Hezbollah shocks observers, 'Israel' reliving 2006 war: CNN

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: CNN
12 Oct 2024 15:48
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Israeli soldiers tell CNN that the war against Hezbollah and Lebanon has proven to be more challenging than expected, as flashbacks of 2006 haunt the occupation.

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A Hezbollah supporter, holds a poster of Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, reading: "I always promise you victory" during a rally marking the fourth anniversary of the 2006 war, in Beirut's southern suburb, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010. (AP)

The Israeli war against Lebanon could end at a stalemate, as violent confrontations at the border indicate that [an Israeli victory] will not be easy, CNN said in a recent report.

According to the network, Hezbollah's level of resistance has surprised many observers, particularly following the recent Israeli aggression and assassinations, including that of Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Nevertheless, the Resistance remained organized and continued launching its missiles and rockets against "Israel".

Hezbollah holds the upper hand in the South

Israeli occupation soldiers fighting in Lebanon have abundantly expressed to CNN that the open, mountainous terrain of Lebanese territories, where Hezbollah fighters are present, makes the operation more difficult to carry out.

One occupation soldier, who had fought in Gaza and is now deployed against Lebanon, highlighted the stark differences between the northern front and his experience in Gaza.

"The challenge is not that Hezbollah is more equipped by Iran or have more training. The challenge is the switch in the head from months of fighting in an urban territory versus fighting in an open area territory," he said, adding that the most basic maneuvers, including the IOF line-up and how they move, differ.

Additionally, despite claims of the Israeli military being "far more superior" to Hezbollah's freedom fighters on paper, due to its more sophisticated weapons arsenal, larger battalions, and stronger allies, the soldier confirmed that all their strongholds are rendered worthless in open battle in the Resistance's homeland.

Guerrilla warfare proves deadly for Israeli soldiers

In the same context, Daniel Sobelman, an international security expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said the IOF underwent a similar experience during the 2006 July war against Lebanon.

"Hezbollah were up against the strongest military in the Middle East, there were literally hundreds of Israeli air raids per day, and artillery, and all the capabilities that a modern, advanced military has to offer. And they were not defeated. They survived. And throughout the entire Israeli offensive, Hezbollah was able to fire hundreds of rockets into Israel every day," he said.

Following "Israel's" humiliating defeat in 2006, it has spent the past two decades preparing to confront Hezbollah once again, until Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023, which was completely unprecedented and unexpected, according to Sobelman.

And while "Israel" decided to wage war against Hezbollah, expecting to end it unscathed, it is worth noting that Hezbollah has also been preparing for war, and "that is never the case with guerrilla warfare."

Additionally, "Israel" is fighting on lands Hezbollah are masters in and are driven and determined to inflict massive losses against the IOF, Sobelman added.

"They’re entrenched in underground facilities and they’re playing a defensive game,” he said of Hezbollah’s fighters, noting that "it doesn’t matter how many of them you kill, still (in a guerilla war) the weaker side ultimately wins by imposing a sustained accumulation of costs."

Revisiting "Israel's" defeat in 2006, Sobelman said today's scenario is exactly what happened during the July War, noting that despite the occupation's material superiority, it was still unable to achieve any of its war objectives.

History repeats itself

Therefore, the next move could potentially constitute the deployment of more occupation troops along the northern front, which could quickly transform the current battle into a bloodier one.

"Israel" announced that four divisions of 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers each have been deployed to fight in Lebanon. However, Hezbollah remains undeterred, and continues ambushing the occupation forces and inflicting severe losses among their ranks.

On October 11, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, in defense of its lands and in support of Gaza, targeted five Israeli forces in Ras al-Naqoura, four of which had been trying to evacuate the casualties that preceded.

In this context, Ziv Hospital in the occupied North announced that it has been receiving influxes of injuries and casualties amid "Israel's" ground operation in Lebanon.

The hospital’s director, Salman Zarka, said hundreds of injuries flooded the hospital throughout the first few days of direct confrontations at the border.

Yesterday, 20 Israeli soldiers were injured along Lebanon's southern border. While "Israel" has admitted to the deaths of 14 troops, Hezbollah confirmed that at least 35 fatalities were scored, along with hundreds of injuries, since October 1.