Israel announced on Tuesday today that it is expanding its war efforts, shifting focus from its nearly year-long campaign against Hamas in Gaza to also address Hezbollah along its northern border with Lebanon.
This comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to return to the region later this week to attempt to revive stalled ceasefire negotiations for the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
Previously, Israel’s objectives were primarily centred on crushing Hamas and securing the return of hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the October 7 attacks, which triggered the ongoing war.
While the war has primarily concentrated on Gaza, the continuous exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas in Lebanon, have displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border.
“The political-security cabinet updated the war aims this evening, adding a new goal: the safe return of the northern residents to their homes,” a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday.
Although the conflict with Hezbollah has not been officially declared as a war, the exchanges of fire have resulted in the deaths of hundreds, mostly fighters in Lebanon, as well as dozens of civilians and soldiers in Israel.
On Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant remarked that “military action” was now the only means to ensure the safe return of Israel’s northern communities.
Hezbollah, which like Hamas is backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for a dozen attacks on Israeli positions on Monday and three more on Tuesday. An Israeli airstrike on Tuesday killed three people in Lebanon, whom Israel identified as Hezbollah members, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
‘Fundamental change’ needed –
Israeli Defence Minister Gallant noted that the chances of reaching an agreement were diminishing as Hezbollah continues to align itself with Hamas. He conveyed this to visiting US envoy Amos Hochstein, as per a statement from his office.
Later, Netanyahu told Hochstein that he was seeking a “fundamental change” in the security dynamics on Israel’s northern border.
Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, stated over the weekend that while the group had “no intention of going to war”, any full-scale conflict would result in “large losses on both sides.”
