IDF chief: War with Hezbollah becoming increasingly likely

A full-fledged war between Israel and Hezbollah is becoming increasingly likely, according to IDF chief of staff Herzl Halevi. 

“I don’t know when the war in the north is. I can tell you that the likelihood of it happening in the coming months is much higher than it was in the past,” he said touring the northern border on Wednesday.

Halevi also said that many of the IDF’s lessons from the fighting in Gaza are “very relevant to fighting in Lebanon.”

Israel has a very clear goal in Lebanon, Halevi said: “To return the residents to the north, all the communities in the north.”

More than 80,000 Israelis have been evacuated from their homes in northern Israel due to the daily attacks from Hezbollah.

Hezbollah’s attacks continued on Wednesday with some 20 rockets fired from Lebanon at the Western Galilee. Israel retaliated by launching fresh airstrikes against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon has tied its fate to that of Gaza’s, saying that the conflict with Israel on the northern border won’t stop until there is a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Israel is insisting that Hezbollah adhere to its obligations from UN Security Council resolution 1701 which ended the 2006 war between the two neighbouring countries. According to the resolution, all hostilities much cease while Hezbollah has to stay clear of southern Lebanon and eventually disarm.

Hezbollah has so far dismissed removing its troops from the Israeli border, instead opting for daily anti-tank, rocket and drone attacks. More than 2,000 projectiles have been fired at Israel since Hezbollah launched its attacks on October 8.

Reuters cited a senior Lebanese official saying that Hezbollah is “ready to listen” but that it wouldn’t remove its forces from southern Lebanon.