Israeli paper's analyst says next 2 days most critical...

[spindrifter]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/739094.html

ANALYSIS: Israel-Hezbollah fighting yet to reach its zenith

By Ze'ev Schiff, Haaretz Correspondent

The fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, has still not reached its zenith. The Israel Defense Forces' operational plans against the Shi'ite organizations have not yet been carried out. The next two days are the most critical and a lot depends on whether Tehran decides to take a chance and authorize Hezbollah to launch long-range missiles with more powerful warheads. This is a capability Hezbollah still retains, despite the heavy blows it has suffered in the IDF air strikes.

On Sunday, Israel bore witness to the use of more powerful rockets against Haifa, which killed eight people and injured dozens more. The Syrian-made 220 mm rocket has a warhead weighing more than 50 kilograms. Hezbollah was supplied with these rockets as the Syrian armed forces were receiving them off the production lines. The decision to give Hezbollah the rockets was made when it was concluded that the group would be considered part of the Syrian army's overall emergency preparedness.

<snip>

Israel is also not interested in a third front, so long as Syria does not intervene in the fighting on the side of Hezbollah.

Another option is that Iran will decide that it is not advantageous for Hezbollah to launch "one too many" rockets at Israel's civilians. In the past 24 hours, there has been a slowing in the air strikes against Lebanese national infrastructure. Now attention is focused on
Hezbollah infrastructure, including rockets, positions and bunkers, in southern Lebanon, the Beka'a and Beirut.

<snip>

[Junkdrawer]

1. Perhaps I wasn't so far off...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1643205&mesg_id=1643205

[uppityperson]

2. thank you for the interesting analysis

[rockymountaindem]

3. Hezbollah is considered a part of the Syrian Army's preparedness?

Tell me again how Israel is overreacting :sarcasm:

[Kagemusha]

5. Because Israel has been hitting "Lebanon" mostly not "Hezbollah"

Though word is being put out this is preparing the field for a ground operation. That would make more actual sense. But it's still making an enemy of the entire country not just the part under Hezbollah control.

[rockymountaindem]

7. A ground war would be more destructive than what is happening now

And it seems to me, just based on my own point of view, Israel has been hitting strategic targets.

[whistle]

4. July 16 through July 18.....

:nuke:

[Junkdrawer]

8. Scary, huh? n/t

[Junkdrawer]

6. If this is Israel's "Cuban Missile Crisis"...

they've opted for the Invade Cuba option. Now, students of the Cuba Missile Crisis know that Fidel had tactical nukes and the authority to launch them if he was invaded.

To clarify my analogy, I'm saying that IF Iran gave Hezbollah missiles capable of doing real damage in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, maybe Hezbollah now has more control than Iran would like.

[Junkdrawer]

9. K&R

[Junkdrawer]

10. .