’Israel’s’ Military: Hizbullah No 1 Enemy, Its Syria Fighters More Experienced than Our Commanders

Local Editor

Under the title, "The new Hizbullah: How "Israel's" No. 1 enemy is preparing for third Lebanon War," Ynet daily chose to make an investigative report to tackle Hizbullah's military readiness to the coming war.

According to the daily, Hizbullah is ready to deal with the Takfiri threat in the same manner it's preparing for "Israel".

"The new Hizbullah is no longer ashamed of the fact that its soldiers are getting killed in Syria; on the contrary, it is proud of it. They are dying in order to eradicate an enemy which is endangering all of humanity. Almost overnight, the funerals of the fighters killed in Syria turned into huge ceremonies and well-covered military shows of force."

"Israeli" officials have no doubt about the real intentions of the new "defenders of the West" from southern Lebanon. "Hizbullah is "Israel's" most challenging enemy and our main reference point for some 30 years now," says Colonel [res.] Ronen Cohen, the former director of the so-called "Terrorism Desk" at the "Israeli army" Military Intelligence Directorate and deputy head of Military Intelligence's Research Division.

The daily further added: ""Hamas is an important challenge as well, of course, but it was always the 'small brother' standing in Hizbullah's big shadow. Since the Taif Agreement [1989]...we realized it is the main strategic threat as far as we are concerned. The operation of command and control systems, the Iranian-sponsored training, the weapons, and especially the rocket arsenal and warfare perception have been duplicated in Gaza time and again."

The daily also mentioned that Hizbullah Secretary General [His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah] and his men are constantly busy preparing for the next war in "Israel". "They are operating on the ground as if the war is about to break out tomorrow morning," says a senior military source.

Two years after the Second Lebanon War, [Sayyed] Nasrallah announced that his forces were ready with more missiles and more people than they were on the eve of the war, in July 2006. Since then, the organization is only growing stronger.

According to "Israeli" estimates, "Hizbullah currently has 80,000 to 100,000 missiles and rockets, which are all directed at "Israel". In addition, the organization has greatly improved its unmanned aerial vehicles and has built a unit of "suicide" aircraft, which can reach many areas in "Israel" and explode on selected targets."
On the same level, Ynet focused on the "Israeli" fears from the so-called "Hizbullah tunnels".

"The "IDF" is also very busy with the tunnel issue in the north. The "IDF" Spokesperson's Unit confirmed only recently that following complaints of digging sounds heard at night, the army is holding a comprehensive investigation into suspicions that Hizbullah is digging tunnels under the "Israeli" border."

Sources in the "Israeli" army clarified that the army has failed to find any evidence of tunnels being excavated by Hizbullah. A military source told Ynet, however, that data received from the company which carried out the investigation did not rule out the existence of tunnels.

"Today, Hizbullah has reached the understanding that we can't beat them. After six rounds of fighting - Operation Accountability, Operation Grapes of Wrath, the Second Lebanon War, Operation Cast Lead, Operation Pillar of Defense and Operation Protective Edge - in which "Israel" failed to score a victory, [Sayyed] Nasrallah realized that because of the social and political price concerning dead soldiers, we are incapable of defeating him."

Moreover, the military sources underscored: "[Sayyed] Nasrallah also understood something else from us: That "Israel's" security perception - which requires moving the war to enemy territory as fast as possible - applies to him to. Naturally, Hizbullah doesn't armored maneuvers like the "IDF" has, and we are talking about a different kind of fighting, but the principle remains the same: Operating deep within the ground."

"Therefore, Hizbullah's goal is a ground invasion, which could be made up of a number of elements: Using the underground and aboveground area near the border's wadis [valleys]; and an entry of many commando and antitank teams deep into the Upper and Western Galilee in order to survive as long as possible."

"The fighting teams will use explosive devices and antitank missiles like the Kornet, which reaches an efficient rage of 5 kilometers during the day and 3 kilometers at night. Through these ranges, they will be able to control vehicles on the Lower Galilee's roads from the high mountains of the Upper Galilee, not to mention the Acre-Safed road, the roads going up the Galilee panhandle, etc.

The topographic structure, the plants and rocks of the Galilee are very similar to what they are used to in Lebanon. At the same time, it's the exact same fighting they are now acquiring huge experience in through their battles in Syria, much more experience than most of the "Israeli" commanders and fighters have."

In addition the daily noted: "We should pay attention to Nasrallah's statements in this context. Before the Second Lebanon War he promised to release Samir Kuntar and the rest of the Lebanese prisoners.

When he kidnapped "IDF" soldiers Regev and Goldwasser on July 12, 2006, Nasrallah convened a press conference and referred to the abduction operation as 'the truth guaranteeing operation' - in other words, fulfilling his historic commitment. He is using the same words today regarding the 'liberation' of the Galilee: 'The promise that won't be broken.' In other words, a promise which he has to fulfill, on a personal level."

Commenting on the nuclear deal with Iran, Ynet mentioned: "Then now that the nuclear agreement has been signed, "it will be clear that from the moment the nuclear agreement is signed and the sanctions on Iran are lifted, Tehran is able to transfer more funds to Hizbullah, and much more easily."

"In the next war the "IDF" will also have to take into account the Lebanese army, which has grown stronger militarily and has become pro-Hizbullah," says Cohen.
There is one thing everyone more or less agrees on: If and when the third Lebanon war erupts, it could very quickly turn much violent, harsh and brutal than all the previous rounds.

Source: Ynet, Edited by website team