ירמיהו, פרק נ״ב, פסוק ה׳

Jerusalem remained completely trapped and surrounded by the Babylonian army for a prolonged period. The military force encircled the city with the direct goal of conquering it, intentionally creating severe distress, suffering, and heavy pressure for the people locked inside [מצודת ציון].

The city stood paralyzed in this state, held within the grip of the enemy forces [מצודת דוד], until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah's reign. Altogether, this standoff lasted for about a year and a half. Interestingly, this period was not defined by fierce, active combat. The king of Babylon did not rush to breach the city walls. Instead, he chose a calculated strategy of slow strangulation, fully understanding that the city simply did not have the strength to hold out and would eventually fall [ביאור שטיינזלץ].