Seizing the High Ground

This started off as a post over at Wretchard's excellent blog, The Belmont Club.

If you have Google earth, take a look at these coordinates:

Yaroun: 33° 4'54.60"N 35°25'11.00"E
Maroun al-Ras: 33° 6'11.34"N 35°26'43.78"E
Hill 891: 33° 5'46.07"N 35°29'30.44"E

These three coordinates may demarcate the line of the Israeli advance into Lebanon over the last 24 hours (see links here and here (ht: Pajamas Media)). The reasons for them to do so, at least on a tactical/operational level are pretty clear. First, seize the high ground. I dug up a topographic map (via Google here) that gives the peak heights of the surrounding terrain in meters. Assuming that the map is accurate, a brief survey shows that the town of Maroun al-Ras sits on the highest terrain for kilometers around at a peak altitude of 943 meters. Hill 891 which is probably the Israeli right flank has the next highest altitude at 891 meters. Yaroun anchors the Israeli left flank, creating an arc of positions along the ridgeline. For at least several kilometers north and west of there the terrain is either valley, or with a peak altitude no greater then 825 meters. Second, according to this report (ht: Pajamas Media) the town of Bint Jabel is considered by the Israelis to be the “Hizbullah capital.” The town is sheltered in the valley north-west about 1 1/4 miles from Maroun al-Ras and now ripe for an Israeli incursion.

Quick note: I'm new to blogging, still trying to figure out this whole trackback thing. If I mess it up I apologize!

Quick note 2: mnc, in the comments section here points to a newspaper article about the Irish battallion that used to operate in this area, here (registration required).