Up to the Litani? The IDF asked the Israeli cabinet to allow them to go to the Litani River after all, in spite of reports that they would not.
The national security cabinet is expected to decide on Wednesday morning whether to expand the military operation in Lebanon to the Litani River, following the UN Security Council’s attempt to reach a ceasefire.
The defense establishment plans to present the political-security cabinet with a proposal to operate against Katyusha launchers in all of southern Lebanon, aiming to locate and destroy rocket launchers directed at the north.
The ground operations will take place in the entire south of Lebanon, up to the Litani River. The aerial, naval and artillery actions are expected to take place also north of the Litani. Defense Minister Amir Peretz supports the Israel Defense Forces’ plan.
And it’s a go. The cabinet thinks it’s going to take about 30 days. Well, that’s their story, and they’re sticking to it, anyway.
So can the doomsayers please shut up and let the IDF do its job before crying to the world that Israel is losing the war? I’m sorry, but Sunday afternoon quarterbacking should be left to the people who are, you know, actually doing the quarterbacking.
And hey, way to go, world. Time to tie Israel’s hands behind her back again so the bad guys can get away? Not this time. This time, I’m pretty sure Israel is going to go after the bad guys until they’re mostly dead.
A quick look at the cable news tells me what I already knew: Israeli troops are massing at (and crossing) the border.
Diplomatic officials said that Israel had not come under any US pressure to shelve plans for an expanded operation as various drafts of a US-French cease-fire resolution were being considered in the UN.
[…] This position would only change, they said, once the UN cease-fire resolution has been voted upon. This is not expected until Thursday at the earliest.
Defense officials said that the IDF could be ready to push further into southern Lebanon within hours of the security cabinet decision.
Time to quote from Yalla Ya Nasrallah: They’re coming for you, Hassan.
Heavy fighting ongoing:
IDF and Hizbullah forces were engaged in heavy clashes in the Lebanese villages of Ayta al-Shaab, Dbil, and Ataybeh in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.
Battles ensued involving anti-tank missiles, as well as light weapons.
Several soldiers were wounded in the fighting. Army forces killed at least 30 Hizbullah gunmen.
The good news: Got a bigwig. And lots of little ones.
During IDF operations in the village of Rajmin, reserve forces killed nine Hizbullah guerrillas and wounded two.
Earlier, a Golani soldier was moderately wounded in an exchange of gunfire with the Hizbullah in Bint Jbail.
The IAF targeted Hizbullah headquarters in the city, killing 10 guerrillas. Later on, IDF troops killed another eight guerillas in the same town.
Meanwhile, a top Hizbullah official, Hassan A-Sader, and an additional four people were killed by an IAF airstrike on Wednesday morning in the Lebanese city of Masjara.
Here’s a thought: Tell Iran that if Hezbullah scores a hit on Tel Aviv, the IAF will score a hit on Iran and Syria. Because they’re trying.
Hizbullah fires Syrian-made 302-mm Khaibar-1 missile fired toward Zichron Yaacov-Hadera, lands in Haifa; two people suffer from shock. Earlier four long-range rockets fired at Beit Shean Valley region; rockets land near communities situated between Beit Shean and Afula; no injuries reported. Sources say five rockets aimed at Afula land in Palestinian village of fakua, near Jenin; no injuries reported
Speaking of Jenin, got two PIJ terrorists.
Ow, that’s going to hurt: Cesar Chavez—no, wait, he’s dead, it’s the Chavez-in-charge over in Venezuela—says he’s going to cut ties with Israel. Hm, let’s see. Virulently anti-Israel leader, anti-American, and bordering on anti-Semitic—oh, yeah, Israel needs to be pals with Venezuela. Not.
Hey, PETA people! Look, more dead animals as the result of Hezbullah missiles! C’mon, where’s the outrage? Where are the calls for cease-fire from Hezbullah?
Yeah, yeah, I know. The outrage is only for the Israeli side.
Well, that’s it for now.
There’s a policy I think Israel needs to create and make explicit- any incoming missile detected from Iran or Syria will be assumed to be nuclear and retaliation will commence before the missile lands.
Whether retaliation is a strike on Iran/Syria or the full Samson Option should probably be left unstated.