ALWAGHT- According to Maariv, the conflict in Lebanon is concluding in total defeat, leaving northern border communities abandoned.
A military correspondent for Maariv stated that Israel is ending its Lebanon battle with forces withdrawing while Hezbollah continues its attacks, response capabilities limited by American intervention, and northern settlements abandoned. The correspondent acknowledged that Hezbollah has established new equations while Israel has retreated to the pre-October 7, 2023 status quo—exactly what Hezbollah had sought for the past year and a half. He further admitted that Hezbollah has created a highly problematic equation for Israel, shifting toward 1980s-style tactics and martyrdom-seeking groups to prevent enemy consolidation.
The correspondent conceded that the army is ending operations with significant defeat and bitterness, with the 162nd Division, Nahal Brigade, and Paratroopers Brigade having withdrawn from Lebanon and more withdrawals expected. Maariv also noted that Israel rushed into attacking Iran only to find itself caught between Hezbollah in Lebanon and fire from Yemen, entering the Lebanese battle with a complete strategic disconnect between the Iranian and Lebanese arenas. According to Maariv, northern settlers have been abandoned due to a "chess game" between the Israeli government and the US administration, with unclear alignment between American interests and Israel's security concerns.
Moshe Davidovich, Chairman of the Confrontation Line Forum, stated that what is occurring in the north is not a ceasefire but a "surrender under fire." A resident of Kiryat Shmona called the ceasefire a "mistake," while others noted shop closures and intensifying protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Israel Hayom criticized Netanyahu's cabinet, stating that the recent Lebanon offensive was not "exceptional" but fell within the so-called "rules of the game," adding that Israel believed it had caught Hezbollah in a strategic trap but was mistaken.
