The IDF launched a massive military assault on Hezbollah in Lebanon, executing a strategy that has been planned for years. While other fronts, like Gaza, were given less attention, Israel has long prioritized the Hezbollah threat, anticipating the potential for an all-out war.
Now, those preparations are being put into action, with overwhelming force.
The IDF’s current strategy hinges on delivering sustained, heavy blows and eliminating numerous Hezbollah assets, says military journalist Yossi Yehoshua. This extensive air campaign involves hundreds of Israeli warplanes conducting waves of strikes across Lebanon.
Notably, the Air Force entered this phase of the conflict in peak readiness. [more details on Hezbollah’s inability to counter Israel’s air power in this report]
The first day alone saw some 1,300 targets bombed, with the IDF focusing on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon and strategic arms caches in the Beqaa Valley. This was the largest attack on Hezbollah since the 2006 Lebanon war.
Bombing missiles in homes
For years, Hezbollah has embedded its arsenal within civilian areas, renting space in Lebanese homes to store cruise missiles and heavy rockets, says Arab affairs reporter Elior Levy. Israel’s intelligence agencies meticulously mapped these sites, working quietly and systematically.
Now, these locations are being rapidly obliterated by precision airstrikes.
Israel’s capacity to sustain or even amplify this high-intensity assault is significant. If pushed to the limit, the Air Force can bomb thousands of Hezbollah assets each day, relying on a predefined list of targets and real-time intel updates on emerging threats.
This wave of destruction could continue for days, though it remains unclear whether an IDF ground operation will follow [here’s more info on Israel’s plans to invade Lebanon].
If the conflict expands, the IDF is also expected to pound Hezbollah’s nerve center in Beirut. Israel has been monitoring this prime target for years as well, and has plans in place for devastating the Dahiya district in the Lebanese capital.
