Israel’s 82nd Day of War

Israel insisted on Tuesday that our war in Gaza will not end soon and pledged to complete the mission to dismantle Hamas no matter how long it takes, despite widespread international calls for a cease-fire. The IDF is “striking continuously” in the Gaza Strip, said Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the armed forces  Chief of Staff. The fighting, he added, would continue “whether it takes a week or months.”

“We are very, very determined,” General Halevi said in a televised statement filmed along the Gaza border. “Everywhere our forces operate, they are accompanied by heavy fire from the air, sea and land.” His comments came after a defiant statement from Prime Minister Netanyahu, who visited the front line on Monday, and they preceded a meeting on Tuesday in Washington between a close adviser of the prime minister and members of the Biden administration. The adviser, Ron Dermer, Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs and a member of Israel’s war cabinet, was scheduled to meet Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and President Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, on Tuesday afternoon

Hezbollah fired a salvo of 18 rockets at Kibbutz Rosh Hanikra in the Western Galilee on Wednesday morning, with several Iron Dome interceptions reported.

There were no initial reports of injuries or damage. The Iranian terrorist proxy took responsibility for the attacks, which triggered air-raid sirens at 10:02 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. The Lebanese Shi’ite group said that it was targeting an Israeli military position near a navy base. In response, the IDF said that it attacked the source of the launches. Rosh Hanikra is the northernmost point in Israel along the Mediterranean coastline and a popular tourist destination with its grottoes along the Lebanon border.

Overnight Tuesday, an Israeli Air Force fighter jet struck a Hezbollah “military” site in Lebanon. Israeli forces exchanged fire with Hezbollah on Tuesday after anti-tank missiles fired from Lebanon struck St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Iqrit in the Western Galilee, wounding at least 10 Israelis, including a soldier reported in “serious” condition. Hezbollah has been waging a low-intensity conflict against Israel since Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis.

One of the terms we hear used often when discussing Israel’s reaction to attack is “proportional response.” It is term that generates much discussion as the meaning is not always crystal clear. Some of you may remember a TV show a few years ago called “The West Wing.” That subject was deal with in one episode, and it might be instructive to watch this 3-minute excerpt that dealt specifically with this topic.  You can see it here….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXJRVVgz5aU

As of today, Wednesday, it appears that for all practical purposes, the effort to dismantle Hama’s destructive capabilities will take many months and exact a heavy personal and economic toll on the country. Nevertheless, the military and the general populace both agree that Israel is fighting a war for its survival and there is no option but victory, whatever the cost. May our efforts in this regard be blessed.