine is, therefore, to “take the war to the other side,” he said.
The Israeli army “has approved plans and defined schedules for readiness,” Conricus claimed, according to the paper.
Newsweek similarly reported that Cornicus told journalists that while there is “a window of opportunity for peace,” Israeli forces are “prepared” to keep Israeli citizens safe.
“Just as we are now dismantling Hamas in Gaza and going about making sure that there won’t be a military threat against Israelis living in southern Israel, we will do the same thing if needed against Hezbollah,” he reportedly said.
Speaking to Russia Today in an exclusive interview last week, Hezbollah spokesman Haji Mohammad Afif said it plans to “maintain the current pace of the war,” which it described as one of “support and solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
BREAKING:
Hezbollah’s War Media is spreading a message … Resistance movements will not renounce their responsibilities pic.twitter.com/69rZYWT6kf— Palestine Now (@PalestineNW) December 18, 2023
Failed Invasion
The Israeli government has not yet publicly commented on the possibility of launching a military offensive. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened that Beirut would be turned “into Gaza” if Hezbollah started an all-out war against Israel.
Israel pulled out from Lebanon in 2000 after many years of military occupation, thanks to years of stiff Lebanese resistance. However, the Israeli army continues to occupy several regions in Lebanon, including the Shebaa Farms.
The Israel army and airforce have habitually violated Lebanese territorial sovereignty and airspace, compelling Hezbollah to threaten retaliation.
Israel attempted to invade Lebanon in 2006 but was defeated by a much weaker Hezbollah, if compared to the group’s current military capabilities.
(RT, PC)
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