“Limited” is a vague assurance or aspiration, not a definition. How many will be dead in Lebanon by the time Israel’s “limited” ground operation and accompanying strikes are over? More than a thousand have reportedly died in the last fortnight, including women and children. A million people are homeless in a country that was already struggling to function. Far from preventing further conflict, the Israeli ground offensive only paves the way for more violence. As night fell on Tuesday, Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel – almost 200, according to Israeli Army Radio – which the Revolutionary Guards described as retaliation for the killing of the leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas. At least eight people died when armed gunmen opened fire at a light rail station in Jaffa.
The Israeli operation appeared, at least initially, to be on a smaller scale than many had anticipated. But the impact will not be limited to the Hezbollah fighters it targets. Ordering civilians to leave does not absolve an army of its obligations to them under international law. Israel used the term “limited” during its Rafah operations, yet the outcome there was no different from the devastation seen across Gaza. “Limited” operations, when repeated, become something larger. “Limited” operations undergo mission creep, intentionally or otherwise – and their outcome is not determined by Israel alone. Hezbollah, Iran and others are rethinking the limits that – for entirely self-interested reasons – they had previously set in striking Israel.
