In the months leading up to the start of the operation, the Israeli army intensively prepared for a possible confrontation with Iran. Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate consolidated its units and implemented the lessons learned from previous confrontations with Tehran. From the outset, Israeli leadership assumed that Iran was an adversary with considerable military capabilities that must not be underestimated. The operation is based on a detailed and long-prepared plan involving thousands of soldiers and reservists from intelligence, air force, and other units. A large portion of the targets currently under attack were only identified after the previous operation in June 2025. The target bank is the result of years of reconnaissance and analysis.
At the same time, the situation in Lebanon was closely monitored. Although Hezbollah was significantly weakened by Operation Northern Arrows, its arsenal is still considered dangerous, even if—according to Israeli statements—it has been reduced by around 90 percent. From the beginning, Israel assumed that Hezbollah join Iran militarily in the event of a war. Accordingly, operational plans...
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