Islam Times – Israeli media figures admit there is no military solution in Lebanon, warning that occupying the entire country would be “absolute madness”.Israeli media figures and former military officials acknowledged that there is no military solution to the confrontation with Lebanon, warning that any such path would require occupying the entire country, which they said is “absolute madness”.
According to remarks aired on the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN), former Israeli Army Radio commander Moshe Shlonsky said the Israeli military remains unprepared for several battlefield threats facing forces on the northern front, particularly mortar fire and drone attacks.
Shlonsky referred to the killing of an Israeli soldier earlier on Friday in southern Lebanon by mortar fire, saying the incident exposed a major weakness within the Israeli military’s preparations.
“Suddenly we forgot that Dagan was killed today by a mortar shell,” he said in refrence to a soldier serving under the Golani Brigade, adding that mortar fire remains “terrifying” despite being an old weapon system.
He also criticized Israeli discussions surrounding defensive barriers and military fortifications, arguing that such measures may protect bases and airfields but cannot shield soldiers deployed in the field.
Israeli officials absent from northern settlements
The former military official further pointed to the absence of Israeli political and military leaders from settlements in northern occupied Palestine, saying they have “nothing to tell” settlers affected by the confrontation with Hezbollah.
“It is not for nothing that commanders are not coming to the north, and certainly the political level is not coming to the northern towns, because they have nothing to say,” he stated.
Shlonsky stressed that “there is no military solution for Lebanon”, explaining that such an option would effectively mean “controlling all of Lebanon”, which he described as “absolute madness” that nobody intends to pursue.
The remarks come amid continued escalation on the Lebanese border and growing Israeli concerns over the inability to decisively end Hezbollah’s operations through military means alone.
Calls for political and economic pressure on Lebanon
Despite rejecting withdrawal, Shlonsky argued that “Israel” should maintain its current military positions while intensifying attacks against Hezbollah targets within operational reach.
At the same time, he called for pursuing a political settlement through economic pressure and financial incentives directed at Lebanon. He claimed that economic hardship could weaken support for Hezbollah, adding that there is currently “great sympathy inside Lebanon for an agreement with Israel,” which he said had not existed previously.
Israeli journalist Moav Vardi responded during the discussion by warning that withdrawal from the confrontation zone would also present difficulties for the Israeli regim.
The comments reflect increasing debate within Israeli political and media circles over the sustainability of the ongoing confrontation on the northern front, especially following mounting casualties and Hezbollah’s continued attacks on Israeli military positions and settlements.