[NGTM-1R]

Local paper mentioned something about an Iranian (or Iranian-made) missile having been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes, range enough to hit Tel Aviv, somewhere in Lebanon. It was only a bullet point thing, no details. (Must have been a Scud or something out of the FROG series...)

However if Iran's completely given up on their plausible deniablity scheme and decided "screw it, let's do this ourselves" that scares me.

[Mefustae]

Local paper mentioned something about an Iranian (or Iranian-made) missile having been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes...

Hmmm, i've heard about the Syrian-made missile, but I haven't heard anything Iranian-made missiles anywhere...

[vyper]

Hang on I thought they were Chinese?

[aldo_14]

Hang on I thought they were Chinese?

I believe they are made by China, sold to Iran, and then supplied onwards to Hezbollah (either directly, or by generic copying in Iranian factories).

Incidentally, it's interesting to note the Lebanese army has been ordered not to respond to Israeli strikes, even thought they have taken casualties.

[Krackers87]

Id like to point out a few things, first what the news hasnt really said so far is the hezzbolah captured israli soldiers to try to levy a deal with the isralis about releasing some hezzbolah that they captured beforehand. And also, the IDF isnt even bombing hezzzbolah targets, my grandfather lives in dubai and has told my mom about the almost random bombing of gas stations, petrol depots, airports, highways, claiming that these are all places where hezzbolah get their supplys from. And the IDF could not give a rats ass about civilians as theyve targeted many civillian blocks and buildings, also there was no talk of alternative methods and they pretty much jumped on bombing the **** out of everything as their first choice after a matter of a couple days.

Sory if i repeated anything but this has got my pissed off (im lebanese myself) and i didnt get a chance to read all the posts yet.

[vyper]

first what the news hasnt really said so far is the hezzbolah captured israli soldiers to try to levy a deal with the isralis about releasing some hezzbolah that they captured beforehand.

Erm, that was all over the news when it happened.

[IceFire]

Local paper mentioned something about an Iranian (or Iranian-made) missile having been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes...

Hmmm, i've heard about the Syrian-made missile, but I haven't heard anything Iranian-made missiles anywhere...

I think they are talking about the Katushka rockets?  Russian made...not sure about the ones they are using but they are basically WWII era technology.  The idea being to line up a whole bunch of mobile launchers and fire them in large numbers.

[NGTM-1R]

No, they seem to make a distinction between the Katyusha and other types of rockets. They're at least semi-intelligent...for journalists. Besides, I imagine the Katyushas get whacked with fair regularity.

[Black Wolf]

Incidentally, it's interesting to note the Lebanese army has been ordered not to respond to Israeli strikes, even thought they have taken casualties.

I'm not sure that's the best move for the Lebanese government. Personally, if I were the one calling the shots, I'd be milking this for all it was worth

"Israel claims to be attacking Hizbullah, but it has attacked civillians and government infrastructure. It is the government and people of Lebanon who are being punished for the actions of these renegades". Pump addresses like that out every day or so, then start deploying troops to protect what government infrstructure is left. The Israelis attrack the troops, and they overplay their hands, or they don't, they start to listen to reason, and they arrangde for war reparations and hopefully tone the **** down a bit.

[IPAndrews]

Yeah I noticed they'd hit a Lebanese army barracks. The news here mentioned it but sorta ignored it's significance. 

[Kosh]

my grandfather lives in dubai and has told my mom about the almost random bombing of gas stations, petrol depots, airports, highways, claiming that these are all places where hezzbolah get their supplys from.

So if they are just randomly bombing some areas, then what is the real point to go there in the first place.

[aldo_14]

my grandfather lives in dubai and has told my mom about the almost random bombing of gas stations, petrol depots, airports, highways, claiming that these are all places where hezzbolah get their supplys from.

So if they are just randomly bombing some areas, then what is the real point to go there in the first place.

Collective punishment.  Apparently an increasingly weakened Lebanese government is going to be more likely to go after a militarily strong at-least-partially-publicly-supported militia force when it's infrastructure is under intense attack by a foreign power......

[Mefustae]

I think they are talking about the Katushka rockets?  Russian made...not sure about the ones they are using but they are basically WWII era technology.  The idea being to line up a whole bunch of mobile launchers and fire them in large numbers.

Nah, i'm talking about the larger attack, creating considerably more damage than a classic Katyusha rocket is capable of, basically a missile, not a rocket: as in larger blast radius, more damage, ball-bearings, etc.. I recall that preliminary reports pointed to a Syrian missile. I have to admit I got this off the evening news and it was only preliminary reports, hence no linky.

[aldo_14]

Incidentally, it's interesting to note the Lebanese army has been ordered not to respond to Israeli strikes, even thought they have taken casualties.

I'm not sure that's the best move for the Lebanese government. Personally, if I were the one calling the shots, I'd be milking this for all it was worth

"Israel claims to be attacking Hizbullah, but it has attacked civillians and government infrastructure. It is the government and people of Lebanon who are being punished for the actions of these renegades". Pump addresses like that out every day or so, then start deploying troops to protect what government infrstructure is left. The Israelis attrack the troops, and they overplay their hands, or they don't, they start to listen to reason, and they arrangde for war reparations and hopefully tone the **** down a bit.

Quite simply, Lebanon cannot win any sort of actual war with Israel; even to compete militarily would entail handing over a great deal of sovereignty to the Syrians in exchange for support needed to survive.  They're essentially in the position of being new kind in the playground whose only hope to avoid getting beaten up by the big kids is to give his lunch money to another set of big kids for protection. 

Even if Lebanon does deploy troops to protect itself; what use are ground troops against long range artillery and bombing raids?

It's almost in the Lebanese governments interests to let Israel attack Hezbollah on the ground in the South, too; after all, Hezbollah remain a threat to the Lebanese government itself, a second - autonomous - army.

[karajorma]

Collective punishment.  Apparently an increasingly weakened Lebanese government is going to be more likely to go after a militarily strong at-least-partially-publicly-supported militia force when it's infrastructure is under intense attack by a foreign power......

Well that worked against Hamas.....

Oh wait. It didn't. It put Hamas in power didn't it?

[Colonol Dekker]

I believe the term is striking while the iron is hot.

[vyper]

I believe the term is ****ting yourself.

[IPAndrews]

They should just invade the place and have done. Does anyone actually thing the international community would do anything about it?

[vyper]

And then get bogged down in a situation ten times worse than Iraq?

[IPAndrews]

Go in. Sweep the place. When you're done give it to the UN to sort out. Precisely what they should have done in Iraq.