Israeli army prepares for potential ground offensive in Lebanon
Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, the chief of the IDF Northern Command. (Photo via IDF)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have called up two reserve brigades to be deployed to northern Israel, signaling preparations for a potential ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israeli military calls up reserve brigades, plans ground maneuver
The move comes after a fresh assessment by the Israeli military, which aims to “continue the fighting effort against Hezbollah, protect the citizens of Israel, and create conditions for the safe return of displaced northern residents to their homes,” according to the IDF.
Israeli Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, chief of IDF Northern Command, said the need for the Israeli military to be “strongly prepared” for a ground maneuver in Lebanon.
“We have entered another phase of the campaign and we are in the ‘Northern Arrows’ operation,” said the commander. “We need to be very strongly prepared to enter the maneuver and into action,” Gordin said during his visit.
He claimed that Israeli airstrikes, which began on Sept. 23, have already dealt a significant blow to Hezbollah’s rocket capabilities and leadership.
Escalation of conflict
Gordin said that the security situation in northern Israel needs to be altered, and preparations for a ground offensive are a critical component of the strategy. “We need to change the security situation, we need to be very strongly prepared to enter in a (ground) maneuver,” he said, adding that Israel’s airstrikes have primarily targeted southern Lebanon, including the Bekaa and Baalbek regions.
IDF chief confirms it
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi says the Israeli military is preparing for a ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon. “You can hear the planes above, we are attacking all day. Both to prepare the area for the possibility of your entry [into Lebanon], and also to continue causing blows to Hezbollah,” Halevi tells troops of the Israeli 7th Armored Brigade during a drill simulating a ground offensive in Lebanon.
“Hezbollah today expanded its [range] of fire. Later today, it will receive a very strong response,” he said, after Hezbollah fired a missile at central Israel this morning.
“Today we will continue, we do not stop, we continue to attack and continue to strike them everywhere. The goal is a very clear goal, to return the residents of the north safely. To do this, we are preparing the (ground) maneuver,” he said.
Rising casualties and displacement in Lebanon
According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, Israeli airstrikes have killed 581 people since the attacks began on September 23. In addition to the rising death toll, Lebanese officials report that nearly 500,000 residents have been displaced from southern Lebanon, with many fleeing to Beirut and northern regions of the country.
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib expressed deep concerns over the humanitarian crisis triggered by the ongoing conflict, as waves of displaced people continue to flee the heavily targeted southern areas.
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