The Israeli military says its Northern Command has approved operational plans for war with Lebanon.

Israel is ready for an “all-out war” in Lebanon and has plans approved for an offensive targeting Hezbollah, officials have said.

Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in border fighting since shortly after the start of the war on Gaza, following the October 7 attacks on Israel. The confrontation is increasingly expanding, with both sides saying they are ready to go to war.

More than 400 people have been killed in Lebanon, including journalists and paramedics, over the past eight months, with 25 deaths in Israel. At least 90,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon, and more than 60,000 have been forced from their homes in northern Israel.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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    5 months ago

    That’s because Netanyahu needs a forever war to keep his dictatorship. That’s always what this has been about.

    • Count042@lemmy.ml
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      5 months ago

      Forever wars only work against enemies that can’t really do anything back.

      Israel is about to enter the ‘find out’ stage.

      • snooggums@midwest.social
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        5 months ago

        They will end up finding out that the US will absolutely have their back despite the genocide of Palestinians so that the US can keep their middle east ally. You know, like that one asshole who always starts fights because their big friends help out when they start getting their ass kicked.

        • Count042@lemmy.ml
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          5 months ago

          If they do, that will very likely pull in Iran, Russia, and now with the recent agreement, possibly North Korea.

          The US is not as big as they were in the late nineties and early aughts.

          • Zron@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            The US navy has almost as many aircraft as all of Russia.

            The US Army has more aircraft than all of Russia.

            The US Airforce has more aircraft than the US navy and army.

            That’s just planes and helicopters.

            If you think any of the countries you talked about are a serious threat to the US outside of nuclear war, then you’re sorely mistaken about how truly insane US defense spending is.

            • NevermindNoMind@lemmy.world
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              That’s true, but I think what recent conflicts have demonstrated is that total firepower isn’t everything. Ukraine was significantly outmatched by Russia and hung on, even before western weapons shipments. Hamas, estimated at something like 30k fighters strong and armed with small arms and light rockets/artillery, continues to fight effectively against the US armed IDF. Then we have historical examples like the US war in Vietnam, or the US failures to fight insurgents in Iraq (with the tide only changing after deliberate hearts and minds political/social strategy).

              The whole “we have a lot of planes” thing is just defense contractor marketing. How that translates on the battlefield, especially when the civilian population despises you, is not great.

              A war like that would devestate Isreal and drag the US into a true quagmire. It would sap a tremendous amount of resources and leave the US more vulnerable to the china’s and Russias of the world.

              Not to mention our good old buddy international terrorism, which Bidens unwavering support of Bibi is already making us a prime target for. Shit would be fucked.

            • Count042@lemmy.ml
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              The scenario I described is World War 3.

              That what Bibi, and Biden with his unwavering support, are playing with.

              then you’re sorely mistaken about how truly insane US defense spending is.

              NevermindNoMind already made this point to you but it bears repeating, Money spent doesn’t translate into combat effectiveness. In fact, it tends to actually go against it. EDIT: Or, more specifically, money spent on individual weapon systems. The best weapon is the cheap one that can be mass produced, even if there are better weapon systems.

              Ansarallah has been clear that part of their missile strategy is to eat into our budgets. They’ve been winning by that strategy. The total cost of their drones/missiles used against the US was in the several hundred thousand range, and the estimate for the missile defense ammo the US has used is around a billion dollars, and that was several months ago. Even the US can’t compete with that cost disparity.

              Secondly, it doesn’t matter how many ships you have if you can’t resupply them with ammo. America outsourced its production capabilities. It didn’t outsource its weapon production facilities, but we can’t convert the facilities we don’t have any more to support increased ammo production, and we don’t have enough weapons factories to supply the requisite ammo for continued operations in a modern war.

              Third, your usage of “just planes and helicopters” is stupid beyond description. I am not willing to agree with you that the US will have air superiority in all theaters, which sadly is what its military doctrine both requires and assumes. (Which, by the by, is why the NATO trained Ukrainians did so poorly with their spring offensive. It’s not their fault they couldn’t use tactics that assume air superiority that they didn’t have, but jesus the NATO people switched to racism right quick to explain the failure.) However, other countries doctrine assumes that air superiority won’t be theirs.

              Iran, for example, assumes they won’t have air superiority from the start and so they spent most of their engineering time on missile technology. The Russians have tried to compete with their aircraft, but focused mainly on their G2A anti-air defenses. Now, even with Syria and Ukraine, there still isn’t a lot of info on the effectiveness of the S400 in against the American Airforce.

              It also doesn’t account for the huge disparity in drone deployment capability which is frankly the future of the next war. And the US fails at this completely. The two main US drones cost 30 and 40 million a piece when the name of the game here is CHEAP. Frankly, Iran and now Russia beat our pants off on this topic. Even Hezbollah and Ansarallah have confirmed US drone kills. This is the scariest part. Culturally in the American military right now, being involved with drones was not seen as a career advancer, and definitely not something you’d want to put money into serious research.

              This is more than I meant to write in response to a comment that basically amounts to a middle-schooler pounding their chest while screaming “My daddy can beat up your daddy” so I’m going to end it here.

              If you think money translates to military readiness and sound doctrine, then you’re not thinking about this very hard at all.

            • harrys_balzac@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              5 months ago

              But the war in Ukraine has demonstrated that US stockpiles of ammunition are woefully low. Doesn’t matter how many planes you have or that your soldiers have the best weapons if they run out of missiles and bullets.

              • Aoife
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                5 months ago

                I mean this is purely conjecture but I would be very surprised if the US military did not in fact have huge stockpiles of ammunition that they are simply not willing to give to ukraine explicitly so they can be ready for an actual US deployment

                • piecat@lemmy.world
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                  5 months ago

                  Right that’s just the stock of old/obsolete/close-to-expiring munitions and equipment we’re willing to spare.

              • hark@lemmy.world
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                5 months ago

                Half-assed support from the US isn’t because of ammunition shortfalls, it’s because the US will only give just enough to drag out the war and drain Russia as much as possible.

              • maynarkh@feddit.nl
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                5 months ago

                Ammunition for artillery that they don’t use by doctrine.

                They have a ton of eg. plane ammo, but they don’t give planes to Ukraine.

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        I’m curious what you mean. Hasn’t Hezbollah been targeting Israel for decades? There’s already been the South Lebanon Conflict and the 2008 Lebanon War.

        What will they find out that they didn’t already know?

        • johker216@lemmy.world
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          You need to understand that most people’s understanding of the conflicts in the Middle East started on October 7, 2023.

          • Atin@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            Many users here start their understanding from about a week after October 7.

        • ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world
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          I think if they do a full-blown invasion, they’ll find out that Hezbollah (and quite possibly the regular Lebanese military) is a much bigger, experienced, and sophisticated enemy than Hamas. Also, an invasion of Lebanon could easily attract third parties (like Syria-based militias or even other countries).

          If it’s a limited, restrained operation to create a buffer zone, it might not lead to escalation. There’s apparently a peace deal on the table that would accomplish just that but Hezbollah wants Israel to agree to the “ceasefire for hostages” deal in Gaza first.

          But let’s not forget that Netanyahu is going to jail on corruption charges as soon as he isn’t prime minister. He’s alienated everyone except the extremist parties on the right so, ultimately, they’ll be able to control policy just by threatening to leave the fragile coalition government. So, I don’t know if I’d bet on a limited, restrained operation.

          • solo@slrpnk.netOP
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            I think if they do a full-blown invasion, they’ll find out that Hezbollah (and quite possibly the regular Lebanese military) is a much bigger, experienced, and sophisticated (…)

            Oh they know well. Israel has invaded Lebanon twice (at least?) and both times they failed in a humiliating way.

        • Count042@lemmy.ml
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          The situation is not static at all.

          Hezbollah has significantly improved upon their capabilities during that time period. Also, as a corollary to this, weapons technology in general has significantly advanced in a form that brings various capabilities to state actors that didn’t use to have the tech or financial base to support them.

          Guidance systems, avionics, electronics, and drones are changing the face of warfare in a way that removes a lot of the tech advantages rich nations had over poorer nations. But, the richer nations (And this isn’t just about Israel, but most of the western states) are sticking their heads in their sand because their weapons manufactures are used to being used more for laundering tax payer money to the right people then for making great weapons. The main drones for the US cost between 30-40 million EACH!

          Furthermore, Israel is going through all of the copium that settler colonialist societies go through when their martial superiority is starting to come into question. They clutch harder to their beliefs that make them feel secure. Israel withdrew in 2006 and declared themselves victors when it was obvious that they were not victors at all. Now, that is all that Israel remembers about 2006. That they won. That is what they truly believe.

          There are a lot of delusions that are about to break here. That is why I say that if they try with Hezbollah, that it will be a ‘Find Out’ stage.

          EDIT: Also, people tend to use the wrong measurement for what they consider to make an army strong. One of the most important factors is a willingness for a military to take causalities. There are very few armies stronger than Hezbollah by this measurement, whereas Israel has been very weak on this front since the early 2000’s. Having a conscript army will do that.

      • njm1314@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Who exactly are they going to fight that’s going to make them find out? The only powers in the region that are threat to them are Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. None of which they’re going to fight.

        • Count042@lemmy.ml
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          LOL.

          Yeah, that’s why the north is evacuated and Hezbollah is striking the north of Israel with impunity. How’s that Iron Dome working in the North?

          Secondly, Hezbollah is probably, pound for pound, the most competent military force in the region right now. You want to discount that to feel safe, well, that’s part of the fuck around and find out. Thirdly, Iran will have this as an Casus Belli to enter the conflict, and the PMU’s in Iraq have already stated they will invade in the event of an invasion of Lebanon.

          The only powers in the region that are threat to them are Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.

          This is what makes it clear that you are not a serious person in the area. Saudi Arabia couldn’t beat the poorest nation in the world with American planes, Columbian mercenaries, American refueling, and American intelligence all while starving the nation in an attempted genocide.

          Saudia Arabia as a regional military power? That’s a bad joke. I can’t believe you wrote that with a straight face. They were literally beat by teenagers in flip flops.

    • solo@slrpnk.netOP
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      5 months ago

      That’s always what this has been about.

      I would add Zionist settler colonialism in the mix

    • ThirdWorldOrder@lemm.ee
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      You are definitely correct. I don’t understand why these border countries and messing with a clearly deranged man. He’s just looking for an excuse.

    • rdri@lemmy.world
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      This seems inconsistent with previous overwhelming thought that Israel wants to kill Palestine completely. Killing that many people that fast (in a course of just a few months) would not let it last for too long in the end.

      Also, is there evidence of Israel being a dictatorship? Is there an opposition that is being threatened or killed or something?

        • rdri@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          One person? That’s not an opposition. Where is the opposition movement? Where are oppressed citizens?

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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            What are you talking about? You asked for evidence of Netanyahu shoring up a dictatorship and I gave it to you. Someone who knows him very well is saying that’s what he’s doing. I’m not sure why you think that isn’t enough.

            • rdri@lemmy.world
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              I don’t think we have the same understanding of dictatorship. Dictatorship can’t be hidden to the point of being only apparent to special people. It should be obvious to everyone and especially citizens affected (oppressed) by it. So far I’m not seeing any evidence of that.

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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                Again, you asked for evidence and I gave it to you. Did you even read the article? From his best friend? Who talks about exactly how he’s creating a dictatorship? Do you think there wouldn’t be thousands of Israelis at protest rallies demanding an election if they were having elections like normal?

                • rdri@lemmy.world
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                  I hear Putin is a dictator and there are tons of evidence. I hear Xi is a dictator and there are tons of evidence. The evidence you gave (an article with words from one person) is laughable at best, sorry. Israeli people seem to live just fine under Netanyahu. Also it doesn’t seem probable that he would attack Gaza if the October 7 attack didn’t happen (and people are having a hard time trying to prove that he somehow made it possible). Same with Lebanon.

    • solo@slrpnk.netOP
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      A two front war is never a good idea

      Not too sure tho, how bombing and starving civilians including children on a strip of land for 8-9 months qualifies as war, now that I think about it.

      • lurch (he/him)@sh.itjust.works
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        They should never have done it in the first place, but seeing how it takes them so long to kill mostly unarmed civilians doesn’t exactly qualify them to attack another region, but whatever gets bibi to play the victim and the strong man at the same time and keeps his right wing friends happy, i guess.

    • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
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      No, now they’re going to actually go to war instead of bombing defenseless children. The other front would be Egypt if Sisi hadn’t sold his soul to Uncle Sam.

  • pyre@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    next up, invade random countries… don’t mind me I’m just going through Hitler’s to-do list.

  • eestileib@sh.itjust.works
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    5 months ago

    Can we please stop giving this insane bloodthirsty man and his sidekicks weapons and intelligence support?

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq_coalition

    If the US joins Israel, that pulls in Russia, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and since Russia and NK just did their deal. Likely NK as well.

    AIPAC has bought off enough of both sides of the aisle, that our politicians will say we join.

    This ain’t the same WW3 shit we’ve been hearing about since the 50s. This shit can pop off at any moment.

    Israel isn’t acting rationally and Biden has repeatedly said he will support them under any possible circumstances. So what the fuck is going to happen?

    • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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      Why should they stop? They have the full U.S. M.I.C. to back them in whatever bullshit they want to do. If they can commit genocide with U.S. backing, then of course they can start wars with neighbors too.

      We need to end our bizarre, expensive one-sided relationship with Israel. We get absolutely nothing out of it except headaches.

  • reddit_sux@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Israel: History repeats itself, it has been a quite 100 years, time for another of those great wars, World War, I think ot was called.

    • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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      Israel is thinking they can start any war they want because the U.S. will make sure they win. Netanyahu has repeatedly shown that the U.S. will do whatever he demands.