Amid its ongoing chain of raids against Lebanon and its assassinations of Hezbollah’s high command, the Israeli army has begun to remove all military manifestations in the Galilee to allow civilians to return to previously targeted areas.
Reports in Israel quoted senior military sources as saying that the Israeli Northern Command has completed the mission set by decision-makers about two weeks ago.
They said the Israeli army is now seeking to “preserve its military achievements” in Lebanon and therefore is urging the government to negotiate a ceasefire that the US and France are trying to reach with the government in Beirut.
Lebanese “Mud”
Israeli sources said the military believes a political settlement in Lebanon is urgently necessary to avoid getting involved in the Lebanese “mud,” according to an opinion published by the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
The newspaper wrote that the military clock ticks faster than the political one, with Northern Command divisions having accomplished their mission, and the Israeli Army subtly urging the government to negotiate a ceasefire in the north.
On Sunday, the newspaper said the Israeli operation in southern Lebanon is conducted under greater secrecy and limited information from the army, aiming to complicate the actions of Hezbollah, which is far from being disarmed.
It said currently, fewer Israeli brigades are involved in the three divisional operations taking place 4–5 kilometers from the border compared to the peak of the campaign to eliminate the Radwan Force’s invasion threat to Israel about a month ago.
86 Soldiers Killed
To explain the current activities of the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, the military uses terms like “preserving achievements” and targeting Hezbollah’s rocket launchers capable of hitting short and medium ranges such as the Haifa Bay area, according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
Since the start of Israel's ground incursion in Lebanon on October 1, at least 68 Israeli soldiers and civilians have been killed compared to losses that may reach about 25 times on the Lebanese side, according to army estimates, as reported by the Israeli newspaper.
There are now increasing indications that the Israeli army will advance to the second line of villages and potentially beyond, though it has not yet entered larger towns, such as Bint Jbeil and Marjayoun.
“A full-scale maneuver isn’t in the foreseeable future and we’re currently in the best position regarding the Army’s achievements — eliminating Hezbollah commanders and leadership and seizing thousands of their assets in missile, rocket and production capabilities,” security officials told the newspaper.
Trump’s Gift
The newspaper said some in the Israeli army were stunned by the US report suggesting the government might wait another two months until US President-elect Donald Trump takes office to present him with a ceasefire “gift.”
This delay could mean enduring a harsh Lebanese winter — a grueling challenge not accounted for in the initial plans, nor necessarily manageable given the Army’s depleted state after 14 months of extensive multi-front combat, it said.
The newspaper wrote that the end of the northern war, coupled with the shift to prolonged fighting in Gaza — with or without the release of hostages — would mark the conclusion of this extended conflict for a government that seemingly favors its continuation.
It could also trigger a state commission of inquiry, feared by the government and possibly lead to elections. In this context, the military clock, marked by casualties and losses, no longer synchronizes with the slower political clock aiming for perpetual war.
Removing Military Manifestos
Senior military sources have confirmed that the Israeli Army has begun removing military manifestations from the border area with Lebanon, in a move that suggests the possible return of residents who were evacuated at the beginning of the clashes with Hezbollah, Israeli Army Radio said on Sunday.
