Maariv: Israel may bomb Lebanese parliament building to declare "victory"

Maariv newspaper revealed a surprise in a report by its military correspondent, Avi Ashkenazi, in which he said that the Israeli army might target the Lebanese parliament building in Beirut as part of the options in the war on Lebanon, in order to declare “victory” and return the residents of the north to their homes.

Ashkenazi points out that Israel needs to arrange the situation in the north urgently, in order to proceed with its military moves in the Gaza Strip, noting that reaching an agreement in Lebanon will increase the pressure on Hamas, which will contribute to isolating it on the regional level.

The author reviews the options available to the Israeli army in the north, noting that the main dispute in the ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah revolves around maintaining Israel's freedom of military movement in this region, which requires taking decisive tactical decisions.

Ashkenazi stresses that "dealing with the situation in the north is not a matter for the Lebanese or the Americans, but rather a purely Israeli tactical matter that requires a direct decision from Israeli military leaders."

Attacks and bombing

Meanwhile, Hezbollah continues its attacks on Israel. Ashkenazi reported that the party launched a large-scale attack on Sunday morning, launching drones and missiles towards areas in central Israel, in addition to bombing other areas such as Kiryat Shmona and Safed. These attacks confirm that Hezbollah continues its military activity in Lebanon, and is supported by Iran, which seeks to maintain its influence in the region, according to the writer.

According to the correspondent, despite the losses suffered by Hezbollah at the hands of the Israeli army, Iran still has a long-term strategy in the region, supported by patience and the ability to maneuver. Although he believes that the Israeli army has succeeded in destroying many of Hezbollah’s military capabilities, he believes that the war on Iran’s agents in the region requires further measures.

Ashkenazi believes that the time has come for Israel to close the file of the war in the north as soon as possible. He said that "Israel needs to declare victory in Lebanon and launch specific strikes aimed at further weakening Hezbollah."

ten or twenty

He indicated that Israeli military operations could include bombing specific targets, such as "10 or perhaps 20 other buildings" in the southern suburbs of Beirut, in addition to conducting operations on the ground to ensure control of the area.

The report addresses the importance of maintaining freedom of military movement in the north, a central issue for Israel. Ashkenazi noted that prior to the attack on Gaza, the IDF was hesitant to make decisions about its movements in the West Bank or northern Israel, but that the current military situation requires more decisive action.

The author also reviews how the Israeli army may rely on air operations and precision attacks to target Hezbollah's infrastructure, including command centers and logistical structures, which is what it seeks to achieve in the near term.

Here, Ashkenazi - a former officer in the Israeli army - talks about a difficult choice that the army might make, which is targeting the Lebanese parliament building in Beirut, as part of its military campaign to deal a severe blow to Hezbollah, according to him.

He said, "The Lebanese parliament is part of Hezbollah's political echelon, and could serve as a refuge for party members, and therefore targeting it could contribute to undermining Hezbollah's political and military capabilities."

Source: Israeli press