US Presidential Envoy Amos Hochstein had not arrived in Tel Aviv to hold talks to dissuade Israel from expanding the war in the north when its Northern Command announced that it was recommending that “the Israeli army be allowed to create a buffer security zone in southern Lebanon."
General Ori Gordin stated that "the conditions are favorable... as many elements of the Radwan Force have been killed or have fled north," adding that "the decrease in the number of civilians currently residing south of the Litani River will allow the army to carry out the operation more easily and quickly!" One justification for taking this step is that it would eliminate the threat posed to the settlers and could serve as leverage in efforts to reach a permanent settlement.
Eleven months ago, the Resistance Axis promoted the idea that Al-Aqsa Flood created a balance of power and deterrence and that lifting the deadly blockade on the Gaza Strip and "emptying the prisons" was possible. Hezbollah announced its "distraction war" in "support" of Gaza based on the implicit belief that the significant losses inflicted on Israel would lead to a swift settlement. They expected the skirmishes to go on for a month, or a bit longer at most, and that banners of victory would be raised once it was over, significant progress towards Jerusalem and liberation (...).
Neither Yahya Sinwar nor Hassan Nasrallah understood the implications of the existential fears that the "Flood" raised in Israel, which had never been in that position since its establishment despite the many wars it has fought. These concerns were also shared by the international powers supporting Israel, foremost among them the United States, whose rapid military and political mobilization sent a firm message that Israel must not be defeated in any military confrontation.
There was no vision, and victory rhetoric prevailed from Gaza to South Lebanon, with the Resistance Axis celebrating the volleys of Katyusha rockets. They were betting that the destruction of Gaza and the scale of the genocide, which sparked tens of thousands of demonstrations condemning Zionist brutality around the world, would be enough to change its policies. However, the catastrophe of Gaza was ignored in a surreal state of affairs, as was the disaster looming over the south and the future of all of Lebanon. Thus, initiatives for calm were rejected, by both Israel and Hamas, as well as by Hezbollah, which linked Lebanon to Gaza and placed the country's fate at the mercy of Israel.
The brutal Zionist war began nearly a year ago, with the South and the entire country bearing a price that the Lebanese cannot afford. This is not only due to the subjugation of Hezbollah's militia but also because of the recklessness of the remnants of the authorities, which have supported Hezbollah, effacing the supposed distinction between the rights and interests of the Lebanese people and the foreign project assigned to Hezbollah. They have abandoned their responsibility to protect the country and have yielded to the militia, which declared that decisions are made on the battlefield, reflecting the wishes of the Iranian regime. The latter believes the battlefield will grant Tehran internationally recognized hegemony! They did not bat an eye at the scorched earth, destruction, devastation, and mass displacement south of the Litani River. The "diversionary" efforts had no impact whatsoever on the Zionist aggression, which continues to rampage in the West Bank after Gaza, as well as southern and eastern Lebanon. We are now at a tipping point, with significant strikes in Syria, the Masyaf operation being the most notable testament to that. Twelve months after the "October 7, 2023" operation, Lebanon faces the greatest existential threat in its history: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to change the situation on the northern border, and General Gordin threatens occupation and a security belt!
Regardless of the scale of protests in Israel and the calls for a ceasefire and the resignation of Netanyahu, who deliberately sabotaged dozens of initiatives that could have allowed for the exchange of prisoners and detainees, this war has secured Netanyahu a strong position in Israel. He is now strongly advocating for a one-state solution between the river and the sea, accelerating the annexation of the West Bank, and turning occupied Gaza into a military zone. Meanwhile, Zionist extremists are pushing forward with the dangerous slogan: "From the Nile to the Euphrates, your land, O Israel!"
