Analysis: Now is the Time for a Better Use of Air Power

A hard and fast rule of war is that the use of ground forces in urban combat is directly related to loss of life. In Gaza, the IDF has somehow learned to go in and get out with few casualties. Hezbollah is a different enemy, with different equipment, a different surrounding population and, perhaps, a greater motivation to fight.

Wednesday's casualties in Bint Jbail may indicate that Hezbollah has managed, yet again, to neutralize the IAF's technological advantages. The proper use of air power against a terrorist or guerrilla formation takes time, and herein lies Israel's problem.

Last week in Maroun a-Ras, several soldiers died fighting Hezbollah around their fortified bunkers. The correct use of military power in that situation would have been to use small special forces teams equipped with nothing more than GPS trackers, laser pointers and Uzi submachine guns.

The elite forces, instead of going into the bunkers, could have laser-painted the bunkers' positions to the IAF, which would have destroyed them. That would be the correct way to leverage Israel's technological advantage.

Hezbollah has no qualms about losing 50 fighters, whereas we Israelis do, and the Islamists know it. Wednesday's battle will give Hezbollah a huge morale boost - regardless of how many fighters they have lost.