Israel's war against Hamas and its genocidal objective continues despite revolutionary advances in air power over the last two decades.
In what began as an effort to dissuade Hezbollah from again attacking Israel with rockets like it did in 2006, the Israeli Air Force introduced new technology and weapons that enabled the air force to hit more Hezbollah targets in 24 hours than it did in 33 days during the 34 day war with Hezbollah in 2006. This meant, for Hamas down in Gaza, Israel could now hit in less than 12 hours the number of targets it took seven days to find and attack during the week-long 2008 war with Hamas.
Yet despite that capability that was used profusely, a year and a half after Hamas mounted its rape and murder invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023 Israel's army is still engaged in ground combat operations inside Gaza. Against a greatly weakened Hamas and constellation of associated jihadi groups, to be sure. But still fighting.
Israel put Billy Mitchell on amphetamines, channeling his fervent belief:
The day has passed when armies on the ground or navies on the sea can be the arbiter of a nation's destiny in war. The main power of defense and the power of initiative against an enemy has passed to the air.
I wondered if Israel was "preparing to screw the pooch three times faster[.]" Nope. They achieved 33 times faster. And still it was not enough to win the war alone. And so Israel will mobilize tens of thousands more reservists, potentially to "expand" the war. The intent seems to be to control rather than bomb the ground.
We shall see. Faith in the latest generation of air power capability never falters.
NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
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NOTE: I made the image with Bing.
