Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the chief of staff for the Israeli Defense Forces, declared that the likelihood of war in Lebanon has reached an unprecedented level.
The warning comes in the wake of a recent series of missile strikes exchanged between the IDF and the militant group Hezbollah, as per to New York Post.
Addressing troops stationed near the Lebanese border on Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Halevi emphasized that Israel is intensifying its preparedness for potential hostilities in Lebanon. Training for reservists is currently underway in northern Israel, overseen by the Land Forces Training Center.
"We are in a time of increasing readiness for fighting in Lebanon. We have a lot of lessons from the fighting in Gaza, many of which are very relevant to fighting in Lebanon, and there are some that must be adapted," stated Lieutenant General Halevi.
According to him, the primary objective for Israel in Lebanon is to ensure the safe return of residents to the northern communities. Lt. Gen. Halevi acknowledged that achieving this goal would require a significant change, underlining the increased probability of conflict in the coming months.
"The likelihood of it happening in the coming months is much higher than it was in the past," noted the representative of the Israeli General Staff, indicating a shift in the geopolitical landscape.
Highlighting the Israeli army's growing confidence in its capabilities, Lt. Gen. Halevi mentioned the acquisition of "great experience, capabilities, surprises that can be achieved progress." He emphasized the importance of serious training and a strong spirit among the troops for any potential future engagement.
The tensions between Israel and Lebanon have been exacerbated by repeated attempts from Hezbollah militants to strike Israel from Lebanese territory. The conflict escalated after Israel initiated a war against Hamas, further straining regional stability, according to RBC Ukraine.
Hezbollah Strike
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently expressed his country's readiness to engage in a war with Hezbollah. The situation escalated on January 8 when a senior Hezbollah commander, Radwan, was killed in southern Lebanon as a result of an Israeli strike.
On January 6, Israeli forces retaliated with a series of strikes in southern Lebanon following the firing of about 40 rockets into northern Israel. This incident marked another chapter in the ongoing hostilities between the two sides.
In a previous attack on December 20, Israeli Defense Forces targeted Hezbollah's operational command center in Lebanon. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz had also issued a warning to Hezbollah at the end of the preceding year, cautioning that the IDF would take measures to push militants away from the border with Lebanon if the attacks persisted.
During a drill simulating an offensive in Lebanon, Lt. Gen. Halevi reiterated the increased readiness of the IDF, drawing parallels with lessons learned from the conflict in Gaza. The chief of staff remains uncertain about the exact timing of a potential conflict but emphasized the heightened likelihood in the coming months, expressing confidence in Israel's preparedness advantages.
As the situation continues to unfold, the international community closely watches the developments in the region, hoping for a de-escalation of tensions and a peaceful resolution to the longstanding conflicts between Israel and its neighbors, The Times of Israel reported.
