Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday implied in discussions with IDF Armored Corps forces along Israel’s northern border that a ground war with the Hezbollah terrorist army in Lebanon is imminent.
Gallant met with troops serving in the 188th and Golani Brigades and was briefed by commanders on the ground about the readiness of the troops for the possibility of expanding activities in the northern arena.
The minister also spoke with battalion and company commanders who discussed their prior activities in Gaza and their current deployment to the northern front.
“The elimination of [Hezbollah chief Hassan] Nasrallah is a very important step, but it is not the final one,” Gallant said.
“We will employ all the capabilities at our disposal, and if someone on the other side did not understand what those capabilities entail, we mean all capabilities, and you are part of this effort,” he told the troops.
“We trust you to accomplish every mission at hand,” Gallant emphasized.
“Our goal is to ensure the [safe] return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes,” he reminded the forces. “We are prepared to make every effort necessary to accomplish this mission.
“We will use all the means that may be required – your forces, other forces, from the air, from the sea, and on land. Good luck,” Gallant added.
His remarks made clear that Israel indeed intends to invade Lebanon, to force the Hezbollah terrorist army back beyond the Litani River in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 — the ceasefire agreement that ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War that has been entirely ignored by Hezbollah and by the Lebanese government since the day it was signed.
