Military Operations of The 2006 Lebanon War - Israel

Israel

Lebanon's civilian infrastructure has also been targeted by the IDF. The international highway between Beirut and Damascus, and bridges, roads, airports, and factories have been bombed several times by the Israeli Air Force. This has led to the disruption of normal life in the country and difficulties in distributing civilian goods. The Rafik Hariri International Airport was among the first of many targets of Israel’s campaign in Lebanon. Civilian areas also bore a huge brunt and have been the subject of constant Israeli bombardment. Beirut's southern suburbs, traditionally a Hezbollah stronghold, have been hit numerous times by the IDF and many of its residents have fled. Israel warned Lebanese civilians of Hezbollah strongholds to evacuate their cities ahead of time through leaflets, though there is some debate over the legality and effectiveness of the warnings.

For Israel, the figures were Population: 7,052,117; Military expenditures: $9.45 billion (2005 est.) Israel receives about $3 billion in US military and economic aid per annum. Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 7.7% (2005 est.); Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: :1,255,902, females age 17-49: 1,212,394 (2005 est.). The IDF as of August, 2004 had an estimated 168,000 personnel, including 107,500 conscripts. The army had 125,000; the navy had 8,000; the air force had 35,000. Full mobilization to 576,000 could be quickly achieved with the reserves of 408,000.

The Israeli navy had three Dolphin class submarine, three corvettes of 1075 ton displacement with 3-inch (76 mm) guns, eight fast attack craft of 488 ton displacement with 3-inch (76 mm) guns, fifteen coastal patrol craft of 39 ton displacement, two Saar 4 fast attack craft-missile of 415 ton displacement, capable of carrying Harpoon surface to surface missiles with a 70-mile (110 km) range and 227 kg warhead, thirteen 54 ton fast attack craft with surface to surface Hellfire missiles, one 72 ton PTFM, 2 smaller fast attack craft, and three Stingray interceptors of 10.5 ton displacement.

The U.S. is Israel's main foreign arms supplier. According to the Congressional Research Service, $8.4 billion dollars of arms deliveries went to Israel in the 1997-2004 period, with $7.1 billion dollars coming from the United States. U.S. Foreign Military Financing, U.S. grants to Israel, totals about 2.3 billion dollars a year. Israel has purchased from the US a total of over 378 F-16s, and 117 F-15s, 94 A-4 Skyhawk, 110 F-4 Phantoms. On July 21, 2006 it was reported that the U.S. was rushing a delivery of 5,000 pound GBU-28 bunker busting bombs to Israel.

Israel ceased offensive military action since 14 August 2006, one day after Israel accepted the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.