News of War Staff Writer
An Israeli soldier stands guard at a fence separating Israel and Lebanon at a military outpost in Kibbutz Hanita, close to the border in northern Israel, January 11, 2024. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini
Israel Adopts Vintage Defensive Tactics Against Hezbollah Along Northern Border
In the shadow of Lebanon's border, Israeli soldiers, guided by a training manual from 1956, navigate the complexities of a tense but controlled standoff with Hezbollah. This manual, titled "The Rifle Department," was swiftly reissued following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7th. It marks a shift in Israeli military tactics, from their customary offensive posture to a more static defense approach, as explained by Lt. Col. Dotan Razili, a home front brigade commander in the north.
"The IDF usually is an attacking force. We take the initiative," Razili stated in Hanita, a border kibbutz now deserted after the October attack. Clutching an aged copy of the manual, he added, "We had to teach units how to start defending."
This manual, one of the Israeli army's earliest, imparts fundamental infantry skills for modern soldiers more accustomed to high-tech warfare. It covers essential tactics like constructing enduring foxholes.
"We got better at it," Razili observed, highlighting their improved readiness through training and fortification.
While intense conflicts rage in southern Gaza, northern Israeli troops face a different challenge: a simmering cross-border conflict with Hezbollah. Despite mutual hostility and sporadic exchanges of fire, a full-scale war has been avoided. Both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant have expressed a reluctance to engage in war with Hezbollah, mirroring similar sentiments from Hezbollah leaders.
The longevity of this precarious balance is uncertain. The area has witnessed an escalation in violence, including anti-tank missiles, mortars, air strikes, and machine gun fire, leading to significant casualties on both sides.
In this tense environment, Hanita, a picturesque kibbutz near the border, stands mostly abandoned. Israeli and Hezbollah forces regularly exchange fire, with Hezbollah reportedly launching over 800 Kornet anti-tank missiles and drone strikes, including one recent attack on an Israeli military command post.
Despite the aggression, Israeli troops are instructed to respond only to direct threats. "I'm holding myself because I understand the situation, and we are here until the government says otherwise," explained an officer, acknowledging the difficulty of their restrained position.