Can Israel Bear A Full-On War With Hezbollah Even With Unwavering Support From US? (X image@naziakhan455)
The US assures full support for Israel if a full-scale war between the latter and Hezbollah breaks out. The assurance came amidst the rapidly increasing global condemnation against the US for its unwavering support to Tel Aviv in its barbaric war against Gaza.
Quoting an unnamed senior official from Biden Administration, CNN reported that the pledge to support Israel was made when the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer in Washington, DC.
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According to the report, the US would aid Israel by offering military assistance. Ground troops will not be deployed.
Israel and Hezbollah have been trading on thin ice since last October, after Hamas unleashed an unprecedented attack on Israel. Thousands have already fled their homes from the southern Lebanon. Dozens have been killed, in addition to hundreds of Hezbollah fighters and more than a dozen Israeli soldiers
During the past two weeks, the intensity of the attack between the two has gone significantly up. On June 12, a day after Israel killed Hezbollah commander during an airstrike in Lebanon, Hezbollah, the alleged proxy group of Iran, unleashed a barrage of missiles aimed at northern Israel.
Following the attack, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz warned that a decision on an all-out war with Hezbollah was coming soon. Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned about a war “without rules or ceilings”.
Experts are now expressing their concern over whether Israel’s renowned Iron Dome defense system can withstand the sheer volume and sophistication of Hezbollah’s missile arsenal.
It is important to note that the Iron Dome, an advanced air defence system developed by Israel to intercept and destroy short-range rockets, artillery shells, and mortars, is not invincible. Though it has been a corner stone of Israel’s defence strategy since its establishment in 2011, it have disadvantages.
The Iron Dome uses radar to detect incoming threats and launches interceptor missiles to neutralise them before they can cause harm.
However, the system faces capacity limitations. While it is capable of handling a barrage of missiles, there is a limit beyond which it can’t perform well. This is what is said to have happened on October 7, when Hamas launched over 5,000 munitions on Tel Aviv.
According to CNN, a senior Israeli official said that it would be more likely that some Iron Dome batteries are overpowered if Hezbollah conducted a large-scale attack principally using precision guided weapons, which could be challenging for the Iron Dome to defend against.
Reports suggest that Hezbollah, who has been showcasing advanced and precise attack, will likely be able to overwhelm the Iron Dome batteries. CNN quoted three US officials as saying that they have serious concerns that in the event of a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group could overwhelm Israel’s air defenses in the north.
Recently, Hezbollah has claimed that it has struck and destroyed an Iron Dome battery located at an army base in Ramot Naftali, northern Israel. If it is right, this attack would mark the first documented strike on such an anti-aircraft system. The Iran-backed group also released a video showing aerial photos of the base and footage purportedly captured by the missile used in the strike. This incident highlights the Hezbollah’s capability to target and potentially overwhelm Israel’s missile defense systems.
Bear in mind that Israel, who was not able to achieve its said goal in Gaza, may not be able to take up another full-on war. It could push Tel Aviv into an existential risk.
