The Israeli Army is not an army in doubt when it talks about the Litani line. Hectic fighting was underway 1 km into Lebanese territory where six Hizbollah men were reported killed in the latest update.

It is this zone between the border and the Litani river where the Hizbollah is believed to have entrenched itself, attacking northern Israeli towns like Kiriyat Shmone at will.

“The Cabinet has cleared us for extended ground operations into Lebanon. Air Force will support us in this,” Israeli Defence Forces spokesperson Lt Col Olivier Rafowicz told The Indian Express.

Clearly, the war against Lebanon has entered its next stage for Israel which is looking to mark out the zone which can be taken over by the International Stabilization Force being pushed diplomatically by the US. The operational link-up with diplomatic efforts is evident on the ground as four raids have already been carried out by Israelis into Lebanese territory in the last 24 hours.

Israeli officials are careful not to phrase this as a campaign of occupation. According to official sources, the aim is to secure this critical area, “clean it up” of all Hizbollah cadre, level all bunkers and create a safe zone which can be a good starting point for the UN sponsored forces. Later, they add, the Lebanese Army can be positioned in this zone.

For all the talk about Arabs in Israel being uncomfortable about the strikes in Lebanon, there is a strong consensus among all affected groups along the border to allow the campaign reach its logical conclusion. While a quarter of the population in this 50 km border has moved out, the remaining are firm and they are largely those who live in Kibbutz (communes).

“They (Hizbollah) want to destroy Israel. The world doesn’t want to see it, but we cannot ignore it. We are Jews and we have had enough of it in the past... the Hizbollah must be finished,” says Aharon Valency, chairman of the Upper Galilee Regional Council which has 29 kibbutz in its fold.

A Left-of-Centre politician, Valency says this area is dominated by people like him who would not want Arabs to be killed. “We, in fact, voted for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon seven years ago but they let the Hizbollah back in who have been continuously firing rockets at us for three years. We have no choice, it’s either our kids or theirs. I will choose my kids.”

The locals stand firmly behind the Army, ready to take any hardship as long as the campaign follows its course. Intelligence reports, according to Army officials here, suggest that Iran has invested up to $100 million in the Hizbollah and that makes them an “extremely well-trained and equipped force”.

Imad Murnia, considered to be chief of staff of the Hizbollah, is apparently the bridge with Iran. According to Israeli officials, he is a key aide of Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hizbollah. Both are now targets. “Nasrallah is 46, I don’t think he will wait to be 47, so if you want to wish him happy birthday, do it now,” quips an Army official.

Armoured columns and bulldozers have been lined up to go behind the infantry, to clear, clean and level the ground of all Hizbollah. Amid the heavy noise of artillery fire, an Army official tries to be remorseful about what happened in Qana but then adds his twist.

“We learn from the initial investigations that the kids were in a bomb shelter which exploded an hour after the air strikes. Was it that some explosives were hidden in the shelter and blew up later?”

These theories are common here as Israeli soldiers justify their campaign, knowing well that time is short.

“We have eliminated 25 per cent of the Hizbollah, but that’s not enough,” says Rafowicz. After all, the goal is to draw that Litani line.