Israeli troops 'exhausted, losing readiness everyday’ to expand war on Lebanon

The Israeli army, which relies heavily on reservists, is exhausted after 300 days of fighting in Gaza

News Desk - The cradle 

With each passing day, the Israeli army is losing its readiness to launch an all-out war against Lebanon and Hezbollah because its forces have been worn out from almost 300 days of fighting in Gaza, Maariv reported on 24 July.  

According to Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, the army was ready to launch an all-out attack on Lebanon in May.

The army leadership has prepared attack plans, force orders, and armaments for the assault, while dozens of warplanes are on immediate alert at air force bases throughout Israel, ready to take off for an attack on Lebanon.

This past week, reservists of the army’s Alon Brigade carried out a drill simulating fighting in Lebanon. Members of the reserve infantry brigade practiced logistical support, communications, and extracting wounded troops under fire.

The Maariv notes that units of reserve soldiers would be required to maneuver alongside Israel’s regular forces in any major war against Hezbollah in the north.

However, dozens of reserve battalions have been operating since 7 October in both Gaza and the north and are becoming exhausted.

As a result, with every day that passes, the army moves further away from readiness to attack Lebanon.

Settlers in Israel’s north are also becoming exhausted. Hundreds of thousands have been evacuated due to Hezbollah missile, rocket, and drone attacks since the resistance movement joined the fight against Israel in support of the resistance in Gaza on 8 October.

As a result, the northern settlements, such as Kiryat Shmona, Shlomi, Metula, and others, are in danger of social and economic collapse.

Maariv notes that the Lebanese civilians displaced from the border areas are suffering, putting pressure on Hezbollah as well.

Israeli military intelligence monitors Lebanese media, social media networks, and even the billboards in the major cities. Billboards that state “Lebanon does not want war” can be found in Beirut and elsewhere. Who has funded the campaign – which includes the slogan, “Enough... We are tired,” to highlight the economic losses the war has already brought – remains unclear.

The Israeli paper says that when Israeli forces kill civilians in Lebanon, this puts further pressure on Hezbollah to protect the population from an all-out war.

The Israeli army recognizes that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah instructs his forces to forcefully respond with missiles and drones as a deterrent whenever Israel kills Lebanese civilians, or strikes targets near civilian areas.