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Notes -
2006 was one month, then the UN brokered a ceasefire to effect 1701. If both sides adhered to 1701 the war would not be seen as a unilateral victory. Hezbollah being duplicitous in its negotiations reflects poorly on the UN, not on Israeli military.
The previous major effort where Israel got its shit pushed in, it was Yom Kippur. For the first few days, Egypt orchestrated a masterful breach of the Israeli defenses along the Suez, then fought a competent (by their standards) ground campaign against the Israelis. That the Egyptians were losing this ground campaign even before their disaster is ignored, and the Israelis, like any competent entity, pivoted and responded in light of changing facts on the ground.
So too would 2006, had it gone on. Urban peer combat is horrendous, and the Israeli advantage in firepower is negated in such a war. Disciplined guerillas are notoriously difficult to react against following an ambush, so it is uncertain whether an Israeli pivot would have necessarily succeeded, but to claim 2006 is proof of Hezbollahs immunity is insane.
1701, if abided by, was a win condition for the Israelis. Hezb and Hamas all know they cannot actually stand up to even a modest IDF operation. Jihadi group terrorists waste immense amounts of money buying uniforms to cosplay as soldiers, making dramatic videos of themselves in balaclavas and camo ready to fight the dirty jew. In all the combat footage of Hezb or Hamas fighters, not a SINGLE uniform has been seen. Bitching about IDF heavyhanded policing and airstrikes entirely glosses over the total failure of Hamas and Hezb to put up the barest of token resistance. The Iraqis at least had the dignity to die in uniform when fighting the US, and ISIS wears vests to identify themselves clearly.
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