by Jason Ditz, antiwar.com

Last week, the New York Times released the results of its investigation into the ongoing Israeli invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon and found that some 48 towns and villages had been destroyed by IDF forces. Defense Minister Israel Katz, in a weekend appearance on Israel’s Channel 14, bragged that the number is even higher.

Katz boasted in the appearance that more than 60 villages were actually destroyed outright. “Every single village, we’re talking about 23,000 homes, is in ruins,” Katz declared before a cheering studio audience, before adding “there are no residents left, 200,000 people have been displaced.”

The comments appear to leave little doubt that Katz is presenting the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure as a primary goal of the ongoing war in Lebanon, and with elections approaching, one that Katz seems to be seeking to emphasize. “This is the Gaza model. That’s what we’ve been implementing,” Katz declared at the end of laying out those details.

Claire's Observations:  Lebanon, as a geopolitical entity, has ceased to exist, its "dead man walking" status fully confirmed here by Israel.  

The only people who do not comprehend this, are the Lebanese politicians in Beirut, desperately clinging to the fantasy that they still have some remnant of a country left.  

I don't know what the odds are at online betting venues about how soon signage in the Israeli conquered areas of Southern Lebanon will change from Arabic to Hebrew; but my hunch is, that such a change will not be very far behind Israel's genocide here.