In the general debate about what Israel’s true intentions are, which has always claimed to want to decimate the firepower and military of Hamas and Hezbollah by reaching the border with the Litani River, let’s look at the strategic five fronts opened by Israel in these three weeks of conflict in southern Lebanon and bombings in northern Lebanon.
Let’s remember that the Israeli army is carrying out heavy attacks on various axes in southern Lebanon, from the Shebaa farms to the Mediterranean coast.
On the Maroun El-Ras and Yaroun line: as for the actual ground invasion, the IDF operated in Yaroun, demolished a lot and have now withdrawn mostly for security reasons. The same goes for Kfarkila and Odaiseh, where progress has also been less but the destruction is extensive on the side facing Israel. The situation in Maroun al-Ras is unclear. There are no new reports from the Maroun El-Ras axis and the Israeli military forces are currently engaged with Hezbollah fighters south of this village.
Labbouneh and Naqoura Front.
The situation in the Naqoura axis is unclear. The IDF is there but there are no indications yet that they want to reach the town-village. Most of the work is now in the wooded areas. Images published by the Israeli military forces showed that the site of the installation of the Israeli government flag is located 500 meters from the border line.
Ayta el Chaeb and Ramyeh Front.
In the Ramyeh and Ayta el Chaeb axis, clashes were reported with advances in the surrounding wooded areas and open lands. Ground clashes in the Ayta el Chaeb and Ramyeh axes began on October 15 and intensified on October 16. Hezbollah fighters targeted three Israeli bulldozers and two Merkava tanks with guided anti-tank missiles, causing them to be destroyed or damaged. Hezbollah is conducting continuous rocket and artillery attacks against IDF positions in Khallet Warda and the Ramyeh base. Heavy clashes are currently taking place in the woods and southwestern lands around Ayta el Chaeb, and the Lebanese resistance movement has so far managed to repel the IDF assaults. Israel is carrying out large-scale airstrikes, and there is a possibility that Hezbollah may withdraw to Ayta el Chaeb and direct the conflict to urban areas in the coming hours.
Meiss El Jabal Front, Mhaibib, and Blida.
Regarding Blida and Mays, see above. The IDF remains in broad control. There is no specific news from the village of Meiss El Jabal, but Israeli media has stated that the IDF has made progress in this area. In the village of Blida, Israeli military forces have exerted significant pressure on the northern axis of this region, with their forces advancing towards the center of Blida.
Front line Al-Udaysah, Kfarkila, Rab El Thalathine, and Markaba.
There is an attempted push towards Hula and Markaba. They are basically operating in all the border villages since October 15, with varying degrees of success and failure. All the border villages, a massive force in a small confined area, on a long border for limited objectives to secure the strip. After the withdrawal of the 98th Paratrooper Division “Ha-Esh” of the Israeli army, the clashes in the towns of Kfarkila and Al-Udaysah have ceased. Subsequently, Israeli military forces attacked the village of Markaba from the eastern axis early on October 15, and Israeli forces also launched heavy attacks on the eastern front of the village of Rab El Thalathine early on October 16. These attacks were repelled by Hezbollah fighters, and currently, clashes in the eastern outskirts of those areas have ceased.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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