Stand-Up Fights

(Stand-Up Fights)

In the latest escalation in the Israel-Hezbollah War, a ground incursion into Lebanon is underway. Israel has always enjoyed "lines of interior communication" where on two occasions, in the Six Day War of 1967 and Yom Kippur War in 1973, Egypt was subdued first and then attention could be shifted to Syria. Now, in 2023-2024 with the Hamas attack on October 7th and its subsequent reduction in Gaza. Now it is the turn of Hezbollah in Lebanon. The IDF has re-deployed its mobile (armored) units north and in positions to further degrade the terror group's capability. Ultimately, the goal is to have Israeli citizens return home with threats from the north largely contained. Of course, the story would not be complete without the threat from Iran to launch a ballistic missile towards Israel in the next few hours.


***

Breaking now. The ballistic missile attack from Iran has materialized. Israeli Air Defense assets, as Iron Dome and Arrow systems, are responding but this attack is of such dimension as to perhaps overwhelm these munitions. Unlike a cruise missile, a ballistic missile is exo-atmospheric. The Iranian target list is expansive, the entirety of the country at risk. At this stage, now there are active hostilities between Israel and Iran, there is no point in continuing to discuss any cease fire from President Biden.


What the President can do is to finally recognize the gravity of the situation and begin to use American assets in the region. As the IDF is decimating Hezbollah in Lebanon, so Houthi positions in Yemen can be similarly engaged. Threats to Red Sea shipping could be eliminated. These have been options for the past months, but President Biden had wished to avoid the larger conflict.


The larger conflict has arrived, and it is of no use to pretend otherwise. Secretary of State Blinken has said that Israel will be defended. The gloves are off. Jerusalem has a hunting license. That being said, it would appear that the ballistic attack has ended. Israeli airspace has re-opened. An "All Clear" is being sounded.


However, this will not be the end of the business. What comes next is anybody's guess only that one could expect an Israeli response of some type. As this latest event was more sizzle than steak, Israel can also go with something proportional. That could be the problem. This situation persists because everything has always been proportional. Being proportional, however, is not being decisive.

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