The North versus the Suburbs Means the Region is Heading for a Comprehensive War

Written by – Elijah J. Magnier:

Israel has succeeded in drawing Hezbollah into an escalation that is steadily moving towards a full-scale war, as the initiative now rests with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel is no longer concerned with Hezbollah’s decision-making or the rules of engagement it established at the beginning of the conflict. This shift follows Defence Minister Yoav Galant’s introduction of the equation: “targeting the suburbs of Beirut in exchange for the return of Israeli residents of the north”. Suppose Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, opts for a gradual military response. In that case, this is of no concern to Netanyahu, who seems to have decided to remove the limits of the existing rule of engagement. Netanyahu seems indifferent to the prospect of a full-scale war, using it as a means to distract from his internal crises and his failure to achieve his goals in Gaza while drawing the region – and the United States – into the fray. His next goal is to hit hundreds of Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, waiting for Hezbollah to retaliate so that Israel can expand even further into areas not yet bombed.

Israeli intelligence was able to obtain immediate and accurate information about the presence of Ibrahim Akil, the General Commander of the Radwan Special Forces of the Jihad Council, along with various field commanders, at a meeting in a known location. The meeting lasted several hours, ….