The End of Hezbollah? IDF Prepares "Crushing Blow" to Seize South Lebanon as Hezbollah Ranks Crumble
As the war enters its 14th day, military sources reveal plans for a multi-division ground offensive to "cleanse" the Litani region, while a 45-day salary freeze leaves Hezbollah terrorists fuming and unpaid.
After two weeks of intense exchanges, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are signals a massive shift in strategy. What has been a "containment" effort in Lebanon is about to transform into a full-scale offensive aimed at a definitive "crushing blow" against Hezbollah.
For the first 13 days of the conflict, the IDF focused its primary firepower on the Iranian regime. However, high-ranking military officials, including Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, assess that Lebanon is rapidly becoming the main arena.
Earlier this week, Hezbollah intended to launch a devastating 600-rocket barrage at the Israeli heartland. Due to surgical intelligence and preemptive Air Force strikes, they managed to fire only 220 missiles. Despite this failure, the group remains a lethal threat:
With over 10,000 short-to-medium rockets and hundreds of precision long-range missiles that are still tucked in civilian infrastructure Hezbollah is currently launching 100 missiles a day, five times the volume currently being fired from Iran itself.
The IDF has concluded that "defense is not enough." The current footprint consists of 20 forward positions just hundreds of meters from the border. The next phase, according to military analyst Avi Ashkenazi, involves:
Massive Ground Entry and the deployment of multiple divisions into Lebanese territory.
A cleansing operation mean to sweep and destroy Hezbollah infrastructure and launch sites. And positioning Air Force assets to provide a "fire umbrella" for ground troops in the north.
While the IDF strikes from the air, the Iranian regime’s instability is hitting Hezbollah where it hurts most: the wallet.
For a month and a half, Hezbollah has failed to pay salaries to its operatives. The cutoff of Iranian funds has triggered widespread frustration and "internal rage" within the ranks, according to security assessments. Israel’s strategy is clear: weaken the Iranian master to starve the Lebanese puppet.
On the home front, the IDF and Shin Bet are on high alert. While security forces successfully thwarted a month-long wave of terror in Judea and Samaria, two recent attacks in Ramat Gan and Ariel have proven the threat remains potent.
Separating Hezbollah from Lebanon
The IDF is carefully distinguishing between the terror organization and the Lebanese state. The goal is to weaken Hezbollah to the point where the Lebanese government is forced, or finally able, to "finish the job" and reclaim sovereignty over its own territory.