Despite the IDF presence in southern Lebanon, Israel is avoiding strikes even when a threat is identified. Hezbollah continues to rebuild undisturbed, while restrictions imposed by Washington are narrowing Israel’s room for maneuver. If things remain as they are, the situation could become even worse than it was on the eve of Operation Roaring Lion.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun may be willing to reach an agreement with Israel, but not for the reasons Israelis assume. Like other actors in the region, he understands that Israel cannot be defeated on the battlefield. But on the diplomatic front, Israel suffers from inconsistency and often ends up accepting US dictations. If Israel wants real peace, it must insist on addressing the roots of the conflict: Hezbollah's weapons, reforming the Lebanese army and dismantling the Palestinian camps in Lebanon.

The US president remained optimistic despite the latest developments: “We’re offering a very fair and reasonable deal. It will happen, one way or another.”

Although nearly eight decades have passed since that war in 1948, there is still much to learn from it, not only as a glorious and heroic chapter in the history of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, but also, and above all, as a source of lessons and insights worth remembering and revisiting, which remain relevant today.

From the president’s barrage of posts to Israel’s retreat in Lebanon, Israel is becoming an American protectorate that is failing to translate military achievements into strategic victory. In Jerusalem, officials understand that Iran and Hezbollah have survived, and that any decisive outcome on the nuclear issue is now farther away than ever.