Impending ground operation in Gaza: Challenges and warnings

As soon as President Biden left Israel, the possibility of a ground operation in Gaza became imminent despite several challenges facing the Israeli army.

The Israeli military is not accustomed to entering a devastated area, and its personnel are not fully prepared for such a battle, especially since reserve troops are not trained for ground warfare.

Furthermore, the war in Gaza is expected to be complex and protracted. Therefore, security and military officials have warned of the high potential cost for Israel, especially regarding military casualties.

They have also urged those responsible for the decision to go to war to exercise caution, as what the army will face inside Gaza is unprecedented in its many years of military operations.

Biden agreed to the principle of a ground war against Gaza and conveyed several messages related to the northern front during his talks in Tel Aviv.

Moreover, he stressed the need to keep the northern front with Lebanon away from Israel's objectives to avoid it becoming a starting point for a regional war.

However, he vowed that his troops would be ready to support the Israeli army in this war if it was imposed on Israel.

Concerns about this front were evident during the war cabinet talks, which extended into the early hours of Thursday.

Additionally, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued instructions to prepare for war, starting Thursday, on various levels.

He acknowledged the danger Israel might face in any war with Lebanon due to the strength, accuracy, and range of the rockets that Hezbollah would launch, which could hit anywhere in Israel.

While Gallant revealed that Israeli gas fields had been subjected to attempted attacks and that the ammonia stores in Haifa were among Hezbollah's most strategic targets, the Israeli army began preparations to build a field hospital in the north.

In addition, the Home Front devised a rapid evacuation plan for approximately fifty thousand Israelis from towns within five kilometers of the Lebanese border, relocating them to educational institutions, as hotels and safe places in the south have been filled with residents since the first day of the war in Gaza.