Israeli defense minister calls for escalated campaign against Hezbollah in the north

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant conducted a comprehensive situation assessment on Friday at the Northern Command, issuing a directive to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to escalate their operations in the northern region.

Emphasizing a strategic shift from defensive maneuvers to proactive engagement with the Hezbollah militant group, Gallant outlined a robust strategy aimed at targeting Hezbollah operatives, even in more distant locations such as Damascus.

"We are shifting from repelling to actively pursuing Hezbollah. Wherever they are hiding, we will reach them, including more distant places like Damascus and beyond," stated Gallant. His directives, delivered during meetings with senior U.S. officials in Washington earlier this week, were reiterated during the Northern Command session, underscoring a commitment to intensifying military actions against the militant group.

The recent surge in operations follows a reported overnight attack in Syria attributed to Israel, resulting in significant casualties, including six Hezbollah operatives. Although not explicitly confirming Israel's involvement, Gallant commended ongoing operations against Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and Syria, signaling a continuation of targeted strikes.

"We will increase the rate of attacks and expand our operations - that's what I conveyed this week in Washington to Secretary of Defense Austin, to Special Envoy Amos Hochstein, and others - and that's what I instructed the IDF at Northern Command," Gallant affirmed.

During his visit to the Northern Command, Gallant inspected the aftermath of a successful strike against a Hezbollah commander, expressing satisfaction with the operation's execution and effectiveness. "The results from Northern Command are highly impressive, and the operation is being conducted at a very high level," he remarked.

Vowing to broaden the scope of the campaign, Gallant pledged to intensify attacks in Lebanon, holding Hezbollah responsible for the destabilizing activities in the region. "We are shifting from being passive to actively pursuing Hezbollah. Wherever Hezbollah is, we will reach it," Gallant asserted, enumerating key Lebanese cities as potential targets for future operations.

Attributing significant damage in Lebanon to Hezbollah, Gallant pointedly assigned accountability to the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah. "They have over 320 terrorists killed, and they will pay for any attack coming from Lebanon," he declared, signaling an uncompromising stance against further aggression.

Source: Newsroom