Opinion  Ron Ben-Yishai
Hezbollah's strategy: Rockets on Tel Aviv, raids on Galilee
Ron Ben-Yishai
Published: 11.02.13, 20:56
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74 Talkbacks for this article
1. fun...
Jeff ,   USA   (02.11.13)
sounds like you guys might want to try to avoid all this... just throwing that out there.
2. Nasrallah fights, Lebanon loses
mb   (02.11.13)
It sounds like the next war will result in Lebanon ceasing to exist. I hope there are enough Lebanese who love their country to see their greatest threat lives among them and not on their Southern border. Scary times, indeed.
3. Deciet can not be translate into peace
Athar Baig ,   Rawalpibdi Pakistan   (02.11.13)
Since the Dawn that brought miseries and deaths to M.E an unending deceit , There isn't a chance Deceit could live long
4. Strike first?
Alan ,   Canada   (02.11.13)
If the state of preparedness of Hizbollah is as advanced as described in the article & if it is assumed the situation is nearing the point when Hezbollah will certainly launch a massive onslaught, then the least costly option for Israel is a preemptive large scale strike by the IDF in Lebanon & on Syrian supply lines to Hezbollah. The assumptions would have to be different if Iran were taken care first & unable to support, resupply or fund its Syrian & Lebanese proxies.
5. #1. I agree with you
hoky warrior ,   uk   (02.11.13)
Last time israel tried to "neutralise" hezbollah, it ended up being the laughibg stock of the world and had to go into gaza and kill more, this time, ddefenceless women and children to try and redeem its image as the big scary bully. Try it with hezbollah angain and they will add another 500 or so fighters to take on yorur whole army and win again.
6. 'Remain deterred for years'
Get Real ,   UK   (02.11.13)
as has been since 2006 but with more and advanced weaponary available to Hezbollah we can expect an even tougher Israeli response next time round than in that 2nd Lebanon War with a much more devastating result on Lebanon. None of Hezbollah strategy in the article is unexpected.It has amassed a massive missle arsenal for its main purpose to attack and destroy Israel.The question of Iranian support, military or otherwise, to Hezbollah is the unknown factor. A full follow up article to this one but detailing Israels strategy would be interesting to read
7. Huff and puff!
Alas ,   Canada   (02.11.13)
israel is on a path of destruction. What's so hard about making peace? Are those settlements really worth all this fighting? The Arabs, including Hezbollah and Hamas, have backed the arab peace initiative of 2002. all it calls for is israel to comply with international law and full peace and recognition will be awarded. What are you waiting for israel? time to stop your terorism and land theft. Stop killing innocent children, and stop building those settlements. Zionism is true terrorism.
8. repeat of halutz's miserable strategy
geroge   (02.11.13)
we don't need a repeat of halutz' failed strategy. Terms like neutralize, decisive are empty stupid halutzisms. hezbollah is planning to take some israeli positions and towns in the galilee captive, fire thousands of russian kornets, thousands of missiles and fire at boats and planes. IDf has to have a plan to grind hezbollah into dust and cut nasrollah's head.All fuel in lebanon should be blown up and asymmmetric bombs used to disablle communicaitons. You don't want to do it and then get a repeat of olmert's defeat in 2006 with far greater destruction. The idea is like the soviet counterattacks against the nazis and nothing less. You don't want to fight this way, dismantle the state and return to poland as zohar advises.
9. Israel must restore deterence
Maurice ,   Los Angeles, USA   (02.12.13)
We are here because Hezbollah is not scared. They know that our weak leaders will be careful to not hit civilian installation. This is BS. If they start a war Israel must inflict devastating blows. If Tel Aviv is hit then level Beirut and carpet bomb the south. After that there won't be a next time. The point of a war is to win otherwise why bother. We may as well surrender now.
10. What's the point?
Albrecht Klein ,   Germany   (02.11.13)
If Hassan Nasrallah should ever be stupid enough to attack with M-600s, the whole Lebanon will be transformed into a parking lot.
11. A verbal response is required "now".
Roland Seener ,   London England   (02.11.13)
12. One question
Arnold ,   Canada   (02.11.13)
Was not the UN mandate after the last war to make sure Hezbollah did not build up these huge armaments ? Just asking.
13. raison d'etre de Hezbollah
Arnold ,   Canada   (02.11.13)
Hezbollah came out of the ashes of the Lebanese civil war which led to the IDF invasion of Lebanon. I have no problem with them being there to protect Lebanon from another such incursion. But where I do have a problem is that Nasrallah no longer just wants to protect Lebanon, he wants to go on the offensive. The hudna period following the 2005 war is coming to its end. Nasrallah feels he is ready to take down the flag ,,,, take down the Mogen David. This next war is going to be brutal on both sides. Israel will survive. Lebanon will survive. Hezbollah will survive but not Nasrallah. He will be ousted as leader of Hezbollah by the Lebanese people. They will not accept the death and destruction that this man will rain down on them again because of his ego.
14. Carpet/napalm bomb south of Litani
John ,   Houston USA   (02.12.13)
We have already done extensive war gaming/simulations of a coming war. The only way for Israel to defeat Hezbullah's saturation strategy is with a saturation strategy of its own. Which means the complete destruction/scorched earth strategy of areas that Hezbullah COULD conceivably exist in.
15. You Israelis just love this
Ricky ,   The Bronx   (02.11.13)
You Israelis just love this Jew/Shia(no pun) propaganda, we the world are waking up to this Thespian Play of Villain and Hero,,,,, Iran, Israel, Hizbullah and who kows who are "One Amd The Same"
16. Hezbollah's strategy: Rockets on Tel Aviv, raids on Galilee
David ,   JC USA   (02.11.13)
I have a question to the writer of this article: Did Nasserhalla send you a letter about his intentions or he just picked up the phone and called you? Did he call you collect?....
17. To #2
StevieT ,   USA   (02.11.13)
My heart goes out to the Christian and non combative Lebanese who have been held hostage for years by the insane hatreds that reside within the Hezbollah leadeship. It need not be said that many of those Lebanese have been living in sheer terror, knowing that they have no control on their own destinies. That truly is a sad state of affirs.
18. The solution is to strike first -
Arn. ,   Sweden.   (02.11.13)
- When the right time will come. Action always beat Reaction !. Arn.Sweden.
19. Don't humiliate yourselves again.
WAS ,   Manchester, UK   (02.12.13)
Israel will suffer another defeat but this defeat will be even more devastating for Israelis. Don't you Israelis ever get tired of war? You even didn't have the guts to enter the beseiged Gaza strip!, Where men armed with 40 year-old ak-47's and RPG's were waiting for you, How on earth are you going to be able to take on a mighty force like Hezbollah. Please don't badger them, You'll suffer a bigger defeat than 2006.
20. Next Lebabon war
JUDAH THE LION ,   JEWS FIGHT LIKE LION   (02.11.13)
Should Nasrallah or his gang carry on his threat by sending hundreds or thousands of rockets towards Tel-Aviv and populated area, Israel should have no merecy at all but to make the whole of Labanon & of course the big satan Iran into dust and no one can live for the next 1000 years. They will not deserve any mercy
21. Next time Israel will
Stephen in New York   (02.12.13)
eradicate Hezbollah. The Shiite presence south of the Litani may come to an end and the Bekka up to Baalbek will also be devastated.
22. So, the world is waiting with the cameras to see what Israel
Jonathan   (02.12.13)
So, the world is waiting with the cameras to see what Israel will do to survive against Terrorists like Assad, Hesbualla, and then 'condemn' Israel for not being polite enough to the naiive citizen of Lebanon?Syria? Seriously, there is no 'quick' solution. It is clear that some people in the world are really happy that Hezbualla is amassing weapons for the 'next war'. OK, if Israel will have no chance, then the war should be a lot less pretty than before. On both sides. It's really a shame that this is how generations in Lebanon and Syria are spending their times and lives on. But I believe that 'the mighty force of Hezbualla', will not win a war against the Israeli army. Even not from their cages...
23. To #19
Maurice ,   Los Angeles, USA   (02.12.13)
Israel could wipe out Hamas or Hezbollah in 2 to 3 days. The problem is Israel leaders don't have the guts to face the biased world's opinion. Every time Israel responds to rockets fire on civilians, most of the world claims genocide including your country. The Arabs know that and take full advantage.
24. Eyes They Have, But They See Not ...
Abdel Karim Salim ,   Jerusalem   (02.12.13)
After reading this article I conclude that Israel still misses the whole point :The core problem is the Palestinian problem , and not Hizbullah of Lebanon . You know hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees still live in miserable UNRWA camps in Lebanon and as long as Palestine problem is not solved Israel will continue living in war for generations. Although the late Anwar Sadat of Egypt brazenly made peace with Israel in 1979 he still reiterated : " The Palestinian problem is the crux of the Arab-Israeli conflict ,and we are not going to have peace unless the Palestinian problem is solved... " . Certainly the state of war between the Arabs and Israel will continue as long as Israel keeps building settlements on " stolen " land and as long as Palestinians can not create their own state ( Jerusalem city is , in principle , not a big problem ) . Consequently , neither Hassan Nasrallah nor HAMAS is the problem, but rather the Palestinian issue is . Egypt made peace with Israel simply because it did not have any other choice to get back its Sinai and not out of any firm belief that Israel has the right to exist among arabs . Military might will not avail Israel in the long run ( the 1973 Yom Kippur War clearly demonstrated that ) even though it served Israel for a couple of decades . Israel should try to use wisdom to win the arabs' hearts and minds instead of using coercive force because like that Israel will remain rejected as an outcast . N.B. To # 16 : Hassan Nasrallah revealed his plan( to send armed elements to occupy certain positions in northern Israel ) in a speech he delivered in January 2011 .
25. Nazrallah will exist no more
Frank   (02.12.13)
After the next round of war, Nazrallah most likely will exist no more. This man has held the whole Lebanon hostage for so long and his non-existence will be justifiable. Then there might be peace between Israel and Lebanon.
26. Theres no avoiding this
Volvi   (02.12.13)
as this has been on the cards for a long time, ever since Barak fled Sth. Lebenon. Only this time Israel must destroy any semblance of Hezbollah and most importantly to target all their leaders. In the aftermath there must be no H, presence anywhere south of the Litani. Israel cannot afford the luxury of minding civilians and needs to destroy whole towns if necessary. Israel must be mindful of its own potential casualties before it considers enemies casualties. The civilian population cannot claim innocence, they must be a price for them too for aiding and abetting our enemies within their midst. No different then German people supporting their Nazis. Carpet bomb if one must but imperative that the enemy be destroyed and vanquished once and for all and not allowed to survive to fight another day in perpetuity.
27. two thoughts
israel israeli ,   tel aviv   (02.12.13)
Nasrallah is rational and all his actions have had a strategic aim. Why would Hezbollah attack Israel now, just to kill Jews and gain nothing? Their first purpose will be defense of Shi'ites. It seems that they would rather use their weapons to defend against Sunni Jihad. The Arabs have learned that the most effective weapon against Israel is "lawfare", turning every military victory into a strategic defeat. It is more likely that Hezbollah will stage an atrocity (real like Assad did in Sabra and Shatilla or fake like Arafat did with Al Dura) and then activate supporters (Shovrim Shtika, Goldstone) in and out of Israel to delegtimize Israel as a war criminal.
28. Advantage of Hezbollah
JC   (02.12.13)
Their big advantage is that NASRALLAH has no qualms about inflicting massive destruction on civilian populations with random rocket fire. The IDF by contrast will fight with one hand tied behind its back trying to avoid civilian casualties. As NASRALLAH himself once said"the Jews love life while we love death". What a sick thought.
29. some of you still don't get it
Mirriam ,   Tiberias   (02.12.13)
The Muslims have said repeatedly that they don't want peace. What they want is the total destruction of the state of Israel and of the Jewish people. Inspite of this we have the bleeding left so called peaceniks out there in lala land telling us that it is Israel's fault that we don't have peace....all we have to do is stop the settlements and give back the land? Which ones settlements? Tel Aviv, Haifa, Netanya. What land? The entire nation of Israel. I want to remind all of the Americans that they took America away from the Indians. First give those poor natives you have abused, slaughtered and stolen back America...and while you're at it let them slaughter you. It is exactly the same thing. We Israelis prefer to fight.
30. Nasrallah's new strategy
Nick ,   Den Haag Holland   (02.12.13)
Heee Muppet,Way don't you stick your head in your chemical toilet.
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