Alwaght- While the Palestinians' armed revolt against the Israeli regime is bringing the West Bank to a state of instability explosion and has immersed the occupied territories and Israeli settlements in the West Bank in an atmosphere of horror, the Israeli army amassed its forces on the northern borders and held military drills there.
Commenting on the drills, the Israeli army spokesman Avikhay Adraee said that the ‘Hot Winter 2’ war games started on Saturday on the northern front with the participation of 13,000 troops and would continue through to Tuesday. The spokesman added that in these exercises, the forces train on dealing with operational scenarios in the northern areas of occupied Palestine and preparing logistics and cooperation among the army’s ground units. In these exercises, 5,000 reserve forces were recalled. Israeli media have described the exercises as unexpected and surprising, indicating that Tel Aviv is preparing for some action along the northern borders. At the same time, drills were arranged along the border with Gaza, and according to Kan television network, this is a large and very important military exercise. All security units responsible for Gaza Strip are taking part in the training, Israeli media reported.
Last week, Israeli media reported about joint air force drills with France. Recently, the Israeli regime had held joint air force exercises with the US. In September, the Israeli military held war games in which it simulated attacks on air and ground targets using tanks, helicopters, and drones. A few weeks ago, similar war games was held in the occupied Golan to “improve the troop capabilities.”
The interesting point is that in the past such maneuvers were arranged in case of heightened tensions with Lebanese Hezbollah or, in rare cases, with the Syrian government. But this time they are held as an armed revolt is encompassing the West Bank. By holding them, the Israeli leaders seek to inject peace and security in the horrified Israeli society. At the same time, political differences increased considerably among the Israeli political leaders in recent weeks. They are warning that if the rival side takes the power, Israel will disappear and this is worrying the Israeli public.
At the same time, the military drills are meant to frighten the Palestinians of an all-out response. But the Israelis should know that relocation of forces would not frighten the Palestinians away from the path they have chosen. The West Bank resistance, on top of them the nascent Lions’ Den group, have warned that the fire the occupiers set in this region would not die down and that the resistance would not allow them to see peace from now on. The Palestinians launch daily armed operations against the settlers. That in recent months the Israelis were busy holding various military drills indicates that Tel Aviv is feeling threatened from all fronts and is preparing for battle across the occupied territories.
Worrisome reports about lack of army readiness
By holding numerous military exercises, the Israeli military apparently seeks to portray itself as fully prepared to go to war with the enemies and can fight on several fronts at the same time. But behind this gesture of power, there is actually a growing concern from confidential and leaked reports that believe that it has lost its readiness to enter into a large-scale war and that in the event of a war, the Israelis will not be able to defend the occupied territories.
On Sunday, the Israeli radio quoted former army generals as saying that there is no longer any real motivation in the Israeli army’s manpower, and this is considered its biggest weakness, and they have described holding of such exercises as ineffective and unable to provide security for the Israelis.
In recent days, the test of the West Bank has fully revealed this fact, in such a way that the Israeli military does not even have the ability to confront the Lions’ Den group, let alone Hezbollah and Gaza-based Hamas. The Israeli regime has not achieved any success in the past wars, which were fought on only one front, and if all wings of the Axis of Resistance attack the occupied territories from several fronts, it will be practically left actionless.
Preparing to counter Hezbollah
Although these days the attention is on the West Bank that is like a ticking bomb, Lebanon front, which is remains combustible, should not be ignored. The Israelis label Hezbollah their top regional enemy and always watch the northern borders more than other borders. The current military drills are a kind of warning to Hezbollah which has been threatening Tel Aviv over sea borders dispute in recent months.
As Ma’ariv newspaper claimed, these exercises are being conducted while reports have been published about Iran’s attempt to deliver weapons to Lebanon’s Hezbollah with civilian planes. These claims have always been rejected by the Iranian officials, but the Israelis are trying to incite the international community against Tehran and block the way for any attack from Lebanon. This is while Lebanon needs humanitarian aid and fuel more than it needs weapons in the current situation. Having in mind that the Israelis last month targeted tankers carrying fuel from Iran to Lebanon on the Iraqi border with drones, the leaders of Tel Aviv are afraid that Hezbollah might make moves in the northern borders to avenge this attack, and therefore, they are trying to improve the readiness of their forces.
After the Israeli parliamentary elections, in which far-right parties led by ex-PM Benjamin Netanyahu won the majority, the November maritime border deal between Beirut and Tel Aviv came under fire, and consequently verbal tensions between Hezbollah and the Israelis over Karish gas field escalated afresh. The Israelis are afraid that Hezbollah may react to non-execution of the deal and are preparing for any scenario. Israeli security officials admit that should a full-scale war breaks out with Lebanon, Hezbollah would fire 2,000 missiles a day into the occupied territories. This should be a motivation to Israelis to avoid a war with the resistance movement.
Delivering war cabinet to hardliners of far-right
Another issue about the underway military drills, and this can remain just a conjecture, is that the current Israeli leaders who are set to hand over the power to Netanyahu and other hard lines possibly intend to start a war against the resistance forces to involve Netanyahu and his partners in a war and distract them from the politics from the beginning. A failure in the war can serve as a winning card for the opposition to paint new cabinet an inefficient one and pave the way for its collapse. Given the Israeli reports of military preparations for possible military action on the northern borders, this scenario is not unthinkable.
In general, it can be suggested that the war games that are held with the presence of thousands of reservists are like firecrackers that would never intimidate the Axis of Resistance; rather, the make it more resolute to deal blows to its occupying enemy. Back-to-back Israeli defeats in wars against Gaza-based resistance groups, which are never comparable to the Israeli military in terms of arms and equipment, are a present proof that asserts the Israelis never win a war, especially at a time seven separate fronts wait being opened against Tel Aviv, and in case of a war, each of them can unleash hell to the Israeli regime.
