In Retrospect: The Second Lebanon War

The processes that led to the Second Lebanon War and the events that took place during the war are analyzed six years after the war. The starting point for the analysis is the withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, which, according to the analysis, was justified. However, from a broad perspective, it is evident that the overall processes since the withdrawal led to strategic choices that resulted in the IDF’s reduced operational preparedness. The article examines the decision making processes near the start of and during the course of the war through a review of the IDF’s main operational activity during the war. In addition, it describes the political moves during the fighting and at its conclusion. Finally, there is an analysis of the campaign’s achievements and the main lessons derived from it.