From: BBC September 25, 2024
Israel’s earlier wars with Hezbollah were grinding, attritional and never produced a decisive victory for either side.

At first Israel hoped air power would stop rocket attacks into Israel.
When it did not, ground troops and tanks once again rolled back over the border. The war was a disaster for Lebanese civilians.

But on the last day of the war, Hezbollah was still launching salvoes of rockets into Israel.

This one might go the same way, however satisfying the last week of offensive action has been for Israel, its intelligence services and its military.

Israel’s offensive rests on an assumption - a gamble - that a point will come when Hezbollah will crumple, retreat from the border and stop firing into Israel. Most observers of Hezbollah believe it will not stop.

Fighting Israel is the main reason why Hezbollah exists.
That means Israel, just as reluctant to admit defeat, would have to escalate the war further.

Israel’s commanders know that entering Lebanon under fire would be much more formidable military challenge than fighting Hamas, in Gaza.

Hezbollah has also been making plans since the end of the 2006 war, and would be fighting on home ground, in south Lebanon which has plenty of rugged, hilly terrain that suits guerrilla tactics.