Israeli media have been covering the progression of confrontations in the war in the Gaza Strip. One former military leader believes Israel is strategically facing its toughest phase, while another contends that after 90 days of war, the army is losing strength for various reasons.
Retired General Noam Tichon, a former commander of the Northern Battalion, stated that Israel, due to the performance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, is in its most challenging strategic stage. He emphasized the necessity for significant coordination with the Americans and Egyptians regarding the Philadelphia Corridor and the governance of the Gaza Strip.
Speaking to Israel's Channel 13, Tichon suggested that Netanyahu's prolonging of discussions about the strategic objective of the battle could result in nullifying all the tremendous efforts made, leading to zero accomplishments and getting stuck in the mud of Gaza.
Meanwhile, Channel 11 reported on Tichon, also a former Northern Battalion commander, asserting the initial sense of strength and inevitability of victory typical at the start of wars had begun to fade after 90 days of the Gaza conflict.
"In every war, there is a stage where we must acknowledge the potential for beginning to lose strength, as the enemy starts getting to know you. Additionally, issues regarding legitimacy and the potential for a disaster, God forbid, similar to what almost happened in our previous wars," Tichon added.
Israeli Victory Not Desired by Some
On the other side of the spectrum, Israeli academic Limor Simimian believes that certain forces do not want Israel to win the war. These include those who would rather replace Prime Minister Netanyahu than see Hamas defeated, those working for the Americans, and those preoccupied with finding political solutions instead of focusing on a decisive military and security victory, she claims.
In a different context, military personnel discussed the launching of a "surface-to-air" missile by Palestinian resistance towards an Israeli helicopter, highlighting the risks to the air force. An analyst mentioned that the prevailing belief was that there wasn't a significant threat to the air force's planes, but now a different reality is emerging.
Amos Yadlin, a former head of military intelligence, commented that despite the helicopter not being hit and flying at a low altitude due to its missile countermeasures, nothing is completely foolproof.
Kataeb al-Qassam, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, claimed it had successfully launched a "surface-to-air" missile at an Israeli helicopter, in a joint operation with the Mujahideen Brigades, east of Khan Younus.
