Israel unveils strategy for potential military action toward Lebanon
After Hezbollah issued menacing statements, Israel intensifies its threats. "We're about to make a move to alter the game against Hezbollah and Lebanon," says Israel's Foreign Minister Katz. The US is trying to cool things down.
While the US is attempting to negotiate a weapons ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, the Israeli military, as per their reports, is readying for ongoing combat in the northern part of the country. According to top brass, offensive plans for an attack in Lebanon have been given the go-ahead, as per the military's announcement. The "Jerusalem Post" discusses a hardened stance.
Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz cautions against escalation in the northern region. "In a full-scale conflict, Hezbollah will be annihilated and Lebanon will take a heavy toll," Katz wrote on X. "We're on the brink of deciding to change the rules against Hezbollah and Lebanon," he warns.
Previously, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia had published aerial photos of northern Israel, as they claimed. The images were said to depict Haifa Harbor and other critical sites in the region, allegedly captured by a drone. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah bragged about recording Haifa Harbor and threatened to target it, Katz further wrote. The harbors are handled by international corporations from China and India, the Foreign Minister highlighted.
US Envoy Amos Hochstein met in Lebanon on Tuesday to pursue a weapons truce between Israel and the Shia militia. According to Lebanese reports, Hochstein aimed to pass a stern message from the Israeli side to the Lebanese government. Benny Gantz, former Minister in the Israeli Defense Ministry, warned Hochstein in media reports that the time for a diplomatic agreement was running out.
Since the Hamas massacre on October 7, during which other Islamic groups were also involved, and the onset of the war in the Gaza Strip over eight months ago, there have been daily confrontations between the Israeli army and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia along the border of the two countries. Casualties were reported on both sides. There is considerable international fear over the dangerous expansion of the conflict.
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The United States urges Israel to reconsider its aggressive actions towards Hezbollah and Lebanon, given the potential for a wider conflict. In response, Israel's defense minister reaffirms their readiness to engage in another Israel war against Hezbollah, stating that a full-scale conflict would result in Hezbollah's annihilation and significant damage to Lebanon.