Moscow. November 6th. INTERFAX - The encirclement by the Israeli army of Gaza City, the capital of the sector, means that the Israeli army is conducting operations already in the enclave itself.
On this topic, our special correspondent Vyacheslav Terekhov talks with Major General Pavel Zolotarev, Deputy Director of the Institute of the USA and Canada, member of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.
The tactics of the fighting expanded... "Who didn't hide, I'm not to blame!"
- Recent events on the Israel-Gaza Strip line show that the Israeli army has changed the tactics of conducting the operation and from pinpoint strikes with a return to the locations of the army moved to an offensive operation. The goal is to encircle the sector capital, and then capture the city. What caused this change in tactics?
- I have the impression that they did not abandon the tactics of pinpoint strikes, the purpose of which was to destroy the discovered tunnels, but expanded the operation. They have approached the city of Gaza, and of course, as they move deeper into the fighting will be increasingly fierce with heavy losses on both sides. It is clear that at the exits from the tunnels in the city itself, Hamas militant groups are waiting for the Israeli military.
The change in tactics was also facilitated by the fact that a significant part of the residents left the city. The Israeli leadership knows about this, and if someone stayed, then probably Israel, after all the warnings, acts on the principle of "who did not hide, I am not to blame."
Therefore, it may no longer be a question of abandoning the use of pinpoint strikes on tunnels, but of expanding military tactics with penetration deep into the territory. Pinpoint strikes are still necessary to destroy the tunnels themselves and exits from them, and the rooms where generators and ventilation facilities are located.
- To capture the city of Gaza, it is necessary to overcome several rings of defense. They have been built all the last years. In order to pass them with the least losses, Israel must increase the offensive group, including the armored one.
- If armored units go forward unaccompanied by infantry, they will become just a great target, and moving tanks together with infantry will still cause significant losses. Grenade throwers can hide behind every pile of garbage in the city.
- It turns out that the previous tactics of massive bombing of the city eventually turned into the opposite option for the Israeli army - the ruins became an obstacle to the capture of the territory.
- Yes, of course, the ruins, if they are not leveled to the ground, allow Hamas militant groups to hide.
Iran's nuclear program is more important than Hamas' plans
- Now let's move to the north of Israel. Apparently, Hezbollah refrains from a direct clash with Israel. Instead of opening a second front in northern Israel, as the Hamas leadership expected, Hezbollah is limited to striking Israeli military positions. This, of course, angered the Hamas leadership, and a rather unpleasant exchange of statements took place between them and the leadership of Hezbollah.
- I think that the influence of Iran affects here first of all. He doesn't need this big conflict. The leaders of Iran are implementing, taking into account the situation, their plans for the consistent implementation of the nuclear program.
They have not yet reached the stage where they can behave unrestrainedly. If they have nuclear weapons, they will rely on the factor of nuclear deterrence. An example of this is North Korea. We have to reckon with North Korea. Former US President Trump flew there and met with the leadership of North Korea. It's all thanks to nuclear weapons. Iran has not yet reached this level. The agreement that was concluded on Iran's nuclear program has been crossed out, and a new one has not yet appeared.
Therefore, it is safe to say that no one needs a large-scale military conflict in this area. In this regard, the interests of the Americans who are trying to restrain both Israel and Iran coincide.
- This is probably why Israel does not carry out bombing attacks deep into the territory of Lebanon.
- of course. In principle, if you look at the policy of the United States, they try to minimize its escalation in conflicts of any scale.
Taking Gaza is not the end of the operation. The next stage is the punishment of the Hamas leadership.
- How long, in your opinion, can the siege and capture of the city of Gaza last? Is this probably the main point of Israel's strike?
- In a previous interview, I got a little overreacted, saying that the operation would probably be over within a month. I think it can last for two months. It all depends on the duration of the phase during which the pockets of resistance will be eliminated, especially those associated with the presence of tunnels, and even the entire underground city. And not only that: in addition, Israel's goal is the destruction of all Hamas combat cells.
And as for the punishment of the main leadership of Hamas, it must be borne in mind that it is not in Gaza, this is clear to everyone.
It is located outside of Gaza and this is likely to be the task of the next stage of the confrontation between Hamas and Israel. Therefore, they can decide to take the city within a month or two, but this will not be the final victory over Hamas...
The fact is that Hamas, although not very much, is still fueled in its hatred of Israel. And now even more so. It's like a multi-headed snake. The revival of Hamas' encroachments will continue, so a lot depends not on the continuation of the operation throughout Gaza, but on the political measures that must be taken later. In order to restore peace in this territory and begin the process of creating two independent States, political measures are needed. But this is no longer Israel's task, since it alone will not solve it. This is an international matter, including the UN, which remains on the sidelines for now. The UN has experience in conducting peacekeeping operations - this is their task. But they have not yet manifested themselves anywhere at all. The functionality of the UN does not work anywhere yet.
