What are Israel's military options as conflict escalates with Hezbollah?
Israel must now decide if it prepares for an all-out war against Hezbollah or opts for a different strategy.
The Israeli military is preparing for the possibility of an all-out war with Hezbollah, with the 98th Division relocated from the Gaza Strip to the border with Lebanon. Still, for the moment the military hasn’t announced a large recruitment of reserve soldiers, possibly signaling that no decision has been made regarding terrestrial incursion.
Experts say Israel has entered a new phase in the tit-for-tat clashes with Hezbollah, ongoing since the Gaza war started in October, and is now hitting the Iran-backed militant group's command and control structure.
"Clearly, Israel has shifted its tactics this week," senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies Carmit Valensi told Al-Monitor. "What we have seen in the last few days has certainly been dramatic, though we are not at war yet. Since Oct. 8, Hezbollah has been conducting a war of attrition against Israel, trying to wear it out via repeated exchanges of fire and endless retaliation rounds," she said, adding, "Evidently, Israel has now opted for taking the gloves off and acting much more forcefully."
Around 200 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Israel on Friday, mainly toward the Upper Galilee and Golan Heights regions. The Israeli air force struck through the night more than 100 loaded rocket and missile launchers. Israeli residents of villages and towns near the border were instructed to stay near their shelters.
