The Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip has recently largely ceased and it has begun to withdraw from parts of the country. On 26 December, Israeli forces withdrew from the suburb of Beit Hanoun, north-east of Gaza City, and are planning to evacuate the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza City. As can be seen from the ** taken at the scene, the buildings in the area after the Israeli army evacuated were seriously damaged and dilapidated, and the scattered bones and remains also revealed a tragic scene.
However, the fighting situation in the Gaza Strip has not completely subsided, and the situation facing Israel has become increasingly unfavorable. In the early days of the war, Israel set three main goals: to stop rocket attacks, to return the hostages, and to eliminate Hamas. However, with the exception of the third objective, rocket attacks in the area have not decreased, but have increased. In addition, there has been no reduction in rockets from the Lebanese direction, and on 25 December, Palestinian armed Hamas again carried out a massive rocket attack on Israel from Lebanon, targeting the Israeli military base in Liman. Israel's defense system has suffered heavy damage, the surveillance and reconnaissance defense network has been destroyed, and the radar, communication towers, cameras and other equipment have become dysfunctional. The Israeli army had to take temporary countermeasures, and on December 25, the Israeli army used a number of sounding reconnaissance balloons for reconnaissance. However, it also gave Lebanese Allah forces a new target and further increased tensions. In addition, Iranian hackers launched a cyberattack on Israel's power grid, causing a nationwide power outage, so Israel's domestic energy ** was severely disrupted.
Israeli Defense Minister Gallant said Israel is in the midst of a multi-front war under attack from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, Iraq, Yemen and Iran. Although he stressed that it could only respond to six of the fronts, it showed that Israel was caught in a seven-front dilemma. Gallant openly threatened Lebanese Allah forces, saying that what Israel did in Gaza could also be done in Beirut. However, Israel faces a siege from Iran and its seven major coalitions, including Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, Iraq, Yemen and Iran. Now, the entire territory of Israel is in the bombing zone of the seven coalition forces, and it faces not only rockets, drones and cruise missiles, but also ballistic missiles. Iran has played an important role in the war, not only supporting these countries militarily, but also providing other support, making the situation even more dire for Israel.
Under these circumstances, does Israel still have the capability to launch a military counterattack against Lebanon?Israel's victories in successive wars in the Middle East have made them more confident that violence can solve all problems. However, the situation they are now facing is a far more complex and difficult battle than expected, from which they cannot easily escape. The IDF has been repeatedly criticized, hoping that the situation on the ground in Gaza has long since exceeded expectations. In fact, the essence of the Palestinian-Israeli war is that the Gaza Strip has become a graveyard of hegemons, not only against Israel, but also against the United States. Israel, as the leading person of the United States in the Middle East, their defeat means the defeat of the United States. The defeat in the ground battle in Gaza is just around the corner, which will have far-reaching consequences for Israel, as well as for the US strategy in the Middle East.
The fighting in Gaza has exceeded the expectations of the Israeli army, and this war is not just a confrontation between Israel and Palestine, but involves a complex situation in the whole region. The Palestinian-Israeli war is essentially a hegemonic graveyard in Gaza, with the aim of not only striking at Israel's hegemony, but also warning the United States and its influence in the Middle East.
Israel's oppressive policies have forced Palestinians to resist at the cost of their lives. If Israel completely occupies the Gaza Strip and drives out the Palestinians, it will mean a great success for American hegemony. On the contrary, Israel's defeat will mean the beginning of the collapse of American hegemony.
However, in the current context, Iran is increasingly threatening Israel. If the situation continues to escalate and the United States and Israel are bent on bulldozing the Gaza Strip, Iran may take preemptive action to further expand the conflict to the entire Middle East.
Overall, Israel's strategic dilemma is becoming more severe, and the possibility of a Palestinian headwind reversal has increased. The fighting in the Gaza Strip has far exceeded the expectations of the Israeli army, reflecting Israel's constraints in strategic execution and tactical response. Coupled with Iran's growing threat to Israel, Israel's prospects have become even more difficult.