IDF Prepares Decisive Strike Against Hizbullah
- 13.03.2026, 9:22
Israel's army has declared a new phase of the war.
The Israel Defense Forces are considering the option of moving to the next phase of the military operation against Hizbullah. According to military observer Avi Ashkenazi, the Israeli military leadership believes that it will not be possible to complete the current campaign without a major strike against the Lebanese group, writes "Maariv".
Ashkenazi writes that over the past month, Shabak, the IDF Central Command and police units were able to prevent a number of terror attacks in Judea and Samaria from spreading to the streets of Israeli cities.
The situation remains tense, however, with two serious incidents the previous day - a knife attack in Ramat Gan and an attack near Ariel. These events, according to the author, force the Israeli security services to carefully assess what is happening not only in the Palestinian territories, but also in the context of the war with Iran and the confrontation with Hizbullah.
Avi Ashkenazi notes that although Lebanon is still considered a secondary arena of the conflict, it may soon turn into a major front. According to the Israeli military, Hizbullah planned to fire about 600 rockets at Israel this week. In the end, the militants managed to launch about 220 rockets and four drones. This followed Israeli intelligence led by Major General Shlomi Binder and Air Force strikes that destroyed dozens of launchers and several launch teams.
At the same time, as Ashkenazi emphasizes, Hizbullah's capabilities remain significant. The organization has more than ten thousand short- and medium-range missiles, as well as hundreds of long-range and high-precision missiles. Despite this, the group has already suffered tangible losses: according to the IDF, some 350 militants have been eliminated and a number of high-ranking members of the organization have been killed.
Israeli troops have already occupied a limited area on the Lebanese side of the border - some twenty forward positions located hundreds of meters from Israeli territory. However, Ashkenazi writes, Hizbullah has increased its resistance in recent days and continues its shelling, firing an average of about a hundred rockets a day. According to the Israeli military, this is about five times more than Iran launches daily at Israeli territory.
The army admits that it is impossible to conduct purely defensive actions for a long time. According to the author, at some point a large-scale offensive involving several divisions may be necessary to occupy certain areas in Lebanon and clear them of Hizbullah's infrastructure.
Avi Ashkenazi writes that after the latest attacks, the IDF has come to the conclusion that the war cannot be ended without dealing a "crushing blow" to Hizbullah. At the same time, the army is trying to emphasize the difference between the organization itself and the state of Lebanon. It is assumed that after the weakening of the group, it is the Lebanese state that will have to deal it the final blow.
In addition, the Israeli military believes that the weakening of the Iranian regime will directly affect the position of Hizbullah. Another pressure factor is the economic situation: according to sources, the organization has not been able to pay salaries to its fighters for about a month and a half, which is causing discontent among its supporters.
Ashkenazi also notes that over the coming weekend, the Israeli army will operate in several directions at once - in Iran, Lebanon, Judea and Samaria, as well as in the Gaza Strip. Despite talk of a possible end to the campaign, the IDF realizes that there are still many tasks ahead that could not be accomplished in the first two weeks of the war.