The Major Israeli Offensive Has Begun

The major offensive has begun in Lebanon and the Israelis appear to have launched the battle to cripple Hizbullah. Reports that a military operation has been launched in Bekaa. Rightwing Nuthouse has a good summary up including this info from the Jerusalem Post:

Earlier, fighter-bombers struck deep inside the country, hitting the Hizbullah stronghold of Hermel, some 120 km. north of the border in the Bekaa Valley, witnesses said. Planes also hit Hizbullah fighters battling with soldiers near the border, as the gunmen fired mortars into Israel...............

Bekaa is the cradle of everything Hizbullah. Per Haaretz:

Baalbek, an ancient city with spectacular Roman ruins, was a former Syrian army headquarters and included the barracks of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards when they trained Hezbollah guerrillas there in the 1980s.............

I've consistently posted below ( here & here) that I believe that the IDF has a plan and when it's launched it will be lights-out for Hizbullah, and that plan certainly has just been put into play. Hizbullah has no chance against the IDF when they hatch the real offensive and what better place to do so than Baalbek? Time will tell but for all those who were buying into the line that Hizbullah was holding their own against Israel, I think a much clearer message is about to be revealed that can not be misunderstood or misinterpreted...........................

----------------Update------------------------------

Others blogging on this topic I found interesting:

Captains Quarters has a wrap on what is at stake, and praise for the job the Bush Adm is doing by giving the Israelis the time they need to get this job done:

Israel must win this battle. The US has to keep running interference until Syria and Iran stop funding Hezbollah and the Lebanese government disarms the terrorists. We have to show the resolve necessary to stop accepting hudna and start winning this war. Thus far, the White House has done a masterful job of allowing Israel the space to engage the terrorists and confound their sponsors. Until the terrorists agree to lay down their weapons and stop provoking regional wars, the White House should stick to its guns....................

When all this is over and the hard analysis is done, I think the criticism that Sec. Rice has received will be very off the mark. She and the Administration have done a Herculean job of standing straight and giving the Israelis time, pushing back the usual suspects, I think........................