Israeli attacks on Hezbollah/ Hezbollah military conflict/ Israel Lebanon strikes/ Newslooks/ Washington/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel’s military has struck Hezbollah with heavy blows, including killing top commanders and destroying key sites in Lebanon. Despite these tactical gains, Hezbollah still retains significant firepower, and experts warn that Israel’s objective of securing its northern border might remain elusive without a broader strategy. Hezbollah’s response has been limited but could escalate further.
Israel’s Strikes on Hezbollah: Quick Looks
- Israel targeted 1,600 Hezbollah sites, including top commanders and military installations.
- Hezbollah’s recent missile attacks have caused few casualties but marked an escalation.
- Israel aims to secure its northern border, but experts doubt a clear political victory.
- Hezbollah’s firepower, including long-range missiles, remains largely intact.
- The militant group holds back much of its military capacity to avoid all-out war.
- Israel risks prolonged conflict if airstrikes don’t achieve long-term security.
- Both sides face limited options, with Hezbollah’s restraint aimed at avoiding further devastation.
- Israel may consider a ground invasion if the air campaign doesn’t stop Hezbollah’s attacks.
Israel Hits Hezbollah Hard, Faces Elusive Victory Ahead
Deep Look:
Israel’s recent military campaign against Hezbollah has delivered devastating blows to the Lebanese militant group, but the broader victory that Israel seeks—long-term security for its northern border—remains far from guaranteed. Over the past week, Israeli forces have bombed 1,600 Hezbollah sites across Lebanon, targeting military infrastructure and killing key commanders. Yet, despite these tactical successes, the larger strategic picture remains murky, with many experts questioning whether the operation will truly secure the peace that Israel seeks.
The conflict, now more than 11 months old, erupted when Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israel the day after Hamas attacked from Gaza on October 7, 2023. Since then, the group has fired hundreds of rockets and drones into northern Israel, escalating tensions and forcing tens of thousands of Israeli citizens to flee their homes. Israel’s response has been a relentless aerial bombardment aimed at crippling Hezbollah’s capabilities. Yet, as powerful as these strikes have been, experts are skeptical they will achieve Israel’s ultimate goal: a secure northern border free from Hezbollah’s threat.
Israeli airstrikes over the past week have devastated Hezbollah’s forces. Bombs hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies killed dozens of members, and Israeli strikes on Beirut claimed the lives of two top Hezbollah commanders. In total, Israeli strikes have killed hundreds and displaced thousands, particularly from southern Lebanon. Despite this damage, Hezbollah’s response to these attacks has been relatively muted, with the group firing rockets and drones that have caused limited damage and few casualties. Even a missile strike aimed at Tel Aviv, which Hezbollah launched early Wednesday, was intercepted by Israeli defense systems.
Although Hezbollah has been struck hard, the group retains considerable firepower. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant claims that this week’s strikes alone have destroyed tens of thousands of Hezbollah rockets and missiles. However, the group’s vast reserves of weaponry remain largely intact. Established in the 1980s with backing from Iran, Hezbollah has become one of the most formidable militant groups in the Middle East. It is believed to have some 150,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided weapons capable of reaching any part of Israel. Much of Hezbollah’s more advanced weaponry is being held in reserve, as the group likely seeks to avoid triggering an all-out war with Israel that could devastate Lebanon.
Israeli leaders are aware of these capabilities and the limits of an air campaign. While Israeli air power has severely damaged Hezbollah’s infrastructure, history has shown that airstrikes alone are often insufficient to achieve long-term goals. The U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as NATO’s intervention in Libya, began with massive air campaigns, only for those conflicts to drag on for years. Israel itself has been fighting Hamas in Gaza for nearly a year after launching an intensive air campaign followed by a ground invasion, and Hamas continues to put up resistance.
When it comes to Hezbollah, Israel has set more limited objectives. Unlike in Gaza, where Israel aims to completely disarm Hamas, the goal in Lebanon is not to defeat Hezbollah outright. Instead, Israel seeks a new security arrangement that would see Hezbollah retreat from the border and halt its rocket attacks. Yet even this more modest goal may be out of reach without a ground invasion. Israel has not announced plans for such an operation, but the possibility looms if airstrikes fail to achieve the desired results.
There are significant risks to escalating the conflict with a ground invasion. Hezbollah has survived numerous confrontations with Israeli forces over the years, including an 18-year insurgency that eventually forced Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon in 2000. Another ground war could be just as costly for Israel. Moreover, Hezbollah has embedded its military infrastructure throughout Lebanon, including in civilian areas and regions far from its southern strongholds. This dispersal makes it difficult for Israel to completely destroy the group’s capabilities from the air alone.
Hezbollah, too, faces difficult choices. Halting its attacks on Israel would be seen as a capitulation by its supporters and its patron, Iran. Yet escalating further risks triggering a massive Israeli retaliation or even a full-scale war that could cause widespread devastation in Lebanon. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has already faced criticism within Lebanon for aligning the country’s interests too closely with Iran’s, particularly at a time when Lebanon is suffering from severe economic crises.
For now, Hezbollah has held back much of its firepower, choosing instead to respond with limited attacks aimed primarily at northern Israel. The group is likely conserving its more advanced weapons, including long-range missiles and precision-guided munitions, for a potential future escalation. Some experts believe Hezbollah’s military capacity far exceeds what has been seen so far in this conflict. If Israel pushes forward with a ground invasion or escalates its air campaign, Hezbollah may feel compelled to unleash its full arsenal, with potentially devastating consequences.
Neither side is eager to prolong the current conflict, but neither has good options for ending it. Israel may be tempted to launch a ground invasion to secure a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, but such a move would likely result in significant casualties and could drag on for months or even years. Hezbollah, meanwhile, must balance the need to maintain its reputation as a formidable resistance movement with the desire to avoid total destruction.
As the fighting continues, it remains unclear whether Israel can achieve the lasting peace it seeks in the north. Despite its powerful military and significant gains over Hezbollah, the elusive nature of victory in this complex conflict means that both sides are likely bracing for further escalation in the weeks and months to come.
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