11/30/2024–|Last updated: 11/30/202406:33 PM (Mecca time)
The Washington Post said that Lebanese Hezbollah, although its military strength has declined greatly, is far from being defeated by the Israeli army, let alone being destroyed.
The American newspaper reported that Hezbollah fired last Sunday – that is, just two days before the ceasefire was announced – about 250 rockets and other missiles at targets in central and northern Israel, in one of the most violent barrages of rockets it has fired in months.
The Israeli government did not publish any estimates of Hezbollah’s loss of life, unlike what happened with the Palestinian resistance movement (Hamas), which the newspaper considered evidence that the numbers are not impressive enough to announce.
Hezbollah is still strong
But the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies claimed that Hezbollah lost a total of 2,450 fighters out of an estimated 40 to 50 thousand.
According to the Washington Post report, Hezbollah still maintains tens of thousands of missiles and fighters through which it can rebuild its military capabilities and return to southern Lebanon adjacent to the border with Israel, regardless of what is stipulated in the ceasefire agreement, which entered into force on Wednesday. Last, after the two sides agreed to an agreement brokered by the United States and France.
That decision called for the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters to the north of the Litani River (about 32 kilometers from the Israeli border), with the Lebanese army deploying its forces to secure southern Lebanon.
Although the United Nations peacekeeping forces were supposed to monitor the parties’ compliance with the terms of the agreement, the Washington Post says that the peacekeeping forces have no authority to do anything but stand by while Hezbollah works to fortify itself.
Netanyahu’s concerns
The newspaper recalled the ceasefire agreement concluded after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 2006, and reported that it did not prevent Hezbollah from strengthening its forces on the northern border of Israel, nor will the new agreement reached this week prevent it from doing so.
She added that this time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was keen to keep the ground attack within a few kilometers of the Israeli border to avoid diving into an expensive quagmire.
Although Netanyahu will not admit it publicly, the calculations he made in secret appear to indicate that Israel can coexist with Hezbollah fighters on its borders as long as it deters them from actually attacking it, according to the report.
The American newspaper asked about the reasons that prevent Netanyahu from being prepared to conclude a similar deal with Hamas. She pointed out that the Israeli Prime Minister pledged, in the speech in which he announced the ceasefire in Lebanon, that he would complete the mission of eliminating Hamas, a mission that Israeli military leaders say they cannot achieve.
agitation
The newspaper expressed its belief that Netanyahu does not show much interest in a ceasefire with the Palestinian movement, which would result in the release of prisoners.
The Washington Post quoted veteran American diplomat Aaron David Miller, saying in an email that the deal with Lebanon was easier for Netanyahu, “As for Gaza, he knows that Hamas will not release the (Israeli) prisoners without major concessions, namely the release of… A large number of Palestinian prisoners accused of killing Israelis and ending the war.
He explained that an agreement in this regard in Gaza could lead to the collapse of the right-wing ruling coalition in Israel, while Netanyahu intends to keep the army in Gaza for the coming months.
The newspaper confirmed in its report that US President-elect Donald Trump may be able to pressure Netanyahu to bring peace to the Gaza Strip, which current President Joe Biden was unable to do.
