Israel Claims 3,000 Hezbollah Sites Struck in Recent Months

Army spokesman says Israel ‘certainly ready’ for Lebanon war

Discussing its ongoing military strikes against Hezbollah in recent months, Israel claims that some 3,000 Hezbollah sites have been hit in Syria and Lebanon over that period of time.

It is difficult to confirm the number of strikes claimed, as often media reports are of a few dozen sites hit here or there in Lebanon villages, and strikes in Syria have seldom targeted Hezbollah, beyond saying that whatever was hit was “Iran-linked.”

Military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, who detailed the attacks, insisted Israel doesn’t seek war with Lebanon but is “certainly ready.” He added that the military was ready to “attack immediately if provoked.”

Israeli military leadership has said the war is likely in Lebanon in months to come. When they’ve talked of war, most figures have suggested that tens of thousands of Israeli troops will be involved in the offensive.

While Israel is attacking numerous towns and villages, Hezbollah has been firing back against northern Israel, hitting military bases in the area and forcing tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes to seek refuge further to the south.

The number of displaced Israelis has been a big talking point for the military brass, who say the war goal in Lebanon will be to allow people to return to their homes. They are presenting this as quickly achievable.

That may be overly optimistic, as even US intelligence reports that Israel is unready to open a second front in the north. Israel insists it’s ready, but with war in Gaza ongoing, it looks like another open-ended conflict.

The US has been trying to negotiate a border deal with Lebanon, but Israel appears increasingly impatient and is eager to start a war in the north after talking it up for so long.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.