Israeli troops in fierce fighting on five fronts across southern Lebanon

[bemildred]

Israeli ground forces were battling on five fronts across southern Lebanon yesterday as Hizbollah fighters fought back against a widening offensive by firing a record number of rockets into northern Israel.

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Religious leaders from the Shia, Sunni and Maronite Christian communities came together and called on the international community "to halt the aggression and lift the unjust blockade" following a meeting in Bkirki. They also hailed the "resistance, mainly by Hizbollah".

In the south of the country, the exodus of civilians continued, with thousands fleeing the main port city of Tyre in anticipation of an Israeli assault. The United Nations said the fighting had flared up with "renewed intensity".

The Christian border village of Rmeish was the only remaining pocket with a substantial civilian presence. It also shelters a significant number of refugees from surrounding areas, where the fighting and shelling has been fierce in recent days.

FT

[Sanity Claws]

1. Five fronts?

I'm no military expert but even I know that has got to dissipate your focus. The IDF didn't know what it was getting into. Arrogance.

[RoyGBiv]

2. Possibly ...

Purely from the military aspect, the use of the term "fronts" here is a bit misleading in that a front can mean either a broad line of engagement across a length of territory or smaller, localizations of fighting. To explain a bit, the Germans in WWII ended up fighting on two general fronts (West and East) by some interpretations, but on each of these fronts were smaller, localized fronts.

A better way to put this would be to say that the IDF is fighting in five distinct pockets. They only are fighting along one broad front at the moment. Should Syria come into play, this could extend to two fronts.

Your point may be correct nonetheless. I'm not sure they did expect the intensity of the resistance they are facing.

[bemildred]

5. "Pockets" is probably more accurate.

But it doesn't have the right dick-waving ring to it. In other contexts you will hear it said Israel is fighting a two front war (Gaza and Lebanon), so the headline is PR babble.

[Kagemusha]

4. It's hard to invade from 4 places and have less than 4 fronts.

I don't agree the IDF didn't know what it was getting into *now* but, now they have to a) deal with it, b) try to keep casualties low in the process...

[AlamoDemoc]

3. The Israelis aggression against Lebanon is not against Hezbollah alone

Israel is with war with the Lebanese people whether they be a Shia, Sunni, Christian, Jew, or otherwise. That is a fact of what is taken place on the ground in Lebanon.

[Disturbed]

6. I am hoping that Syria /or Iran don't send in troops.

This war could exand rapidly.

[mom cat]

7. That is Bush's wet dream. He wants them to take the bait.

[David__77]

8. Lebanon could ask for assistance.

They could ask for Syria's troops to come in and bolster defenses. They should at least ask for arms so that they can arm the general populace to defend the country.