TPC Staff
The Palestine Chronicle / September 14, 2024
Netanyahu’s decision to intensify military efforts in the north comes amid expectations that the return of residents to border towns in northern Israel will be officially approved as one of the objectives of the ongoing war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to expand military operations on the northern front, Channel 13 reported on Saturday.
The channel quoted Netanyahu as stating that Israel “is about to launch a broad and powerful operation on the northern front.” According to the same source, the Israeli army is aiming for a “gradual escalation” in this region.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority (KAN) previously reported that this decision is expected to be made during a Security and Political Affairs Cabinet meeting scheduled for Monday.
Following the announcement of the expanded operations, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant affirmed the military’s readiness to escalate tensions with Lebanon, though he acknowledged that this could complicate efforts to reach a prisoner exchange deal in Gaza.
Gallant had previously stated, during an inspection of the Netzarim axis in central Gaza, that the army is prepared to rapidly move its focus from the Gaza Strip to the northern front if necessary, citing the increased Hezbollah strikes on northern Israeli sites.
Meanwhile, former War Council member Benny Gantz expressed, that “the time has come to use force against Hezbollah and return the residents of the north safely to their homes,” while criticizing Netanyahu’s government, describing it as “paralyzed and disintegrated” for neglecting the residents in northern Israel.
‘Settlers in the North’
Netanyahu’s decision to intensify military efforts in the north comes amid expectations that the return of residents to border towns in northern Israel will be officially approved as one of the objectives of the ongoing war.
This development occurs more than 11 months into the war on the Gaza Strip and its extension to the northern front, with Netanyahu reportedly emphasizing the importance of achieving this goal.
However, speaking at a ceremony for slain fighter Hani Ezzedine on Saturday, Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of the Lebanese movement Hezbollah, said that a ceasefire in Gaza would be the only way for Israel to return its residents to the north, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.
“The support front in Lebanon will continue as long as the war in Gaza continues, and the pace of this support increases as Israel increases its aggression, especially when it targets civilians,” he was quoted as saying, adding that “there is no way for the settlers in the north to return except by stopping the war on Gaza.”
Exchange of fire
Since October 8, the Lebanese movement Hezbollah has engaged directly, but relatively in a limited way in the war against the Israeli occupation.
According to Hezbollah sources, the movement has carried out 1,194 military operations in the first 250 days of war, killing and wounding over 2,000 Israeli soldiers.
Israel has occupied parts of Lebanon for decades and has only left the country in 2000, following stiff Lebanese resistance under Hezbollah’s leadership.
It attempted to re-occupy Lebanon in 2006 but failed in what Lebanon considers a major victory against Israel.
Israel, however, continues to occupy parts of Lebanon, namely the Sheeba Farms region.
Hezbollah has vowed to recover every inch of Lebanon that has been occupied by Israel contrary to international law.
