Defeating Hezbollah Will Strengthen the West

  Con Coughlin :: Gatestone Institute 

 The reality, though, is that the group most responsible for causing casualties is Hezbollah which, like its Iranian-backed ally Hamas in Gaza, has no qualms about putting innocent Lebanese civilians in harm's way.

 "The Israeli military campaign against Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists is not just an exercise in safeguarding Israel from suffering further bombardment from tens of thousands of missiles and attack drones.

"An Israeli victory against Hezbollah's terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon is vital to guaranteeing the security of the entire Western alliance. It will send a clear signal to Iran -- Hezbollah's paymasters -- that the ayatollahs' unremitting campaign against the West and its allies is ultimately doomed to failure.

"It is certainly a consideration world leaders must take on board as they attempt to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, one that would undoubtedly be to the Iranian-backed terror group's advantage.

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after taking 11 months of continuous rocket fire and fruitless negotiations, rejected the ceasefire idea, presumably out of concern that it would only provide Hamas and Hezbollah with a chance to rearm to attack again, as they have openly vowed to do.

"After the inconclusive war Israel fought against Hezbollah in 2006, the scale of the latest Israeli assault against Hezbollah's terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon shows that, this time, the Israelis have no intention of ending their military campaign until Hezbollah is no longer in a position to maintain its relentless assault against northern Israel.

"Hezbollah launched its drone and missile attacks against Israel -- using many munitions supplied by Iran -- indiscriminately attacking Israeli civilian targets, primarily in Israel's north -- just one day after the devastating October 7, 2023 attacks.

"This uncalled for assault has resulted in an estimated 90,000 Israelis being forced to flee their homes, leaving large swathes of northern Israel deserted. Hezbollah has said that those Israelis will not be able to return to their homes, raising concerns that Hezbollah, which had been planning to invade northern Israel, might also be planning to occupy it." . . .