Ynet News, Sept. 24, 2024
“We’re waiting for their tanks. When they come, they’re welcome,” he boasted.”
While the operation is focused on aerial attacks, the army has not ruled out the possibility of a ground incursion, according to IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. He emphasized that Israel will do whatever is necessary to ensure the safe return of northern residents to their homes after nearly a year of escalating conflict.
The heavy strikes and Hezbollah’s intense rocket barrages on northern Israel have raised international concerns about a potential escalation into full-scale war, which could include a ground offensive in southern Lebanon to push Hezbollah terrorists away from the border.
Several international news outlets have compared the military capabilities of the IDF and Hezbollah amid these fears. An article published Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal highlighted one of Hezbollah’s “most lethal” weapons— the Iranian-made Almas anti-tank missile, based on the Israeli Spike missile, which was reportedly captured by Hezbollah during the 2006 Lebanon War and transferred to Iran.
The Almas (Farsi for “diamond”) missile is reportedly comparable to advanced anti-tank systems like the American Javelin, which has been used extensively by the Ukrainian armed forces against Russian armored vehicles. It has been used by Hezbollah in recent years for precision attacks. Its first documented use was in January, when Hezbollah released footage of a missile strike on an Israeli radar and other reconnaissance equipment near the border. … [To read the full article, click here]