How Hezbollah has prepared for an invasion of Lebanon and the huge arsenal it has to use against Israel

Israel An intense campaign of bombings in the south and east of Lebanon Contrary to what they claim, they are Hezbollah rocket and missile storage sites, which allegedly hides them in civilian areas to attack from there. The offensive has claimed the lives of more than 550 people in Lebanon and has caused the internal displacement of tens of thousands of Lebanese.

LOOK: Israel has killed almost the entire Hezbollah leadership since the start of the war in Gaza. Who is still alive?

“You can hear the planes up there, we attack all day long. Both to prepare the ground for the possibility of our entry and to continue to do damage to Hezbollah“, said Halevi during a military exercise on the border.

He added that the Israeli “maneuver” would consist of entering villages in southern Lebanon that Hezbollah “has become a large military base” to destroy the group’s infrastructure in the area, reported the EFE agency.

According to Jerusalem PostMajor General Gordonspeaking before Brigade 7, emphasized that Israel’s actions must change the security reality of the 60,000 residents of the north of the country who have been evacuated from their homes for almost a year, since the start of the war in Gaza and the exchange of fire between the IDF and Hezbollah.

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For his part, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel will continue its military operations in Lebanon until residents of the north can safely return to their homes.

“We are dealing blows to Hezbollah that it never imagined. We are doing it with strength and cunning. I can promise you one thing: we will not rest until [los desplazados del norte] return to their homes,” he said. Netanyahu in a statement.

Earlier on Wednesday, former IDF intelligence chief, Amos Yadlinsaid that military forces should weaken Hezbollah with air power for two weeks before beginning an invasion with ground forces.

Hezbollah and urban warfare

As Hezbollah has prepared for a possible ground invasion by U.S. forces. Israel?

Both Israeli and foreign media have compared the military capabilities of the FDI and Hezbollah in the field of a possible ground war.

According to an article published by the American newspaper “The Wall Street Journal”, One of Hezbollah’s most lethal weapons for urban warfare is the Almas anti-tank missile (diamond in Farsi), made in Iran. This weapon is based on the Israeli missile Spikewho was allegedly captured by the Lebanese militia during the 2006 Lebanon War and transferred to Iran.

The missile Souls It is comparable to advanced anti-tank systems such as the Javelin of the United States, which has been used by Ukrainian forces against Russian armored vehicles, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Hezbollah has used the Souls for precision strikes. In January this year it was used against an Israeli radar and other reconnaissance equipment near the border.

In addition, the Journal reported, in recent months Hezbollah has been stepping up its preparations for a possible full-scale war, Expanding its tunnel network in southern Lebanonrelocating fighters and increasing arms smuggling.

Sources from the United States and other countries told the newspaper that Iran has increased its supply of light weapons, anti-tank missiles and long-range unguided missiles to Hezbollah.

“We have everything the Iranians have,” said a former Hezbollah official.

Ynetone of Israel’s three main news websites, recalled that during the Second Lebanon War in 2006Hezbollah used anti-tank missiles to inflict significant damage on Israeli forces.

During a speech last week, Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallahhinted that they were preparing for a ground invasion of Israel. He called it “historic opportunity” and expressed his enthusiasm for such a scenario. “We are waiting for your tanks. When you come, you will be welcome.“, said.

The Wall Street Journal noted that since the 2006 war Hezbollah has stockpiled tens of thousands of rockets, although thousands of these were destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in recent days.

He also said that the militiamen have gained valuable experience participating in the Syrian civil warwhere they fought alongside Russian and Iranian forces and learned conventional military tactics.

Specialists consulted by the Wall Street Journal stated that Hezbollah could adopt tactics used by Russia in Ukrainelaunching barrages of rockets and drones to overwhelm Israel’s air defenses. Israeli officials estimate that such a scenario could result in hundreds of casualties.

Hezbollah is more dangerous than in 2006

For the international analyst Francesco TucciHezbollah is more dangerous now than it was in 2006, and it has experience in urban warfare. “That is why Israel had to withdraw from southern Lebanon. I do not believe that an invasion of southern Lebanon to seek out Israel again is viable. Hezbollahbecause Israel He left because he was suffering many casualties,” said to The Trade.

“Hezbollah has experience in urban combat and is much more armed than Hamashis arsenal is much more extensive. They are real paramilitaries “They have urban combat capabilities. It would be complicated. Pressure is being put on Lebanon, but I don’t see a new invasion of the south of the country as viable. Perhaps the forces that Israel is gathering will serve to prevent Hezbollah from crossing the border and carrying out cross-border attacks, that’s for sure.”he added.

“It is true that it has now suffered a series of blows and setbacks in its armaments, and that could make one think of the possibility of an invasion, taking advantage of the weakness of the armament at this time of HezbollahBut it would be very risky on the part of Israel. I do not believe that this type of intervention will be carried out because it would open another front apart from the one in Gaza. And fighting on two fronts will generate a dispersion of forces,” Tucci noted.

Regarding the role of IranTucci does not believe that the Islamic Republic is directly involved in defending Hezbollah because he doesn’t want a total war in the Middle East.

“It should be remembered that after Israel attacked the Iranian consulate in Syria, there was a retaliation, but this was more symbolic than real, because Iran had warned in advance that it would respond. It also warned the United States. And both the United States and France and the United Kingdom supported Israel in neutralizing the drones and missiles launched by Iran.”held.

“I think Iran can flex its muscles, but within the respect of a red line that it will not cross.because he doesn’t want an escalation. I don’t think he’s going to hit Israel and cause casualties. He’s not interested for now,” he added.

Tucci commented that the massive attacks of Israel against more than 1,600 targets Hezbollah in it Lebanon They imply that the operation was planned a long time ago, through robust and serious intelligence work that allowed them to identify the main targets.

However, he points out that the ability of Hezbollaheven after the elimination of several of its commanders at the hands of Israel.

“I do not believe that this type of strategy consisting of eliminating commanders can work, because there will always be substitutes, as has already happened. Therefore, another type of strategy should be sought, not just military, to weaken both Hezbollah like to Hamas. However, Benjamin Netanyahu chose the hard line with these attacks, which he defined as preemptive, saying we will strike before we are targeted. But it is a strategy that has been going on for decades. Depending on who is the prime minister, it can be intensified or reduced.accurate.