Gallant: Hezbollah Is Down to 20% Of Pre-War Rocket Arsenal

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited Israel's northern border region on Tuesday, telling the officers of the IDF Northern Command on Tuesday that their soldiers were doing a great job. "The achievements of the IDF in Lebanon are extremely impressive," he said. "We have eliminated the chain of command and control of Hezbollah, and I estimate the missile and rocket capability they have left is at 20%."

Defense officials gave clarifying updates to the news media, saying that this number referred to long-range weapons, of which Hezbollah is estimated to have had around 50,000 on October 23, 2023. Shorter range weapons, such as mortars, have also been greatly reduced, but not by as large a percentage.

Gallant also had good things to say about the IDF ground incursion into southern Lebanon, which has already been successful in clearing most of the tunnels, bunkers and firing positions Hezbollah had set up along the border to enable an invasion of the Galilee. He said this is an important step towards the stated goal of allowing the residents of northern Israeli communities to return to their homes.

There is a debate within the security establishment and the political echelon on how much longer the IDF should operate in southern Lebanon. The discovery of so much weaponry and ammunition so close to the border has alarmed many and led to the belief that the threat is much greater than previously estimated, so a deeper push into Lebanon is necessary.

Meanwhile, the air force is continuing to strike Hezbollah rocket launchers and other positions further north from the border, including a launcher that fired a barrage towards Ma'alot-Tarshiha in northern Israel on Tuesday, killing one civilian and wounding several others. The Hezbollah launcher was destroyed in the IAF attack.