By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel on Thursday was bracing for a massive armed confrontation with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in neighboring Lebanon after warnings from the Israeli army’s chief of staff.
Accompanied by high-ranking commanders, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Herzi Halevi, said the “likelihood” of all-out war with Hezbollah was greater than ever.
“I don’t know when the war in the north is; I can tell you that the likelihood of it happening in the coming months is much higher than it was in the past.”
Halevi stressed it was crucial to step up the training of troops following recent lessons from the war against Hamas in Gaza, which he said are “highly relevant” to engagements in Lebanon.
Yet there are international concerns that such an escalation would open a significant new phase in the regional conflict.
Hezbollah’s estimated arsenal of more than 100,000 rockets has long been a point of contention in Lebanon, a country destabilized by past wars and years of financial and political crises.
Seen as the spearhead of the Iran-aligned “Axis of Resistance” of groups that also include Hamas, Houthis, and others, Hezbollah was drawn into a battle it has said it did not expect.
HAMAS STORMING ISRAEL
The moment came when Palestinian ally Hamas stormed Israel on October 7, triggering an armed conflict that has also spilled into the Red Sea, where U.S. strikes targeted Yemen’s Houthis over their attacks on shipping.
Hezbollah has said its campaign has aided Palestinians by “stretching” Israeli forces and driving tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes.
Critics say it has come at a cost, with around 140 Hezbollah fighters and at least 25 Lebanese civilians killed, as well as at least nine Israeli soldiers and a civilian.
Hezbollah, founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982, is the most powerful and influential of the groups Iran backs. It has played a big part in Tehran’s broader foreign policies
Branded a terrorist organization by Washington, Hezbollah has not been directly involved in direct talks with Israel on avoiding war. But diplomats say they are trying to reach both parties with ideas on how to about a broader armed confrontation
One suggestion is that border hostilities be scaled back in tandem with Israeli moves toward lower-intensity operations in Gaza, according to several sources.
A proposal was also communicated to Hezbollah that its fighters move 7 kilometers (4 miles) from the border, Reuters news agency quoted Lebanese officials as saying.
FIGHTERS CLOSE
That would leave fighters much closer than Israel’s public demand of a 30-kilometer (19 miles) withdrawal to the Litani River stipulated in a 2006 United Nations resolution.
Hezbollah has reportedly dismissed both ideas as “unrealistic.” It has long ruled out giving up weapons or withdrawing fighters, many of whom hail from the border region and melt into society at times of peace.
However, Halevi made clear that Israel is readying for battle.
He said potential military operations against Hezbollah would aim to guarantee the safe return of an estimated 80,000 residents to the north, encompassing all settlements in the region.
His comments carried by Israeli media came during a visit to – reserve forces exercise in the north of Israel following several deadly cross-border attacks.
The visit included vital military figures, including Major General Uri Gordin, the commander of the Northern Command, and Major General David Zini, the commander of the Training and Training Command, Israel’s i24NEWS channel reported.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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