Experts warn that looming war could overwhelm Israeli air defense
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant warned this week that Israel could “take Lebanon back to the Stone Age” if necessary to defeat Iran-backed Hezbollah forces, according to the Independent.
“We don’t want to get into a war, because it’s not good for Israel,” Gallant told U.S. government officials and reporters during a visit to Washington. “We have the ability to take Lebanon back to the Stone Age, but we don’t want to do it.”
Gallant’s warning comes as tensions continue rising between the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah along the Lebanese-Israeli border. On Thursday, upwards of 40 rockets peppered down and were intercepted near the northern Israeli city of Safed, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Experts warn that the impending conflict might pose a substantial risk to Israel’s Iron Dome, widely recognized as one of the most durable air defense systems globally. Hezbollah’s tactics, which include low-flying anti-tank missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are difficult for Iron Dome to intercept, according to former brigadier general Zvika Haimovich.
“I think that Hezbollah recognized our gaps,” Haimovich told NPR. “For that reason, they are using more and more UAVs in the last few weeks.”
Haimovich, who oversaw Israel’s air defense forces for three years, emphasized the greater arsenal of the Lebanese Hezbollah compared to their Palestinian counterpart, Hamas. “Hezbollah holds today double and triple the number of rockets and missiles that Hamas launched on Oct. 7.”
In addition to fending off threats from the north, Israel’s war in the Gaza strip continues to rage on in the city of Rafah. As of June 17, Israel had defeated two Hamas battalions and was confident it would take control of Rafah by the end of the month.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently told an American Jewish delegation,”The first requirement is to cut that hand, Hamas,” in order to stop Iran’s efforts to take over the Middle East.
Netanyahu is set to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress in late July.
