Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground forces entered Lebanon early Tuesday to clear Hezbollah outposts threatening Israeli communities, officially marking the start of the Third Lebanon War, according to Israel Army Radio.
The IDF apparently entered Lebanon at the “finger” or “pot handle” of Israel's Galilee region, near the town of Metulah, which was Israel's northernmost town until its occupation and annexation of the Golan Heights.
The IDF said in a statement:
A few hours ago, in accordance with the decision of the political class, the Israel Defense Forces launched a limited, localized and targeted ground raid based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon. These targets are located in villages near the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel.
The IDF operates according to a systematic plan set by the General Staff and Northern Command, and IDF soldiers have been training and preparing for months.
The Israeli Air Force and Israel Defense Forces artillery are supporting ground forces with precision strikes against military targets in the region.
These operations were approved and carried out according to the decisions of the political class. Operation “Northern Arrows” will continue in parallel with the fighting in Gaza and other arenas, subject to the assessment of the situation.
The IDF continues to work to achieve the objectives of the war, doing everything necessary to protect the Israeli people and return the people of Northern Israel to their homeland.
The ground invasion began just two weeks after Israel's security cabinet decided on a new war objective: the safe return of northern Israeli residents to homes they had taken refuge in when Hezbollah opened fire in October. Ta.
According to Army Radio, the aim of the war is not to capture southern Lebanon or establish a “safe zone” (see below), but simply to clear Hezbollah bases and positions where terrorists are firing on Israeli citizens. It is said that it is a thing.
The First Lebanon War occurred in 1982, when Israel invaded southern Lebanon to eliminate Palestinian guerrillas who were shelling Israeli communities. Israel won the war but lost track of its attempts to advance to Beirut and establish a friendly government in Lebanon amid civilian casualties and atrocities by local militias. As the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was forced to withdraw from Lebanon, Israelis came to see the war as their own Vietnam War.
Israel occupied the “safe zone” north of the border for 18 years until repeated attacks by Hezbollah militants prompted the Israeli government to seek a negotiated withdrawal. When negotiations failed, Israel unilaterally withdrew following attacks from Hezbollah, which claimed victory in 2000.
The Second Lebanon War began in 2006, when Hezbollah kidnapped and killed several Israeli soldiers. Israel attacked Hezbollah heavily, but ground forces were focused on responding to the secondary Palestinian threat. intifadawere poorly prepared and poorly equipped.
Although the Israeli Air Force (IAF) successfully attacked Hezbollah positions, the civilian casualties prompted worldwide protests and the George W. Pressured Hezbollah to accept UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which requires it to: Retreat north of the Litani River.
Hezbollah ignored the resolution, and neither the UN nor Lebanon enforced it. This allowed Hezbollah to build large arsenals and underground tunnels, posing a threat to Israeli society. Iran, which provides weapons and funding to Hezbollah, also used the terrorist organization as a deterrent against Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear program.
Last October, Hezbollah began firing on Israel after Hamas launched a brutal terrorist attack in southern Israel. The Biden administration sought a diplomatic solution following its push for a deal in 2022 in which Israel would give up some of its offshore gas fields in exchange for vague guarantees that Hezbollah would not wage another war.
But rather than an agreement, Hezbollah preferred to continue shelling northern Israel, or at least reach an agreement in which it could claim that Hezbollah's intervention forced Israel to accept an unfavorable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
It appears to have been a major strategic failure. Over the course of two weeks, Israel destroyed much of Hezbollah's leadership, communications infrastructure, and weapons arsenal, now straining its supremacy.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to ensure that the Third Lebanon War ends with an Israeli victory and Lebanon's freedom from enemy interference, rather than the uncertain outcome of the first two wars. It seems there is.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Sunday nights from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM PT) on Sirius XM Patriot. he is the author of Agenda: What should President Trump do in his first 100 days?available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of Trumpian Virtues: Lessons and Legacy of the Donald Trump Presidencynow available on Audible. He is the recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpolak.
