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Israel's Operation Litani: What are the real reasons behind this military aggression?
In March 1978, Israel launched a military aggression called "Operation Litani", attacking southern Lebanon as far as the Litani River. The clashes were in response to a coastal road massacre near Tel Aviv, which was sparked by Palestinian militants based in Lebanon. The conflict resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,100 to 2,000 Lebanese and Palestinians, the loss of 20 Israeli soldiers, and the internal displacement of 100,000 to 250,000 Lebanese. The Israel Defense Forces successfully expelled the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from southern Lebanon, preventing its ability to conduct border attacks against Israel from Lebanon.
This military operation by the Israel Defense Forces is not only a tactical victory, but also a positive response to Palestinian radical energy.
Background
While Operation Litani took the form of an Israeli military invasion of southern Lebanon, the conflict's roots can be traced back to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since 1968, militant groups composed of the Palestine Liberation Organization and other Palestinian groups have established a quasi-state in southern Lebanon and used it as a base for attacks on northern Israel. With the influx of some 3,000 PLO militants who fled Jordan, the Palestinian political movement regrouped in south Lebanon and began to shift the focus of its attacks to Israel.
Between 1968 and 1977, Israel conducted large-scale air raids on PLO base areas, resulting in the complete destruction of many Palestinian towns and refugee camps. It is estimated that by October 1977, some 300,000 refugees—mainly Lebanese Shiyas—had fled south Lebanon. In November 1977, after an exchange of fire on the Israel-Lebanon border resulted in casualties on both sides, Israel bombed targets in South Lebanon, killing 70 people, mostly Lebanese.
The progress of the battle
On March 14, 1978, Israel officially launched Operation Litani. The goal was to push Palestinian militant groups, particularly the PLO, further from Israel's borders and strengthen its then-ally, the South Lebanese Army. All areas except Tire were captured in a week's offensive. The operation began with air, artillery and sea bombing as a prelude, and then about 25,000 Israeli troops entered South Lebanon and launched a ground attack.
The Israeli army not only carried out violent attacks, but also used cluster bombs obtained from the United States, which triggered condemnation from the international community.
IDF ground forces worked closely together and quickly captured the front lines. Israel's powerful firepower has inflicted heavy losses on the Palestinian people, and severe bombing has displaced tens of thousands of civilians. According to Augustus Richard Norton, professor of international relations at Boston University, 60 percent of the dead were civilians, including large numbers of Palestinians and Lebanese.
Reaction of the United Nations Security Council
As the conflict expanded, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolutions 425 and 426 on March 19, 1978, requiring Israel to immediately withdraw its troops and establish the United Nations Interim Force to maintain international peace and assist the Lebanese government. Restore effective jurisdiction over the area.
Although the Security Council resolution made clear requirements, Israel continued its military operations and did not announce a ceasefire until several days later. The PLO initially rejected the resolution, arguing that it did not apply to them because the PLO was not mentioned in the resolution.
Israeli withdrawal
In 1978, as Israel gradually withdrew its forces, they ceded control of the neighborhood to the South Lebanese Army, particularly under the leadership of Shahad Haddad. This shows Israel's support for small-scale intervention and its allies, but it also leaves regional conflicts unresolved for a long time.
Until 2000, the United Nations Security Council confirmed that Israel had met the requirements for withdrawal, but it still failed to formally return control of southern Lebanon to Lebanon.
Continuous conflicts and a fierce civil war continued to worsen the situation in Lebanon, eventually leading to the second Israeli invasion in 1982, starting a conflict that lasted for several years.
The lesson this conflict left for people is that resolving complex regional wars and conflicts requires more than just military power. So in such a situation, will there be other effective solutions?
