Analyzing Hezbollah’s Beirut Trapezoid

Tony Saghbini, in a comment on the Hezbollah’s Map Post, offered the following analysis on why Hezbollah chose this particular formation in storming Beirut yesterday:

It’s not about what’s inside the trapeze. Inside the trapeze is the advanced logistical support area with a semi-friendly population and plenty of free room to move or stack equipment and people (e.g Tayoune area and Horsh Beirut and Madine Riyadiyeh).

The long ends of the trapeze have the ability to block all the roads that lead to Beirut from inland, and to block sea travel (the port) and air travel (the airport), all that while avoiding a provoking presence inside Beirut itself like in Hamra, Ras Beirut and the Sunni areas in general.

However, the two weak points in the trapeze are near the Madineh — Jnah, and in the long stretch from Shiyah to Charl Helou which seem to be arranged to leave a space for the Lebanese army that have a fair presence along these two lines.

All alternative explanations are welcome.