of Israel Defense Forces A former Israel Defense Forces spokesman told Fox News Digital that the announcement approving the plan to “attack Lebanon” was “another step toward a significant escalation” against the terrorist group Hezbollah.
The IDF released photos this week of top military officials meeting to discuss strategy, saying: “As part of the situation assessment, operational plans for the offensive in Lebanon were approved and reviewed and a decision was made to continue enhancing the readiness of forces in the field.”
“This marks another step towards a significant escalation. The IDF has been preparing its forces for a combat scenario in Lebanon for months, and now they have approved a strategic maneuver plan, a plan to strike Hezbollah in Lebanon from the ground and of course from the air,” Jonathan Conricus, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former IDF spokesman, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
“This means we are one step closer and it should sound the alarm in Beirut, Washington, Paris, London, Berlin and of course all other regional capitals, because it means Israel is sending a signal to the world that patience has run out and that action must be taken to bring safety to Israeli civilians.”
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The IDF said on Tuesday that “as part of the situation assessment, operational plans for attacks in Lebanon have been approved and verified, and a decision has been made to continuously strengthen the readiness of forces in the field.” (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF announcement came the same day that Hezbollah released drone footage purportedly showing Israeli aerial surveillance, including of the port city of Haifa. According to Reuters.
The comments also came just days after an IDF spokesman said “Hezbollah attacks have intensified and we are on the brink of further escalation.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israel has been warning of war with Hezbollah for months but no clear escalation has yet occurred. Israeli air strikes have killed several top Hezbollah commanders and Hezbollah has continued to launch a barrage of missiles and rockets.
“We are focused on the diplomatic process, but Hezbollah’s attacks bring us closer to a critical moment of decision-making regarding our military activity in Lebanon,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told visiting Biden administration representatives on Monday.
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An Israeli firefighter walks near smoke and flames as cross-border fighting continues between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in northern Israel on June 12. (Reuters/Gil Eliyahu)
As The war in Gaza continues Israeli intelligence sources have emphasized the threat posed by Hezbollah in comparison to Hamas, the Gaza terror group with comparatively fewer resources and which has been largely eliminated by the Israel Defense Forces since the October 7 Israeli massacre.
An Israeli soldier fires a mobile howitzer near the Lebanese border in northern Israel on January 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
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But Hezbollah is far better equipped and manned: its rocket and drone attacks have already forced more than 100,000 Israelis to flee their homes in northern Israel.
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
