Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, known for his hawkish stance in the Israeli war cabinet, has expressed concerns about the potential for a Hezbollah attack on the northern Israeli city of Haifa. In a statement released on Tuesday, Gallant emphasized the need for comprehensive preparations, warning that such an attack could escalate into a war.
According to Gallant, Hezbollah possesses an arsenal of 150,000 rockets and mortars, with the capability to potentially launch up to 8,000 rockets per day. This, he noted, far exceeds the capabilities demonstrated by Hamas, except for a one-day incident on October 7, 2023. As a former General of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Gallant highlighted that Hezbollah's rockets are more precise, long-range, and destructive.
Gallant cautioned that, despite the Iron Dome's 80 to 90 percent shoot-down rate, analysts believe enough rockets could penetrate the missile shield to cause significant damage to Haifa and other cities. Despite the potential impact on northern Israeli towns, including Haifa, Israeli Defence officials maintain confidence in the country's ability to "win" a war in military terms. They anticipate that sustained air force strikes in Lebanon could degrade Hezbollah's rocket capabilities within days or a few weeks.
While acknowledging the military advantage, defense think-tanks express concerns about the early firing period affecting northern Israeli towns, with Hezbollah potentially sustaining rocket fire for a longer duration compared to Hamas.
In response to the escalating tensions, the IDF confirmed late Tuesday night that its aircraft targeted a Hezbollah command center and observation post in the southern Lebanese village of Khiam. Additional strikes were reported in Ayta ash-Shab and Mhaibib on Tuesday.
Notably, Hezbollah managed to fire only one rocket from Lebanon into the Arab al-Aramshe area, causing no injuries. The recent events follow the assassination of top Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in southern Beirut, allegedly by Israel in a drone attack. Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah had previously warned of a fitting response to such actions. Despite minor skirmishes and occasional missile fires, a major escalation of war has not occurred.
(With Agency Inputs)
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