Israeli soldiers near an armored vehicle on the border with Lebanon, Oct. 1, 2024. (Credit: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP)
"You are extraordinary. You are lions," stated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praising the troops of the 36th division of the Israeli army along the border with Lebanon on Sunday evening. "In one year, we have changed the game. You are the generation of victory," he emphasized in a video posted on his X account, the day before the commemoration of the massacre carried out by Hamas in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The attack triggered a devastating war against Gaza and led to Hezbollah's support for Hamas from southern Lebanon. Since Oct. 8, this attrition war has been ongoing, with a front open in Lebanon since late September.
Following the launch of operation "Northern Arrows" by the Israeli air force in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Sept. 23 and the continuous shelling of southern Beirut suburbs after the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Sept. 27, the Israeli army announced last week "ground operations" on Lebanese territory, notably carried out by the 36th division. The Israeli army also stated on Monday that its 91st division would join the ground offensive initiated by Israel, as reported by Haaretz. In these recent ground clashes, Hezbollah said it killed several dozen Israeli soldiers, while Israel reported that it had killed 440 Hezbollah fighters.
24/7 operations
Established in 1954, the 36th division includes several brigades, such as the "Etzioni" brigade, composed of infantry reservists and the more well-known "Golani" brigade. On its website, the Israeli army boasts of the "achievements" of the Golani brigade: "In 1956, the brigade captured the Rafah region and enabled the passage of armored forces. During the Six-Day War in 1967, it recorded numerous successes, including the notable battle of Tel Faher, where the Syrian post located on the edge of the Golan Heights was conquered."
On the ground in Lebanon, the Golani brigade participated in 1982 in the "conquest of Beaufort Castle," a historical landmark and fortress near Arnoun. In 2006, the brigade led its troops to Bint Jbeil and into Beirut. "These units are considered core divisions of the Israeli army. They initially played an important role in Gaza," said military expert Riad Kahwaji to L'Orient Today. "Although they also include reservists, who are mostly civilians, most soldiers in the 36th and 91st divisions come from the regular army. So, these are professional troops that operate around the clock."
Since the onset of the ground offensive at the Lebanese-Israeli border, the brigades of these two divisions have been regularly targeted by Hezbollah through strikes aimed at their bases in northern Israel. "They include artillery, infantry, and especially armored forces, including tanks. These are offensive divisions, particularly the 91st," the expert explained.
No rapid maneuvers
Even though these two divisions of the Israeli army have previously operated in Lebanon, the situation is markedly different this time, according to the military expert. "Usually, in their wars, the Israelis adopt a Blitzkrieg [lightning war] style. However, Hezbollah is much better prepared than it was in 2006, and Israel is aware of this," Kahwaji analyzed. "The party possesses a significant number of anti-tank missiles. That is why the Israelis are not attempting a rapid maneuver, as their tanks would be too exposed."
This leads to Israel's choice of a "scorched earth tactic," similar to that used in Gaza: Heavily relying on firepower, destroying everything in its path, and conducting nighttime special operations to target tunnels and hideouts. "[This approach] will be much slower, but Israel wants to limit casualties within its ranks. To continue their offensive, they must maintain the support of their population, which depends on the soldiers who have fallen," Kahwaji said, concluding, "This war will take weeks, and the destruction will be enormous — much greater than in 1982 and 2006, I believe. Each targeted village will resemble Gaza."
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient Le-Jour.