Calling Nasrallah's bluff: IDF strikes bring turning point in Israel-Hezbollah war - analysis

It is likely that Israel’s decision to turn the tables on Hezbollah and call its bluff via massive airstrikes against it this week will be seen as a turning point in the conflict. It is important to understand how these events unfolded, especially since, for many years, an ingrained fear of Hezbollah was built up in Israel.

On Monday, the IAF launched airstrikes on more than 1,300 Hezbollah targets. They included numerous waves of airstrikes across southern Lebanon and deeper into Lebanon. Lebanese civilians were called upon to flee areas where Hezbollah is present in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

Many things occurred on Monday that illustrate how Israel is turning the tide against Hezbollah. Calling on civilians to leave areas in Lebanon where Hezbollah is present is one example. The IDF provided details on how Hezbollah has used civilian homes to store arms. This is important information that could have been provided earlier, although this might have tipped Israel’s hand about its plans to turn the tables on Hezbollah.

Another key aspect of the turning of the tide against Hezbollah was calling the terrorist group’s bluff. Hezbollah has always threatened to rain down thousands of missiles a day on Israel and also use numerous new capabilities it had acquired over the last years. For instance, Hezbollah acquired precision-guided munitions and also drones. It threatened to use these capabilities to target Israeli infrastructure. READ MORE