The war in Lebanon carries huge political costs for Israel, while there is no military solution to Hezbollah’s missiles in the north, the Israel Hayom newspaper reported Saturday, citing a senior official, Anadolu reports.
The official said that despite criticism about the ceasefire with Hezbollah announced Saturday, halting the fighting remains the only way to stop rocket and missile fire on northern Israeli towns.
The report said the Israeli Cabinet had never instructed the army to eliminate Hezbollah’s military power, noting that dismantling Hezbollah remains a broader objective but was not defined as one to be achieved solely through military means.
The official acknowledged that targeted assassinations and other military operations may weaken Hezbollah, but cannot completely stop the group’s missile and rocket launches.
Achieving that militarily would require a far more drastic offensive and a massive increase in manpower that is currently unrealistic, especially as the Israeli army remains overstretched across multiple fronts and continues to repeatedly call up reservists.
The report said the threat of a ground incursion into northern Israeli towns had been removed, raising doubts about whether resuming the offensive would bring significant military benefit.
It added that the latest round of war caused severe political and reputational damage to Israel, reinforcing its image internationally as a state fueling war.
Attempts within the European Union to suspend mutual agreements with Israel had resumed, while 80% of Democratic senators last week voted in favor of halting weapons sales to Israel, according to the report.
“The military benefit is doubtful, while the political costs are enormous,” the Israeli official was quoted as saying.
Since March 2, expanded Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed nearly 2,500 people and displaced over 1 million, according to Lebanese authorities.
On April 17, US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Lebanon, later extending it Thursday by an additional three weeks.
